Social behavior: definition and explanatory theories

This facet of behavior links us to the lives of others and our relationships with them.

Human beings are bio-psycho-social entities, which means that biological, psychological and social components coexist in each of us. biological, psychological and social components coexist in each of us.. As far as social behavior is concerned, this will be the result of the fusion between genetic characteristics (DNA) and environmental factors surrounding individuals.

However, in practice we cannot separate one element from the other to study them separately. What is certain is that although each person is something apàrently isolated, we are all defined by social behavior, we are all defined by social behavior..

What is social behavior? Definition

To understand a subject as complex as social behavior, it is necessary to review some of the main theories. In this way we will be able to familiarize ourselves with the subject.

Since ancient times, philosophers as relevant in Western thought as Aristotle already glimpsed the importance of social behavior and society for people's lives. For the polymath, the human being was a social animal whose individual actions were inseparable from social actions, since it is in society that people are formed morally, by being citizens and relating to our environment..

From these ideas we can outline a simple definition of what social behavior is: the set of behavioral dispositions in which there is a great influence of social interactions.

As we have seen before, this is a complex subject, so it is best to know the most relevant theories about social behavior so that you know how the people around you may act on a daily basis.

Main theories

The most important social behavior theories are the following.

1. Social influence theory

Social influence is a social psychological process in which one or more subjects influence the behavior of others.. This process takes into account factors such as persuasion, social conformity, social acceptance and social obedience.

For example, nowadays it is common to see how in social networks the so-called "influencers" have a significant influence on social behavior, especially in adolescents. This influence can be of two types:

Informational influence.

Happens when a person changes his or her thinking or behavior because he or she believes that the other person's position is more correct than his or her own. than one's own. This means that there is a conversion process.

Normative influence

Unlike informative influence, this occurs when a person is not entirely convinced by the other's position, and yet, because he or she wants to be accepted by others, ends up acting against his or her own beliefs.

2. Classical conditioning theory

Ivan Pavlov affirms that an innate response corresponds to a stimulus, but he maintains that if that stimulus is associated with other events, we can obtain a different behavior.. According to Pavlov, induced stimuli can change people's behavior.

This is the main source of marketing. For example, if in an advertising campaign the product is associated with a pleasant stimulus for people (smiles, beaches, beauty) this will be translated into a greater number of sales.

3. Operant conditioning theory

Developed by B. F. Skinner, the operant conditioning theory is a way of learning based on rewards and punishments.. This type of conditioning holds that if the behavior brings with it a consequence, either reward or punishment, the consequence of our behavior will lead to learning.

This type of conditioning is often studied during learning in early developmental ages (infancy), but it is capable of explaining many other behaviors.

4. Vicarious learning theory

In vicarious learning (learning by imitation), reinforcement is of a different nature; focuses primarily on cognitive imitative processes of the individual learning with a model figure.. In the early years, parents and educators will be the basic models to imitate.

The concept was proposed by psychologist Albert Bandura in his Social Learning Theory in 1977. What he proposes is that not all learning is achieved by personally experiencing actions.

5. Sociocultural Theory

The Sociocultural Theory of Vygotsky emphasizes the interaction of young people with the environment that surrounds them, understanding the cognitive development of the young.understanding cognitive development as the result of a multicausal process.

The activities they carry out together provide children with the possibility of internalizing the ways of thinking and behavior of the society in which they find themselves, adapting them as their own.

Collectivity and the masses

The study of the psychology of the masses initially comes from the psychoanalytic tradition. What it sought was to increase the influence of the actions of large groups on the isolated individual, that is, on the individual's identity, and to understand how these actions influence cultural and other movements.

However, during the 20th century, both behaviorism and the cognitive-behavioral current began to explain this part of life. began to explain this part of human lifeThe study of stimuli and responses operationalized by means of recordings.

As we have seen so far, social behavior is truly a very deep subject where there is a diversity of feedback relationships, taking into account that the behavior of one individual influences the behavior of another, thus forming a collateral effect.

By way of conclusion

It is clear that understanding social behavior in an exact way is nothing more than a utopia.Perhaps because we are more unpredictable in society than as individuals. However, the social factor must be taken into account in any behavioral analysis.

Bibliographical references:

• Bandura, A. (1986). Social foundations of thought and action: A social cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
• Pavlov, I. P. (1927). Conditioned Reflexes: An Investigation of the Physiological Activity of the Cerebral Cortex. Translated and Edited by G. V. Anrep. London: Oxford University Press. p. 142.