Principles for effective support - What is behaviour? (2024)

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At a glance Resources FAQs

At a glance

Behaviour is how someone acts. It is what a person does to make something happen, to make something change or to keep things the same. Behaviour is a response to things that are happening:

  • internally - thoughts and feelings
  • externally - the environment, including other people.

Observing behaviour is the easy part. It is understanding why someone does what they do that is much more complicated.

… workers [need] to understand behaviour as behaviour rather than ‘illness’.

- A person with lived experience of a mental health condition

​​​

Behaviour serves a purpose and has a reason, including:

  • communication - through use of body language, facial expressions, gestures and silence
  • function - to help meet a need, attract attention, gain an internal or sensory sensation, access an item or activity, or get away from something.

The key to understanding behaviour is to understand why it is occurring, what is being communicated or what is needed.

Resources

What is the function of behaviour?
This is a short video explaining the function of behaviour.
Type: Video | Closed captions
Viewing time: 1:22 minutes
Produced by: EliteBehaviorMedia

Understanding Behaviour – ‘Behaviour is Communication’
This is a brief overview of behaviour as a way of communicating a person’s needs or wants in response to an environment. Behaviour allows communication ‘beyond words’.
Type: Web page
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
Produced by: Creating Connections Australia

Principles for effective support - What is behaviour? (2024)

FAQs

What are the principles of behaviour? ›

Principles of behavior: The four guiding truths of ABA that inform all of the many strategies encompassed in this discipline. They are: Behavior is controlled by consequences. Reinforcement (reward) increases or strengthens behavior.

What is behavior in your own words? ›

Behaviour is how someone acts. It is what a person does to make something happen, to make something change or to keep things the same. Behaviour is a response to things that are happening: internally - thoughts and feelings. externally - the environment, including other people.

What is a behavior example? ›

For example, a person walking, a dog barking, or a child raising their hand in a classroom are all examples of overt behaviors. By studying overt behavior, researchers can examine the actions and responses individuals exhibit in different situations.

What are examples of good behaviour? ›

  • Walk at all times.
  • Keep hands/feet to yourself.
  • Be kind to others.
  • Use manners.
  • Be a good listener.
  • Allow others to learn.
  • Respect others/property.
  • Complete assigned.

What are the principles of effective behaviour change? ›

What are some of the key principles of Behaviour Change? Goal setting: Setting specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound goals is a key principle of behaviour change. By clearly identifying the goals, individuals are more likely to stay motivated and focused on achieving the desired outcome.

What are the 5 principles of behavior management? ›

What should teachers understand about effective classroom behavior management?
  • Plan Early. Be prepared! ...
  • Be Consistent. Keep in Mind. ...
  • Focus on the Positive. Effective teachers focus on promoting desired classroom behaviors rather than reacting to disruptive or undesired behaviors as they occur.

What is behavior in one sentence? ›

1. : the way in which someone conducts oneself or behaves (see behave sense 1) We were grateful for the gracious behavior of our hostess. The children were rewarded for good behavior. Be on your best behavior.

What is the 4 types of behavior? ›

Each type of behavior is measure by two key dimensions. Those two dimensions are the degree that a person tend to ask or tell and the degree that a person emote or control his/her emotions. When these dimensions intersect, it creates 4 key types of behavior: Tell/Control; Ask/Control; Ask/Emote; Tell/Emote.

What are the two main types of behavior? ›

Voluntary and involuntary behaviour

Voluntary behaviour is the type of human behaviour that human beings can control and often depend on human wants. Such human behaviours include writing, talking, swimming and walking. Involuntary behaviour occurs naturally, with little control or thought.

What is an example of a behavior attitude? ›

Attitude refers to how someone feels about something. For example, a student having a negative outlook toward math class. A behavior is how someone acts in response to their feelings. For example, the student's action of skipping math class.

What are positive behaviors? ›

Positive behavior refers to actions, and attitudes considered beneficial, respectful, and constructive. It involves behaving in a way that promotes kindness, cooperation, and empathy toward others. Antecedents and Consequences of Workplace Bullying in Primary Education: An Exploratory Study.

What is a good behaviour answer? ›

Good behavior would consist of being kind and genuine to others, being honest, having proper table manners maybe, saying please and thank you, being respectful.

What is an example of a positive behavior support plan? ›

The Behavior Support Plan should outline measurable behavior goals for the student to work towards. For example, if the student stands up from their desk to get the teacher's attention, a matching replacement behavior goal could be teaching the student to raise their hand to request attention instead.

What are the 7 principles in dealing with difficult Behaviours? ›

Dealing with Difficult Behaviour
  • Appreciate and adjust. ...
  • Build rapport and empathy. ...
  • Change the environment. ...
  • Defuse the emotion first. ...
  • Explore the root cause of behaviour. ...
  • Focus on the future outcome wanted. ...
  • Develop an agreed solution. ...
  • Highlight agreement and next steps.

What is the basic principle of behavior ABA? ›

The principles of ABA dictate that behavior is influenced by various factors in the environment. These factors are known as antecedents and consequences. An antecedent is known as the environmental conditions and occurrences that happen before a targeted behavior or behavior of concern.

What are the principles of behavior by BF Skinner? ›

B. F. Skinner's theory of learning says that a person is first exposed to a stimulus, which elicits a response, and the response is then reinforced (stimulus, response, reinforcement). This, ultimately, is what conditions our behaviors. To make this process easier to remember, the ABCs of behaviorism were developed.

What are the basic principles of social behavior? ›

Over time, we develop schemas and attitudes to help us better understand and more successfully interact with others. Affect refers to the feelings that we experience as part of life and includes both moods and emotions. Social behavior is determined by principles of reciprocal altruism and social exchange.

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