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After reading this article you will learn about:- 1. Definition and Meaning of Social Behaviour 2. Bases of Social Behaviour 3. Genesis and Developments 4. Kinds 5. Controlling and Self Adopting Social Behaviour 6. Effects of Crowding.
Contents:
- Definition and Meaning of Social Behaviour
- Bases of Social Behaviour
- Genesis and Developments of Social Behaviour
- Kinds of Social Behaviour
- Controlling and Self Adopting Social Behaviour
- Effects of Crowding on Social Behaviour
1. Definition and Meaning of Social Behaviour:
Social behaviour is the activity of an individual which qualifies, modifies or otherwise alters the act of another individual. A social behaviour is stimulated by the society which again stimulates other members of the group or society.
Any act which has been influenced by the society and also influences the society is called social act. Any behaviour of a person which has not been influenced or modified by the society and which itself does not qualify, modify or stimulate the members of a society is not a social behaviour.
For instance, a poem written by a poet which is published and which modifies or influences the behaviour of some members of the society is a social act. But the poem of a poet which is not published or read or discussed elsewhere, cannot qualify, modify or influence the behaviour of other persons in the society.
So, writing of such poems cannot be called social acts. Only when people respond or react to a particular act of a person, it is a case of social behaviour or social act. Social behaviour is also defined as the behaviour in which the responses either serve as social stimuli or are evoked by social stimuli.
A child laughs and others react to it. Again when the laughter is evoked by the caressing of the mother, it is called a social behaviour.
2. Bases of Social Behaviour:
Cultural influences arising from the existence of organised societies, social influences of primary groups like family within the society and environmental influences mediated by the physical properties of a social environment are by and large the bases of social behaviour. The above factors make the individual essentially human in his behaviour and differentiates it from the animals.
Culture is the most significant feature of any society. As Linton (1936), defines it “culture is the sum total of behaviour patterns, attitudes and values, shared and transmitted by the members of a given society.” Anthropological studies show that human behaviour varies greatly under different social conditions.
Anthropologists therefore view that there is no such thing as a universal human nature based on inherited traits alone. According to Benedict (1934), a culture pattern may be regarded as a set of widely shared ways of behaving in a society with beliefs that accompany them.
Though cultural differences, influence differently the motives, beliefs, values, interests and attitudes of persons in different groups, they also show that there are nevertheless some common characteristics of human beings like basic primary drives, need for warmth, stimulation, help, shelter and comfort.
The need for security, affiliation, maintenance of self esteem, social approval, power, prestige and recognition although experienced or expressed differently in different societies and cultures are basically common to all people. The arrangements for satisfying these common basic needs however vary from culture to culture and hence the social behaviour varies accordingly.
3. Genesis and Developments of Social Behaviour:
(i) Social Life among Lower Vertebrates:
Origin of social behaviour begins with lower animals. Some lower animals greatly help the other animals by providing food etc to them. For instance, those who arc parasites on other lower animals get themselves nourished by such animals and worms.
Certain bacteria which take shelter in the roofs of some plants and depend on these plants for their existence help them to grow extracting valuable substances from the soil. Thus such mutual services in very lower species are the signs of social behaviour. In case of ants it is seen that their work is divided and followed by different groups just as in a home or in social function the duty is divided.
There is a king and a queen and some ants supply food objects while another group is in charge of defence. Similarly, in case of bees also the work is divided.
According to Scott, The major roots of social organisation appear to the contactual behaviour which leads eventually to advanced types of cooperation and sexual behaviour which when related to more elaborate type of reproduction and protection of the young, may result in what may be termed altruistic behaviour. Higher vertebrates also know how to adjust with different factors of the environment.
Further, by their own behaviour, they try to control some other animal, just as in human society the more powerful individual dominates upon the other species. The physically superior dominates on one who is physically inferior.
The heaviest males are at the top of the hierarchy of power and the lightest at the bottom. In various birds like pigeons, doves, cocks and hens social behaviour is found. Some of them have the dominant role while others play submissive roles.
According to Kupuswamy there appear to be the following four basic roots for social organisation:
(a) Contactual behaviour
(b) Reproduction
(c) Protection of the young
(d) Group living among the higher vertebrates for feeding, protection and play.
