Concept of social behavior
The concept of “behavior” came to sociology from psychology. The meaning of the term “behavior” is different, different from the meaning of such traditional philosophical concepts as action and activity. If action is understood as a rationally justified act that has a clear goal, strategy, carried out using specific conscious methods and means, then behavior is solely the reaction of a living being to external and internal changes. It is this reaction that can be both conscious and unconscious. So, purely emotional reactions - laughter, crying - will also be behavior.
Social behavior is a set of human behavioral processes associated with the satisfaction of physical and social needs and arising as a reaction to the surrounding social environment. The subject of social behavior can be an individual or a group.
If we abstract from purely psychological factors and think at the social level, then the behavior of an individual is determined primarily by socialization. The minimum of innate instincts that a person possesses as a biological being is the same for all people. Behavioral differences depend on qualities acquired during the process of socialization and, to some extent, on congenital and acquired psychological individual characteristics.
Except for the above, the social behavior of individuals is regulated by the social structure, in particular the role structure of society.
A social norm of behavior is behavior that completely conforms to status expectations. Thanks to the existence of status expectations, society can predict the actions of an individual in advance with sufficient probability, and the individual himself can coordinate this behavior with the ideal model or model accepted by society. Social behavior that meets status expectations is defined by the American sociologist R. Linton as a social role. It is this interpretation of social behavior that is closest to functionalism, since it explains behavior as a phenomenon determined by social structure. R. Merton introduced the category of “role complex” - a system of role expectations determined by a given status, as well as the concept of role conflict that arises when the role expectations of the statuses occupied by a subject are incompatible and cannot be realized in any single socially acceptable behavior.
The functionalist understanding of social behavior was subjected to fierce criticism from, first of all, representatives of social behaviorism, who believed that it was necessary to build the study of behavioral processes on the basis of the achievements of modern psychology. The extent to which the psychological aspects were really overlooked by the role interpretation of the command follows from the fact that N. Cameron tried to substantiate the idea of the role determination of mental disorders, believing that mental illness is an incorrect performance of their social roles and the result of the patient’s inability to perform them as ϶ᴛᴏ is needed by society. Behaviorists argued that in the time of E. Durkheim, the successes of psychology were insignificant and therefore the functionality of the expiring paradigm met the requirements of the time, but in the 20th century, when psychology reached a high level of development, its data cannot be ignored when considering human behavior.
Factors and levels of behavior
In society, an individual’s behavioral goals depend on the natural and social environment around him and other factors, which include:
- biological and physical qualities (health, the presence of certain abilities, endurance);
- emotional component and psychological type of a person;
- the presence of goals and objectives that determine the role of the individual and his desire for leadership and obtaining a certain status;
- attitudes towards economic and political processes in the state;
- perception of other individuals, analysis of their behavior during interaction;
- the ability to adapt to changing internal and external conditions;
- ability to pass levels of specialization;
- development of situational human behavior;
- the instinct of self-preservation in stressful situations and during various disasters.
Social behavior depends on one’s own and third-party assessment of actions, the actions of surrounding people, emerging motivation, psychological aspects, and political consciousness. Often the behavior of individuals is unconscious or spontaneous, arising under the mass imposition of ideas from formal and informal groups, spontaneous actions of the crowd.
The levels of social behavior of subjects are always characterized by several components.
Among them:
- Individual's reaction. This refers to attitudes, emotions and actions that arise after spontaneous mass events.
- Habitual actions. They reflect the model of interaction with others developed over the years, as well as established relationships.
- Purposefulness of actions. Characterized by balanced decisions, consciousness and achievement of the assigned task.
- Implementation of planned goals. A person implements projects (material or spiritual) that he has determined for himself in advance.
- Human behavior is controlled by methods established by the state and society that correspond to real processes and historical events.
The methods used include:
- accepting and demanding compliance with social norms;
- establishment and widespread regulation of legal norms;
- requirement to fulfill moral and ethical principles.
