1. Any response emitted by or elicited from an organism. 2. Any mental or motor act or activity. 3. Specifically, parts of a total response pattern. [M.E., fr. O. Fr. avoir, to have]
- appetitive b. movement of an organism toward a certain type of stimulus, such as food. Cf.:aversive b..
- aversive b. movement of an organism away from a certain type of stimulus, such as electric shock. Cf.:appetitive b..
- health b. combination of knowledge, practices, and attitudes that together contribute to motivate the actions we take regarding health.
- hookean b. the b. of a perfectly elastic body; i.e., the strain is directly proportional to the stress. SEE ALSO: Hooke law.
- molar b. in psychology, b. described in large response units rather than smaller ones. Cf.:molecular b..
- molecular b. in psychology, b. described in small response units rather than larger ones; a specific response. Cf.:molar b..
- obsessive b. the repetitive stylized b. seen in obsessive-compulsive neurosis.
- operant b. b. whose continuation and frequency is determined by its consequences on the doer; central element of behavioral conditioning theory. See conditioning.
- passive-aggressive b. apparently compliant b., with intrinsic obstructive or stubborn qualities, to cover deeply felt aggressive feelings that cannot be more directly expressed.
- respondent b. b. in response to a specific stimulus; usually associated with classical conditioning. See conditioning.
- ritualistic b. automatic b. of psychogenic or cultural origin.
- type A b. a b. pattern characterized by aggressiveness, ambitiousness, restlessness, and a strong sense of time urgency. New research has revealed that it is hostility, which can be commingled with other type A traits, that is associated with increased risk for coronary heart disease.
* * *
be·hav·ior or chiefly Brit be·hav·iour bi-'hā-vyər n
1) the manner of conducting oneself
2 a) anything that an organism does involving action and response to stimulation
b) the response of an individual, group, or species to its environment
be·hav·ior·al or chiefly Brit be·hav·iour·al -vyə-rəl adj
be·hav·ior·al·ly or chiefly Brit be·hav·iour·al·ly -rə-lē adv
* * *
be·hav·ior (be-hāvґyər) deportment or conduct; any or all of a person's total activity, especially that which can be externally observed. behavioral adjMedical dictionary. 2011.