The Concept of Social Behavior - Research Paper

Introduction

Social behavior is a set of action and interaction exhibited by individuals who belong to the same species. Social settings are most often beneficial to the associated individuals. It is always believed that different social behaviors have existed as results of the benefits enjoyed by individuals associated with them; hence, there is evidence that the beneficiaries of social behaviors have the capability of surviving and producing (Altman, 2011). Notably, social behavior is both exhibited by both animals and human beings both verbally and non-verbally. Some examples of social behaviors exhibited by human being include; various conversations like political conversing, offering reassurance of consolation of one another, shaking of hand together, kissing and other forms of corporation that involve an association of individuals (Altman, 2011).

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In addition, social behavior can be seen as a mutual exchange of goods with a perception, that when you give you will also expect to receive. These behavioral characteristics can be demonstrated by the qualities possessed by an individual and various situational factors in individual's environment. Hence in relation to human beings, social behavior can be both dictated by individual traits and situational circumstances that one may find himself or herself (Altman, 2011). Most importantly, a significant concept of social behavior is communication, which forms the background reproduction and survival due to the necessity of association.

Social behavior is believed to be dictated by major two processes, that can collectively collaborate or otherwise. The dual classification mode of impulsion and reflective depiction of social behavior reveals that a single factor is not in a position of determining a social behavior rather than multiple factors interacting in an associative environment with different circumstances and situations (Altman, 2011). For instance, one can undertake an action with a particular objective in mind, while sometimes the same person can also act rationally without control but driven by impulse.

There also exists difference between various kinds of social behavior, like mundane and defensive kind of social behavior. Mundane type of social behavior arises due to individual day to day association and behaviors learned from different situational circumstance in the environment (Homans, 2014). While on the other hand, defensive social behavior is as a result of impulse when faced with situations involving conflicting needs. Most notably, social behavior is on a constant change in an individual lifespan since is characterized by significant changes as one continues to advance in different stages of life. The change in one's behavior is linked with cognitive developments that one is experiencing at given point in time and hence creating a collecting pattern of social behavior developments in human beings (Homans, 2014).

Just like social behavior is determined by individual traits and associated situations, the changes and development of behavior is determined by a combination of the characters and situations as well as different cultural setting in which an individual belongs (Homans, 2014). Culture plays an integral role in the development and depicting ones social behavior since the parents are the ones responsible in the settings and situations that their children's are exposed to. The different setting and situation in which a child may be exposed to, for instance, classroom or a playground will form the basis the child's habit as a result of the associated interactions which he or she will be frequently exposed to (Homans, 2014).

Also, emotions also play a significant role in development of one's social behavior since it dictates the way an individual behaves in the society. Through various social interactions that an individual may be exposed to, emotion is believed to involve both non-verbal and verbal means of displays and hence forms a key component of social behavior which is communication. Many activities that occur in one's brain reveal that emotion is associated with most of the processes that determine social behavior (Homans, 2014).

Necessarily, a social behavior serves various purposes and is not only exhibited by human beings but also a wide range of animals including birds, fish, and mammals. Hence it is not only exhibited by animals possessing a well defined nervous system. Animals also exhibit a wide range of social behaviors.

Social behavior seems to be accompanied by wide range of benefits to the individuals associated with them and research have revealed that many animals have become more successful in searching for their livelihood if they are corporate as a group. This is undeniably true if the livelihood resources are clustered together in a particular place or region (Homans, 2014). If individuals, are involved as a group in the hunt for food, there will be high chances that, at least some of them if not all will catch the prey, hence group corporation is an, important aspect of social behavior.

Besides, social behavior is associated with the concept of altruism since the benefits enjoyed by individuals of a particular species occurs when one act as a benefactor to the other. An altruism act is one that which aims at increasing the welfare of the other. For instance, an act of altruism associated with social behavior can be demonstrated by a single individual squirrel who may warn the other group members about the hawk predator (Homans, 2014).

Conclusion

In conclusion, social behavior is an essential aspect of both human and animal association which is determined by one's environment settings and situational circumstances where an individual is. It entails associative behaviors incorporation with the concept of altruism of one individual towards other individuals of the same group or species. Moreover, the key concept is social behavior is the mutual benefit derived from those who are affected hence it is about a group effort rather than individual effort.

References

Altman, I. (2011). The Environment and Social Behavior: Privacy, Personal Space, Territory, and Crowding.

Homans, G. C. (2014). Social behavior as exchange. American journal of sociology, 63(6), 597-606.