All types of methods listed are considered applicable to each individual throughout his life, but depend on the age group. For example, a child cannot be forced to follow many adult rules, but social behavior skills, basic culture and ethics can be taught. Therefore, one mother’s child behaves calmly in the presence of strangers, while the other’s child is capricious and defiantly hysterical. Which mother is the best agent - the answer is obvious.
At the state level, approval of lawful social behavior is reflected in regulations. Based on legal norms, documents reflect the desires of society to resist unlawful behavior, protect the individual from the negative actions of other individuals, and serve as prevention against unlawful acts.
Forms of human social behavior
People behave differently in one or another social situation, in one or another social environment. For example, some demonstrators peacefully march along the declared route, others seek to organize unrest, and still others provoke mass clashes. These various actions of social interaction actors can be defined as social behavior. Consequently, social behavior is the form and method of manifestation by social actors of their preferences and attitudes, capabilities and abilities in social action or interaction. Therefore, social behavior can be considered as a qualitative characteristic of social action and interaction.
In sociology, social behavior is interpreted as: o behavior expressed in the totality of actions and actions of an individual or group in society and depending on socio-economic factors and prevailing norms; o external manifestation of activity, a form of transformation of activity into real actions in relation to socially significant objects; o a person’s adaptation to the social conditions of his existence.
To achieve life goals and when implementing individual tasks, a person can use two types of social behavior - natural and ritual, the differences between which are fundamental.
“Natural” behavior, individually significant and egocentric, is always aimed at achieving individual goals and is adequate to these goals. Therefore, the individual does not face the question of the goals and means of social behavior: the goal can and should be achieved by any means. The “natural” behavior of an individual is not socially regulated, therefore it is traditionally immoral or “unceremonious.” Such social behavior is “natural”, natural in nature, since it is aimed at ensuring organic needs. In society, “natural” egocentric behavior is “forbidden”, therefore it is always based on social conventions and mutual concessions on the part of all individuals.
Ritual behavior (“ceremonial”) is individually unnatural behavior; It is thanks to this behavior that society exists and reproduces. Ritual in all its variety of forms - from dataket to ceremony - permeates all social life so deeply that people do not notice that they live in a field of ritual interactions. Ritual social behavior will be a means of ensuring the stability of the social system, and the individual who implements various forms of such behavior participates in ensuring the social stability of social structures and interactions. Thanks to ritual behavior, a person achieves social well-being, constantly being convinced of the inviolability of his social status and the preservation of the usual set of social roles.
Society is interested in ensuring that the social behavior of individuals is of a ritual nature, but society cannot engage in self-centered social behavior, which, being adequate in goals and unscrupulous in means, always turns out to be more beneficial for the individual than “ritual” behavior. Therefore, society strives to transform forms of “natural” social behavior into various forms of ritual social behavior, incl. through socialization mechanisms using social support, control and punishment.
Such forms of social behavior as:
- cooperative behavior, which includes all forms of altruistic behavior - helping each other during natural disasters and technological disasters, helping young children and the elderly, helping subsequent generations through the transfer of knowledge and experience;
- parental behavior - the behavior of parents towards their offspring.
Aggressive behavior is presented in all its manifestations, both group and individual - from verbal insults of another person to mass extermination during wars.
Mood
In addition, the norms and rules of behavior of people in society require, for the period of interaction and conversation, to put aside existing life difficulties, bad mood, pessimism and a negative attitude towards something. You can only say something like this to a very close person. Otherwise, there is a risk of remaining misunderstood by the interlocutor and leaving an unpleasant aftertaste from the conversation. It is also not recommended to talk about bad news, otherwise there is a high chance, on a subconscious level, to “attach” to your person an association with everything bad, joyless, and unpleasant.
Signs of deviant behavior
There are clear signs that an individual’s actions are deviant behavior, namely
:
- Inconsistency with generally accepted social norms;
- Violation of these norms;
- Negative assessment of others, imposition of sanctions;
- Causing harm to yourself and others;
- Persistence – the antisocial act is repeated many times;
- Social maladjustment;
- The general orientation of the personality is destructive.