The actual kind of social relationships developed also depends upon the capacity of the animal for various kinds of learning.
Among the pre-human animal species there seems to be two biological roots to social behaviour:
(i) Organic needs and
(ii) The neuro muscular structure enabling the learning processes. These two together determine the level of social behaviour among the prehuman animal species.
(ii) Social Life among the Apes and Monkeys:
In case of apes, monkeys and chimpanzees also social behaviour is found. They can understand the signs of human beings and respond. Apes have got a language which consists of 12 sounds to indicate different things.
Encouraging results have come out from the studies of the social life of monkeys and apes. The societies of monkeys and apes consist of association of male and female adults and some children. Basically their group life consists of collection of food, reproduction, care of the young and protection.
Mutual grooming is also another aspect of social behaviour. The new born child is entirely helpless and dependent on the mother like the human baby. The mother child relationship develops just like any human being.
With regards to sexuality and feeding, like all other species, there is some hierarchy of power. Male and physically stronger monkeys usually by their gesture and physical force control the behaviour of weaker and female monkeys. Stronger monkeys generally take away the food of the weak ones and eat.
If the weak one try to get back the food, they are severely punished. By such punishments, they try to impose social control. Leadership is also observed among monkeys and apes.
Maslow is of opinion that the stronger and dominant monkeys reserve to themselves all available food materials demonstrate aggression and asccdant behaviour towards all the other members of the group and dominate in sexual behaviour. The subordinate monkeys have to tolerate all these aggressive acts of the more powerful ones.
Like human beings, monkeys and chimpanzees have also different personalities. Some are sensitive, affectionate, timid, loyal and weak while others are bold, aggressive, powerful and unpopular.
Yerkes observes that the young chimpanzee is lively, extrovert, active, energetic, impulsive, enthusiastic, sanguine, very sociable, ordinarily good natured and fairly good tempered, somewhat mercurial, timid before the unfamiliar, extremely expressive of its continuous flow of feelings and rapidly changing moods. This indicates how powerful are social stimuli in determining the behaviour of the chimpanzees.
Cooperation is also found between the different members. Each one does a portion of the work allotted to him. When penguins go to secure food, they leave an adult Penguin to take care of the little penguins of those who go in search for food.
All these go to suggest that the lower species respond to the activities of each other and try to adjust with the circumstances of life.
Kupuswamy summarizes the development of social behaviour among the animals in the following way. Development of social behaviour among animals is found from the most primitive congregation and contacts due to environmental conditions to the formation of families and groups with dominance hierarchy.
The biological and social elements lead to the complex social interactions among the monkeys and the apes. Though learning and socialization play a very important part, the basic elements of culture is not found among the apes, as these are linked with language, existence of persistent thought patterns, basic values, skills and codes.
(iii) Social Development among Children:
Empirical studies conducted on child development by pioneers like Gesell, Shirly, Charlottes, Buchler etc. indicate a lot of encouraging facts on the development of social behaviour among children. By the end of the first month when a craving child becomes quiet when picked up or, when he stares at the faces of human beings, the beginning of response to social stimulation is indicated.
By the sixth week to the end of the second month, the infant learns to make use of crying to demand social stimulation. By the end of the second month, he learns to respond to a smile with a smile.
Gradually he shows different signs of social behaviour like following people in the room and showing interest in them. He likes people when they speak to him and cries when they leave him alone which is a definite sign of social awareness and social warmth.
By the 7th-8th month, he takes greater role in social interaction. He likes to go to his mother or grandmother who feeds him, takes care of him and does not like, to be handled by strangers. He differentiates his mother from other women and strangers. In this way as he grows he learns to show social behaviour in relation to the social context. He develops a sense of social possession.
His interest in other children grows as he grows older. Aggressive behaviour is also observed. By the age of 2 years, his assertive tendency develops and he develops the desire to possess his own belongings like toys, books, dresses, etc.
During this period both the positive and negative social reactions become quite strong. He also shows jealousy when someone approaches his near and dear ones like his mother or grandma.
From the second to the fourth year an extreme sense of dependence upon specific persons arises and it is finally concentrated mostly on two individuals who get all the positive responses like love, affection. Usually parents have the opportunity to get this benefit.
