Behavioral Science - Term Paper Example

Behavioral science Before probing into the topic of behavioral science and discussing other co-related factors like neuroscience, psychological disorders and therapies, we should first get to know what behavioral science actually is. So starting with the term behavioral science, it means by that branch of science that is related to the study of both human and animal characteristics and behavior. In behavioral sciences, study of human behavior is conducted in relation with the behavior of groups, societies and cultures in which an individual lives. We can also say that it deals with all those relations and activities which happen between any two individuals or among several people in any society. Study of all those activities and interactions are referred to as the study of behavioral sciences. Here it must also be mentioned that behavioral sciences can not be matched or embedded in social sciences. This is because behavioral science tends to study those specific reactions which come into existence among individuals that show the behavioral trends among those individuals. On the other hand, if we talk about social science, it is mainly concerned with the structural systems and cultures of the societies rather than behavioral characteristics among the individuals of those societies. While talking about behavioral science, we should also talk about those tools which are used by the researchers of this field in order to gather data related to the behaviors and characteristics of the individuals. The most powerful and widely used tool for this purpose is observations of individuals and groups. Other significant tools used for the purpose of gathering data are controlled and ethical experiments that are designed so that the basic motivation behind any sort of behavior can be explored. Such experiments are conducted whose results reveal particular behaviors and motivations behind those acts or behaviors. Neural-decision sciences When we talk about behavioral science, we must also talk about its one of the major categories, which is neural-decision sciences. The study of these sciences includes those field and disciplines that basically deal with the individual’s acts and various decision processes that are used for the purpose of survival and existence in the social world. The study of those decision processes that are taken by any individual for the sake of his endurance and existence in a social environment is referred to as neural-decision sciences. Some of the very importance and significant sciences in the field of neyral0decision sciences are: Cognitive science Neuroscience, and Psychology Talking about neural-decision sciences, let’s also discuss the sciences which are included in the field of neural-decision sciences so that we can know the relation of these sciences with behavioral science and in particular, neural-decision sciences. Cognition Cognitive science is that form of interdisciplinary study that deals with the mind and intelligence oh an individual. This study also deals with artificial intelligence, linguistics and embracing philosophy. The philosophy behind cognitive science is that of representation of any specific information and then transformation of that information in the brain of an individual. If we talk about cognition, we mean by those procedures by which the information processing and application of knowledge takes place. Linehan (1993) found that cognitive processes are not only natural but also they can be artificial. There exist various perspectives by which cognitive processes can be analyzed. It is a known fact regarding cognitive science that we can not achieve a thorough and complete understanding of an individual’s mind’s brain by just studying and analyzing a single phase. We need to study other phases of the mind also in order to completely understand a mindset of any individual. Discussing cognitive science, we must also mention some of the critiques that exist about cognitive science. One of the critiques is that cognitive science ignores and neglects the role of emotions in any individual’s thoughts. Another critique is that cognitive science neglects the consciousness level in an individual’s thoughts and it also side lines the importance of contribution of body in individual’s thinking and actions. Neuroscience While talking about behavioral science, let’s discuss another important science related to neural-decision science. The science which we are talking about is neuroscience. Neuroscience is referred to as study of the nervous system of an individual. Nervous system included network of neurons throughout the body, spinal cord and the brain. If we talk about the critical components of the nervous system, then they are processes between the cells, molecules and the neurons. ”Neuroscientists, the researchers in the field of neuroscience, research about neuroscience in order to understand the brain’s functions from genes to the behavior of an individual” (O’Reilly & Munakata, 2000). Another purpose is the analysis of the development of the nervous system and its maturity and maintenance throughout the cycle of life. The next purpose is to determine the methods for the prevention of several neurological and psychiatric disorders. The relation between neuroscience and the cognitive science is that neuroscience studies that structure and functions of the nervous system and it mainly focus on the role of brain in developing behaviors and other cognitive processes. Neuroscientists not only determine the normal functions of the nervous system but also determine neurodevelopmental and neurological disorders. In biomedical research, neuroscience is considered as one of the most advancing fields because of its applications regarding analysis of normal metal processes and psychiatric or neurological disorders. Psychology Having