Two Basic Kinds of Behavior
There are only two kinds of behavior in humans and other animals.
One kind of behavior is called Operant Behavior because it “operates”, or acts, upon the environment. Most important, operant behavior is controlled by its consequences. Consequences are said to “control” our behavior because they increase (strengthen) or decrease (weaken) the future frequency of the behaviors they follow.
Consequences influence our operant behavior probabilistically, but not absolutely. For example, a child who is praised for helping with a chore, is more likely to help others in the future. A child who is allowed to push another child down and take their toy, is more likely to be aggressive to others in the future.
The only other kind of behavior is Respondent Behavior. The word respondent means that these behaviors are reflexive responses to specific stimuli. Common examples of our respondent behavior are being startled by a loud noise, snapping our hand away from a hot flame, or salivating when we put food in our mouths.
As you will see, these two apparently simple kinds of behavior, and the ways they can be learned, are of huge importance to the lives of fellow citizens and to our socioculture.
V. Thomas Mawhinney, Ph.D. 4/20/10
Please Share This With Friends and Family!
Tags: importance to citizens, importance to socioculture, operant behavior, Ph.D., psychology, respondent behavior, V. Thomas Mawhinney
Cultural Survival Skills 
February 13, 2019 at 5:41 PM |
Simply wanna remark on few general things, The website style is perfect, the subject matter is very good : D.
LikeLike
February 12, 2019 at 6:01 PM |
You are a very intelligent person!
LikeLike
February 11, 2019 at 12:15 PM |
My brother recommended I might like this blog. He was totally right. This post truly made my day. You cann’t imagine just how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!
LikeLike
December 18, 2018 at 7:26 PM |
Someone essentially lend a hand to make severely posts I might state. This is the first time I frequented your website page and so far? I surprised with the analysis you made to make this actual post amazing. Fantastic task!
LikeLike
December 7, 2018 at 12:13 PM |
Verline Saadeh
page-description
LikeLike
November 9, 2018 at 12:02 AM |
Hello Sir,
I met your son Brian and he told me the PROMISE program which led to the Parkland murderer passing a background check would be of interest .
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2018/03/05/ingraham_promise_program_hailed_by_obama_admin_led_to_florida_schools_ignoring_violent_students.html#!
Best regards,
Richard
LikeLike
November 9, 2018 at 7:06 PM |
Thanks for your contribution Richard. I was unaware of this Obama era permissive practice which would logically contribute to an increase in bad behavior in Florida schools, including bullying and even murder. I will feature your gift to my blog soon. Warm regards! Hope you will visit my blog and feel welcome to comment pro or con, and send other material you would like me to consider. Tom.
LikeLike
October 1, 2018 at 3:17 PM |
Winnifred Clanin
Two Basic Kinds of Behavior There are only two kinds of behavior in humans and other animals. One kind of behavior is called Operant Behavior because it
LikeLike
March 12, 2018 at 2:22 PM |
You actually make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this topic to be really something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and very broad for me. I’m looking forward for your next post, I’ll try to get the hang of it!
LikeLike
February 26, 2018 at 11:36 AM |
Somebody essentially help to make seriously posts I would state. This is the very first time I frequented your web page and thus far? I amazed with the research you made to make this particular publish incredible. Great job!
LikeLike
February 26, 2018 at 2:42 AM |
Pretty element of content. I simply stumbled upon your website and in accession capital to claim that I acquire in fact loved account your blog posts. Anyway I’ll be subscribing for your feeds or even I fulfillment you get right of entry to consistently rapidly.
LikeLike
February 23, 2018 at 1:08 PM |
Somebody essentially help to make seriously posts I would state. This is the first time I frequented your web page and thus far? I surprised with the research you made to create this particular publish amazing. Fantastic job!
LikeLike
February 22, 2018 at 8:06 PM |
It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d certainly donate to this fantastic blog! I suppose for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to new updates and will talk about this blog with my Facebook group. Talk soon!
LikeLike
February 22, 2018 at 7:16 AM |
It’s really a nice and helpful piece of information. I’m glad that you shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
LikeLike
December 19, 2017 at 6:53 AM |
I am only writing to let you understand what a really good discovery my girl encountered browsing your site. She noticed several things, which include what it is like to have an awesome helping mindset to make the rest just know just exactly specific specialized subject areas. You truly surpassed people’s desires. Thank you for rendering these priceless, dependable, revealing and easy guidance on that topic to Janet.
LikeLike
December 17, 2017 at 12:01 PM |
Thanks for finally writing about >Two Basic Kinds of Behavior | Cultural Survival Skills <Loved it!
LikeLike
December 16, 2017 at 10:58 PM |
Fell out of bed feeling down. This has brtighened my day!
LikeLike
December 16, 2017 at 10:03 PM |
Right on-ihts helped me sort things right out.
LikeLike
December 16, 2017 at 9:53 PM |
Thanks for being on point and on tatger!
LikeLike
December 16, 2017 at 9:35 PM |
A wonderful job. Super helpful inaiomftron.
LikeLike
December 15, 2017 at 9:56 PM |
At last some ratoinality in our little debate.
LikeLike
December 15, 2017 at 9:09 PM |
I’m imdpseser. You’ve really raised the bar with that.
LikeLike
December 15, 2017 at 8:16 PM |
It’s a pluarese to find someone who can identify the issues so clearly
LikeLike
November 12, 2015 at 12:01 PM |
Great post.
