Behavior...
It's pretty much any discrete act an organism does in
response to events or stimuli in its environment.
Microorganisms respond to other cells or food...
Prairie dogs respond to threats by sounding a local alarm...
Humans engage in endless behaviors such as eating...
Making decisions...
Developing special motor sensory skills...
Playing games individually or with other humans...
Talking, which can include telling stories,
judgment, giving directions, expressing empathy,
and of course learning.
But there are also long term patterns of behavior.
People are said to be artistic,
kind, schizophrenic, smart, violent,
successful, autistic, aggressive or drug addicts...
Just some of the patterns behavioral scientists
endeavor to explain.
And of course behaviors are exhibited by groups...
From families...
To neighborhoods...
To teams...
To companies...
To marketplaces...
To nations.
All of these behaviors and more have come under the
purview of scientific study and research.
Starting in the 20th century and accelerating into the 21st
century, Behavioral Science is becoming one of the fastest
growing and most promising interdisciplinary approaches
to understanding and solving many issues
facing the world today.