discussed cognitive science and neuroscience, we must also get to know one the most important science related to neuro-decision sciences and that is psychology. Talking about psychology, it is that scientific study that deals with the behavior and the mental processes. It can also be known as that science of behaviors and minds. Psychology is also connected with the treatment of several psychiatric and neurological disorders. “Psychology not only deals with the study of mental disorders but also helps in resolving psychological issues regarding relationships” (Smith & Mackie, 2000). Here we should mention that psychology is not a static in nature, rather it is increasing its importance in various fields of life day by day. Psychology, in the present era, has got it applications in almost every field of life because of its influence. Every human has got different character and set of behaviors. Various branches of psychology are clinical, cognitive, developmental, evolutionary, forensic, health, occupational and social psychology. A psychologist tends to study those characteristics and behaviors by different methods of observation and this study of human behaviors is referred to as psychology. Psychologists explore a variety of questions regarding any individual’s thoughts and beliefs and then analyze them. They not only look but also observe the behaviors of different individuals in a society. They observe their actions and interactions with each other. They also observe and analyze those patterns which can help them in understanding and predicting behaviors of individuals. Then the psychologists use those scientific methods for the purpose of testing their ideas. These studies enable the psychologists in helping the individuals in increasing the level of understanding and trust. Psychologists get to know reasons for various abnormal behaviors of the people by observing and questioning them. Various methods of research are used by the psychologists for the purpose of understanding and normalizing the behaviors. These methods include naturalistic observation, systematic assessment and experimentation. These ways or methods are proving to be really helpful in the professional life of psychologists as they observe the behaviors of various people and then apply their vast knowledge in order to normalize and stabilize those behaviors. Theories related to psychology Theories related to psychology are of great importance because all what we know about human behaviors today has emerged due to those theories. We can get a deeper and richer understanding of psychology by studying those theories. Different categories of psychological theories include behavioral, humanist, cognitive, personality and social psychology theories. Behaviorism is a theory of learning that is based on the idea which is that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Behavioral theories are advocated by B. F. Skinner and J. B. Watson. Humanist theories emphasize on the goodness of individuals. They are related to the kindness and integrity of the human beings. The theorists who worked on humanist theories are Abraham Maslows and Carl Rogers. Developmental theories in the field of psychology emphasize on human growth, development and learning aspects. The developmental theories give us useful information on individuals and societies. Major theories regarding this category are Freud’s theory of psychosexual development, Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development and Piaget’s theory of cognitive development. Cognitive theories in the psychology field are related to the study of motivation, problem solving, decision making, thinking and attention. Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence is of great importance in this form of psychological theories. Psychological disorders and therapies A psychological or mental disorder is that pattern of behavioral symptoms that affect various fields of life and create distress and anguish for the individual who experiences those specific symptoms. The range of these disorders is from post traumatic stress syndrome to common phobias. Several types of psychological disorders include schizophrenia, depression, post traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorders, anxiety disorders, sleep related eating disorders and seasonal affective disorders. All these types of psychological disorders are not very rare and can be present in any individual because of various reasons and problems that may happen in life with any specific individual. These are the psychologists and psychiatrists who diagnose these symptoms in any patient who is having a problem of psychological or mental disorders by various effective methods like naturalistic observations, systematic assessment and experimentations. Various treatments or therapies are found in the field of behavioral science which can be really effective regarding several psychological disorders. These therapies include psychoanalytic therapy, cognitive-behavioral therapy and group therapy. These treatments methodologies have been very effective in treatment of various psychological disorders. Conclusion Summing it up, it can be said that people, in the present era, are facing various psychological and mental disorders due to complexities of today’s life. These are the psychologists who make great use of the study of behavioral science in order to diagnose the problems and make appropriate treatments according to the type of disorders. References Linehan, M. (1993). Cognitive-Behavioral treatment of borderline personality disorder. New York, NY: Guilford Press. O’Reilly, R., & Munakata, Y. (2000).Computational explorations in cognitive neuroscience: Understanding the mind by simulating the brain. U.S.A: MIT Press. Smith, E., & Mackie, D. (2000). Social Psychology (2nd ed.). U.S.A: Psychology Press. Read More