LikeLike
November 16, 2015 at 6:17 PM |
Thanks Chau, Best wishes to you. Tom
LikeLike
November 1, 2014 at 9:21 AM |
While I believe that this blog is very comprehensive in terms of clarity of concepts, I do not believe that it would hurt to proofread your entries. I found many misspelled words which is inappropriate for an individual with a PhD to publish.
LikeLike
November 1, 2014 at 9:26 AM |
I do not mean to be negative or hurtful but your credibility is compromised with errors like these. I would hate to see that happen because you do provide an excellent understanding of the concepts.
LikeLike
November 5, 2014 at 12:56 PM |
You speak the truth and tell it like it is.
One of my personal flaws is that I try to do too much per units of time. I believe that I have gotten better at taking more time to proof my various writings. I started blogging in 2009 and hopefully have improved in this area and I now have over 1000 entries. I must admit that I could benefit from the help of a skilled editor, or critical pre-publication readers, as I have with my book and professional journal publications. Best wishes,
Tom
LikeLike
August 5, 2014 at 1:53 AM |
It’s a pity you don’t have a donate button! I’d certainly donate to this brilliant blog!
I guess for now i’ll settle for book-marking and adding
your RSS feed to my Google account. I look forward to fresh updates and will
talk about this site with my Facebook group. Chat soon!
LikeLike
August 5, 2014 at 10:31 AM |
Thank you kindly! You are welcome to comment, pro or con, on any of my blogs. Warm regards to you! VTM
LikeLike
June 18, 2014 at 6:08 AM |
After looking at a few of the blog articles on your
web page, I seriously appreciate your way of blogging.
I bookmarked it to my bookmark site list and will be checking back soon.
Please visit my web site too and let me know your opinion.
LikeLike
June 19, 2014 at 9:46 PM |
Thank you kind sir! I will check your site out. Tom
LikeLike
May 15, 2014 at 3:18 PM |
Asking questions are actually fastidious thing if you are not understanding anything completely, however this paragraph gives pleasant understanding yet.
LikeLike
May 9, 2014 at 1:12 PM |
This design is spectacular! You obviously know how to keep a
reader entertained. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start
my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Excellent job. I really loved what you had
to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
LikeLike
May 11, 2014 at 10:35 PM |
Thanks so much! Please tell your friends to stop-by. Also, feel free to sound of with comments either pro or con.
V. Tom Mawhinney
LikeLike
December 15, 2017 at 8:50 PM |
Hajlleulah! I needed this-you’re my savior.
LikeLike
December 16, 2017 at 9:57 PM |
I thuohgt finding this would be so arduous but it’s a breeze!
LikeLike
March 13, 2014 at 10:19 AM |
It is actually a nice and useful piece of information.
I’m glad that you shared this helpful information with us.
Please stay us informed like this. Thank you for sharing.
LikeLike
March 13, 2014 at 12:50 PM |
Thank you much! Please share my blog with your friends. Tom Mawhinney
LikeLike
March 9, 2014 at 9:19 PM |
Awesome artiсle.
LikeLike
March 8, 2014 at 1:20 AM |
This is very attention-grabbing, You’re an overly
professional blogger. I have joined your feed and sit up for
in the hunt for extra of your great post. Additionally, I have
shared your site in my social networks
LikeLike
April 23, 2012 at 9:27 PM |
This is a great definition. Thanks. My comment is there were two typos. But I did understand it
LikeLike
April 23, 2012 at 10:36 PM |
Thanks Shon. I will go back to that post and fix those typos! VTM
LikeLike
April 21, 2010 at 11:14 AM |
Wow, what a mis-reading. I read there are only two types — the first is Operant — and I (contrary to the text) then read “classical” rather than “respondent.” Sorry to be so dense.
LikeLike
April 21, 2010 at 11:33 PM |
Frank,
No problem, my friend. The imprefect pursuit of the the truth is what guides us. I’m sure I will match your honest mistake….and then some.
Tom
LikeLike
April 20, 2010 at 10:02 AM |
Surely there are more than only two kinds of behavior. One example is innate behavior — such as a baby blinking its eyes when its nose is touched. There are other types too.
LikeLike
April 21, 2010 at 10:04 AM |
Good to hear from you, Frank.
I am posting snippets of some of my writing on the psychology of cultural change. I will be selecting only some psychological principles for explanation and example, depending on the point that I wish to make, at particular locations in my book.
In the taxonomy of behavior and its classes, it could be argued that there are types other than operant and respondent. However, from a conditioning and learning perspective, operant and respondent behaviors are the two most basic classes of behavior, of which all other typologies are comprised (imprinting, imitative behavior in newborns–children and adults also, and innate fixed action behavior patters) for examples.
I would view unlearned reflexes, innate behavioral reactions to specific stimuli, to be examples of respondent behavior. Your example of an infant blinking to a nose touch would be such a reflex and is also an example of respondent behavior, which is innate. As you know, some such reflexes begin as respondents and later in development, come under the control of consequences (as in toilet training of children), an interesting maturational admixture of respondent and operant behavior comprising a complex chain of social behavior.
Anyway, when it comes to our own self-defeating behaviors, at the individual or cultural levels, I believe the most relevant basic classes of our behavior are operant and respondent.
I will always appreciate your editorial reactions to my postings.
Tom
LikeLike