At this age, the child is happy with both children and adults and he plays with other children also. Kupuswamy says that around 3 years of age with the development of language and interactional process the child develops a growing awareness of himself and his imaginative life grows.
He may speak with imaginary playmates and play with them. This is often seen. Such imaginative action satisfies various inner needs of the child, including his emotional needs. His imaginative play is highly related to his social life.
The social development of a human being is a continuous process. Social learning continues till the end. Development of social behaviour is arrested, if the child is not allowed to have an intimate, warm and continuous relationship with his parents, particularly the mother.
4. Kinds of Social Behaviour:
Social behaviour is of two types:
(i) Overt Social Behaviour
(ii) Symbolic Social Behaviour.
(i) Overt Social Behaviour:
When two persons start talking with each other loudly and show some sort of overt or muscular behaviour, it is a case of Overt Social Behaviour.
(ii) Symbolic Social Behaviour:
Language is a symbolic social expression. A particular poem published in a magazine to which people react, is a case of symbolic social act. Similarly, a specific facial expression if is reacted by a particular person is called symbolic behaviour because the other person for whom it is meant understands its significance.
Social Behaviour can also be categorized as:
(1) Linear Social Behaviour
(2) Circular Social Behaviour.
1. Linear Social Behaviour:
Social Behaviour is linear when the activity is performed systematically in a direct manner. It moves in a line without being circular or without turning back. It is like one way traffic. A orders B, B orders C, C orders D and at last D does the work. In the Military and Paramilitary services orders are transmitted purely in linear manner.
Social traditions and customs which are handed down from generation to generation and obeyed by members are examples of linear social behaviour.
2. Circular Social Behaviour:
The circular social behaviour moves in a circle instead of moving in one line directly. The discussion in the students common room or in the bathing ghat or in a tutorial class is an example of circular social behaviour. In circular social behaviour the discussion or talk proceeds in a circular manner.
A says something to B, then B replies something to A. A says something to C, then C replies to A and like this it again comes back to the person who started it.
The Social stimulus which stimulates social behaviour can be direct or contributory. If social stimulus holds the focus of attention and maintains exclusive control of the final common path of response, it is a direct stimulus i.e., it follows directly from the stimulating object. The advice of a lawyer or a doctor when is not referred back to any other lawyer or doctor but is accepted and followed works as a direct stimulus.
5. Controlling and Self Adopting Social Behaviour:
Every person in the society tries to adopt himself with the social environment. This is called self adopting social behaviour. Take the example of teacher and students or father and son. One controls and the other adopts to him. The father says “do not smoke” and the son gives up smoking. Here the father controls and the son adopts.
A man who is controlled in one situation may show controlling behaviour in another situation. In the animal kingdom the bigger and stronger animal controls the weak ones. In India men have controlling behaviour and women have self adopting behaviour because they are considered economically and physically inferior to men.
6. Effect of Crowding on Social Behaviour:
Currently, this topic of crowding has drawn the attention of many social psychologists in view of its importance in the present society where growth of population has become a real problem. Population is increasing at an alarming manner and the available space is decreasing. Hence, too many people have to accommodate in too little space in the present age.
Consequently, overcrowding is found to have adverse effects on the process of socialization and personality development.
Research data also support this. Some early experiments conducted on rats two decades ago provided evidence of extremely negative consequences of overcrowding ranging from aggression to physical illness. Subsequent studies with animals show similar effects.
Chapman, Master Pasque and Lore (1976), Massey and Vanderbarh (1980), Anderson et at. (1977), Calhoun (1962) have found behaviour pathology and physiological overcrowding malfunctioning in animals.
Positive correlation between population density and social problems has also been observed. Of course, the variables, like social status and economic conditions are to be controlled before drawing such a conclusion. It is commonly observed that people belonging to lower socio economic status can afford less residential space for their family because of their poor economic condition. The possession of more space partially satisfies the need for security.
Stimulation reinforces a feeling of identity as it provides each individual with a place which distinguishes him from other members of group. The results received on animal populations should encourage a careful investigation of the relationship between population density, overcrowding and the disruption of social behaviour. In India, overcrowding is a common phenomenon.
The psychological consequences of overcrowding on human behaviour are mostly stress and anxiety and various other behavioural pathologies produced by population density.