1. Genetics
Long before Charles Darwin published his book On the Origin of Species in 1859, animal breeders knew that patterns of behavior are somehow influenced by inheritance from parents. Studies of identical twins as compared to less closely related human beings, and
of children brought up in adoptive homes, have helped scientists understand the influence of genetics on human behavior. The study of human behaviour genetics is still developing steadily with new methods such as genome-wide association studies.
2. Social norms
Social norms, the often-unspoken rules of a group, shape not just our behaviours but also our attitudes. An individual’s behavior varies depending on the group(s) they are a part of, a characteristic of society that allows to norms heavily impact society. Without social
norms, human society would not function as it currently does; humans would have to be more abstract in their behaviour, as there would not be a pre-tested ‘normal’ standardised lifestyle, and individuals would have to make many more choices for themselves. The
institutionalisation of norms is, however, inherent in human society perhaps as a direct result of the desire to be accepted by others, which leads humans to manipulate their own behaviour in order to ‘fit in’ with others. Depending on their nature and upon one’s
perspective, norms can impact different sections of society both positively (e.g. eating, dressing warm in the winter) and negatively (e.g. racism, drug use).
3. Creativity
Creativity is assumed to be present within every individual. Without creative minds, we would not live in a modern world like today. Creativity pushes people past their comfort zone. For example, the Wright Brother’s invention of the first practical fixed-wing
aircraft. The aircraft first took flight in 1903, and fifty years later the first passenger jet airliner was introduced. Creativity is what defines human beings. Creativity has kept people alive during harsh conditions, and it has also made certain individuals wealthy.
We use creativity in our daily lives as well, such as finding a shortcut to a destination.
4. Core faith and culture
Another important aspect of human behavior is their ―core faith‖. This faith can be manifested in the forms of religion, philosophy, culture, and/or personal belief and often affects the way a person can behave. 80% of the United States public claims some sort of
belief in a higher power, which makes religion a large importance in society. It is only natural for something that plays such a large role in society to have an effect on human behavior. Morals are another factor of core faith that affects the way a person behaves.
Emotions connected to morals including shame, pride, and discomfort and these can change the way a person acts. Most importantly, shame and guilt have a large impact on behavior. Lastly, culture highly affects human behavior. The beliefs of certain cultures
are taught to children from such a young age that they are greatly affected as they grow up. These beliefs are taken into consideration throughout daily life, which leads to people from different cultures acting differently. These differences are able to alter the way
different cultures and areas of the world interact and act.
5. Attitude
An attitude is an expression of favor or disfavor toward a person, place, thing, or event. The interesting thing about an attitude and human beings is that it alters between each individual. Everyone has a different attitude towards different things. A main factor that
determines attitude is likes and dislikes. The more one likes something or someone the more one is willing to open up and accept what they have to offer. When one doesn’t like something, one is more likely to get defensive and shut down. An example of how one’s
attitude affects one’s human behavior could be as simple as taking a child to the park or to the doctor. Children know they have fun at the park so their attitude becomes willing and positive, but when a doctor is mentioned, they shut down and become upset with the
thought of pain. Attitudes can sculpt personalities and the way people view who we are.
People with similar attitudes tend to stick together as interests and hobbies are common. This does not mean that people with attitudes do not interact, because they do. What it means is that specific attitudes can bring people together (e.g., religious groups).
Attitudes have a lot to do with the mind which highly relates to human behavior. The way a human behaves depends a lot on how they look at the situation and what they expect to gain from it positive attitudes are better than negative ones as negativity can bring on
negative emotions that most of the time can be avoided. It is up to humans to make sure their attitudes positively reflect the behaviors they want to show. This can be done by assessing their attitudes and properly presenting them in society.