The last feature, however, is controversial. After all, the concept of deviant behavior also includes cases such as talent, genius, heroism and self-sacrifice. Such actions and manifestations also violate some established rules, but ultimately their goal is the creation, sometimes even the salvation of society.
What is deviant behavior
Under deviant behavior
It is common to understand actions that contradict established social norms.
The persistent manifestation of deviations forces society to apply sanctions to this person - isolation, punishment, correction, treatment.
Simply put, deviation is a violation of any rules. In this regard, psychologists claim that the vast majority of people on the planet are deviants. Indeed, it is difficult to live your whole life without violating a single established rule - this means not only state legislation, but also some informal regulations, such as the need to communicate with friends in your free time. Too much work ethic (“workaholism”) and a passion for dieting are also deviations.
Correctly delivered speech
The rules of behavior in society require a person to be able to correctly express his own thoughts, because, as you know, whoever thinks well speaks in exactly the same way.
You should speak at a moderate pace, calmly, and not too loudly, because attracting unnecessary attention to yourself by raising your tone is the wrong approach to business. The interlocutor should be captivated by his own erudition, breadth of views and knowledge of certain areas of life.
The use of parasitic words, periodic “mooing” and pauses can spoil the overall impression of the conversation. The rules of conduct accepted in society also encourage a person to take the role of a listener rather than a speaker. Of course, the skill of successfully broadcasting to the public is a very useful skill for life, but the ability to listen should not be underestimated, because it is an equally valuable art that will be adequately appreciated in any circle.
Unnecessarily complaining about your problems or “pushing” your interlocutor into a frank conversation when he demonstrates a clear reluctance to share intimate things is considered bad manners.
Types of deviant behavior
Psychology, sociology and medicine have their own approaches to defining deviant behavior and classify its types in different ways. Different scientific directions even define actions and actions differently - one school considers some action “normal”, while another considers it deviant.
One of the existing classifications of deviant behavior was proposed by Ts.P. Korolenko and T.A. Donskikh - domestic psychiatrists.
- Non-standard behavior
- in this case, the individual violates some rules, but in general his activities are positive and useful for society. - Destructive behavior
– has a destructive orientation. In this case, externally destructive and internally destructive actions are distinguished. In the first case, a person either uses certain means to escape reality and get the desired emotions (alcoholism, drug addiction, gambling, etc.), or directly violates laws and causes harm to others.
In the second case, a person’s actions are aimed at direct self-destruction - suicide, fanaticism, conformism, narcissism, etc.
Human behavior itself is a reaction to social norms. There can only be a few such reactions, and their description was given at one time by Robert King Merton, one of the greatest sociologists of the twentieth century.
Each society forms both the goals of its existence and the means of achieving them, and each individual responds to this through one of the possible reactions
:
- Submission - complete submission to both goals and means of achieving them;
- Innovation - the individual submits to the goals of society, but uses other means to achieve them;
- Ritualism - the goal is rejected as unattainable, but a “mechanical” adherence to traditions remains;
- Retreatism is withdrawal from society due to disagreement with its goals and means;
- Rebellion is an attempt to bring a new order to society, to change both goals and means.
Three of these types of behavior are outright deviant
But ritual behavior in most cases is not perceived as deviant: society, as a rule, pays attention only to the external side of the behavior of individual people. There is an opinion that almost all members of society profess ritual behavior without thinking about the purposes of existence or even outright denying them
First meeting and introduction
The rules of conduct established by society state that in case of acquaintance one should present:
- man - woman;
- junior in age and position - senior in the same categories;
- those who came later are already present.
At the same time, the person being introduced to is mentioned first in the address, for example: “Maria, meet Ivan!” or “Alexander Sergeevich, this is Artyom!”
When introducing people to each other, it is recommended to briefly characterize them in order to start a conversation and specify who the “organizer” of the acquaintance is with this person: “Elena, this is my brother Konstantin, he is a geologist.” Then the girl will have the opportunity to continue the conversation, for example, by asking Konstantin about the specifics of his profession, asking in more detail about family affairs, etc.
