Psychological Dispositions to Manage the Human Behavior

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Rainy season...

Traffic point at one of the most crowded crossroads.

No traffic policeman at the crossroad.

You must be wondering why there are so many details about the context!

This would paint a picture in your mind of the anxiety and hurry of the commuter.


Each one of us was in a hurry to reach our offices and was eagerly checking the timer at the traffic point for the red light to turn green. 

Probably many of us might be thinking about the times when we would just break the traffic rule, ignore the red light, and head towards our office hurriedly, and more so if the traffic police personnel was absent from the signal. But another moment, we cursed the technology!

CCTV cameras at traffic points have made it easier for traffic police personnel to keep standing in the 45-degree heat or still urging commuters to follow traffic rules while drenching themselves in the rain. So this situation triggered a thought regarding behavioral theories. 


Understanding Behavioral Theories


Behavioral theories are psychological frameworks that seek to explain how and why individuals behave in certain ways. These theories emphasize the influence of external factors on behavior and focus on observable actions and their consequences. Two prominent behavioral theories are the reinforcement theory and the bandwagon effect. Let's understand both of them.

#1 Reinforcement Theory:


B.F Skinner contributed to the development of reinforcement theory which states that behaviors are shaped by their consequences and that individual behaviors can be changed through reinforcement, punishment, and extinction. This is related to operant conditioning and it is believed that the consequences of the past behavior determine the present behavior of the individual. This means that reinforcement can help in altering the behavior over time.


Here the present behavior (Not violating the traffic light) is due to punishment (Consequence- Penalty) in the past for violating the traffic light. So, ‘punishment’ is used as the reinforcement measure in this case.


#2 Bandwagon Effect:


The bandwagon effect is the tendency for people to adopt certain behavior's, styles, or attitudes simply because others are doing so. It’s a cognitive bias by which public opinion or behavior's can alter due to particular actions and beliefs rallying amongst the public. 


Surprisingly, the bandwagon effect was missing here. Despite the bus driver’s act of flouting the traffic rule, no other commuter followed this deviant behavior and complied with the rules. 


So the food for thought is, 

“Can the bandwagon effect be distorted by the reinforcements?” 

“Can we be optimistic to alter human behavior to resolve bigger issues like indiscipline, corruption, etc?”


Conclusion


Reflecting on these psychological dispositions, we gain insight into the complex factors that govern human behavior. The interplay of reinforcement and social influence highlights the potential for managing and reshaping behaviors to address societal challenges. By understanding these theories, individuals and organizations can employ strategies to effectively manage and modify behaviors to achieve desired outcomes. 

Location: India

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