Behavior 4805 224841957 2008-07-10T17:38:22Z 132.206.52.168 {{Mergefrom|human behavior|Talk:human behavior#Merger proposal|date=March 2008}} {{Wikify|date=September 2007}} {{Essay-like|date=September 2007}} {{Unreferenced|date=May 2007}} {{otheruses}} The '''behavior''' of a [[system]] is what it does (contrast [[structure]]). It is the processes executed or supported by a system. Behavior or behaviour (see [[American and British English spelling differences#-our,_-or|spelling differences]]) refers to the [[action (philosophy)|action]]s or [[reaction]]s of an [[organism]], usually in [[relation]] to the [[environment (biophysical)|environment]]. Behavior can be [[conscious]] or [[Unconscious mind|unconscious]], [[overt]] or [[covert]], and [[voluntary]] or involuntary. In animals, behavior is controlled by the [[endocrine system]] and the [[nervous system]]. The complexity of the behavior of an organism is related to the complexity of its nervous system. Generally, organisms with complex nervous systems have a greater capacity to learn new responses and thus adjust their behavior. [[Human behavior]] (and that of other [[organism]]s and mechanisms) can be common, unusual, acceptable, or [[deviant behavior|unacceptable]]. Humans evaluate the [[taboo|acceptability]] of behavior using [[social norm]]s and regulate behavior by means of [[social control]]. Animal behavior is studied in [[comparative psychology]], [[ethology]], [[behavioral ecology]] and [[sociobiology]]. [[Ronald J. Konopka]] and [[Seymour Benzer]] of [[Caltech]] were the first to establish the genetic basis of behavior, when they isolated three [[circadian rhythm]] mutants in [[Drosophila melanogaster]] which were later mapped to a single gene [[Period (gene)|Period]]<ref>[http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/68/9/2112 Clock Mutants of Drosophila melanogaster - Konopka and Benzer 68 (9): 2112 - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, <ref>[http://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/vlabs/transgenic_fly/content/clockexhibitframe.html HHMI Virtual Exhibit 2000<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. [[Ethogram]]s are used for studies on behavior. ==References== ==See also== * [[Animal behavior]] * [[Applied behavior analysis]] * [[Behaviorism]] * [[Radical behaviorism]] * [[Experimental analysis of behavior]] * [[Forms of activity and interpersonal relations]] * [[Human behavior]] * [[Human sexual behavior]] * [[Instinct]] * [[Base motive|Motive]] * [[Normal (behavior)]] * [[Psychology]] * [[Reasoning]] * [[rebellion]] * [[Taboo]] * [[Theories of political behavior]] * [[Work behavior]] * [[Behavior therapy]] [[Category:Behavior| ]] [[Category:Behavioural sciences]] [[ar:سلوك]] [[bg:Поведение]] [[ca:Comportament]] [[cs:Chování]] [[da:Adfærd]] [[de:Verhalten (Biologie)]] [[es:Comportamiento]] [[eo:Konduto]] [[fr:Comportement]] [[gl:Comportamento]] [[is:Hegðun]] [[it:Comportamento]] [[he:התנהגות]] [[lv:Uzvedība]] [[hu:Viselkedés]] [[nl:Gedrag]] [[ja:行動]] [[no:Atferd]] [[nn:Åtferd]] [[pl:Zachowanie]] [[pt:Comportamento]] [[ro:Comportament]] [[ru:Поведение]] [[simple:Behavior]] [[sr:Понашање]] [[sv:Beteende]] [[uk:Поведінка]] [[ur:سلوک]] [[zh:行為]]