Human behavior in brief. Public opinion as a reaction to human behavior

Understanding the psychology of human behavior is a complex, multi-stage process. But at the same time, he is incredibly curious and entertaining. Psychology, in general, is an amazing science: continuously developing, it never ceases to amaze with unexpected facts about human behavior. And delving deeper into this topic, many are ready to realize that we are not as aware of ourselves as we assume. As evidence, the site offers 15 irrefutable facts of this statement.

Psychological features of human behavior: facts for the curious

1. When people are tired, they become much more honest.
2. According to research, when a modern person suddenly loses his phone, he panics so much that it can be compared with the experience of those people who experienced clinical death.
3. If someone feels rejection towards you, it can cause a feeling comparable to pain.
4. Today, addiction to social networks in some countries is officially recognized as a mental disorder.
5. According to psychologists, people dream with their heads in the clouds 30 percent of the time. But this is actually a good thing, since it has been found that people who love to daydream are usually better able to cope with problems and, in addition, they are more creative.
6. Incredibly, blind people are not susceptible to developing schizophrenia.
7. Our subconscious, in fact, already knows all the answers to the questions that arise in our minds. You just need to learn how to carefully delve into its “storages”.
8. It turns out that when reading, it doesn’t matter at all to a person in what order the letters in words are arranged. The main thing is that the first and last letters of the word remain where they should be.
9. You may never have noticed this, but almost 80 percent of our communication is spent complaining.
10. A person feels much happier when he has something to do. And since being busy actually makes you feel positive, try to always find something to do!
11. Paradoxically, a person’s brain is better tuned to creative activity when he is tired.
12. It’s hard to believe, but our thoughts become more logical and orderly when we speak or think in a language that is not our native language.
13. Even positive events, such as graduating from college, a new job, or registering a marriage, can plunge us into the abyss of depression.
14. Contrary to popular belief, a person is not able to do several things at once, since our brain can only focus on one predominant function at a certain point in time. This indicates that we are still not given the ability to think about two different things at the same time.
15. Expert observations indicate that people with different eye colors are capable of falling in love at different speeds. So, blue-eyed people can have their hearts broken within a few minutes, brown-eyed people can fall in love with two people at once. But for Cupid’s arrow to hit the heart of the green-eyed, it takes a lot of time, often years. It is also known that people with all other eye colors are able to fall in love in only an hour.

There is much we still don’t know about ourselves. And the human psyche remains one of the most mysterious entities in the world. Despite the fact that today it is even possible to predict our behavior based on certain rules, a large layer of information about the psychology of human behavior still remains beyond the bounds of knowledge. Scientists continue to reveal themselves to us.

Human behavior represents personally oriented or socially significant actions, the source of which is himself. Behavioral psychology is a branch of psychological science that studies behavior, its determinants, factors influencing it, etc.

Behavior is classified according to many parameters, including classifications that vary among different researchers. So, they distinguish:

  • internal and external;
  • congenital and acquired;
  • intentional and unintentional;
  • conscious and unconscious, etc.

The largest number of species are distinguished in social behavior.

Human social behavior

It represents an action or combination of actions among and about people. Moreover, such actions must be socially significant - have meaning for others.

Social behavior can be deviant (deviant) and delinquent (harmful to others), adequate or inadequate to the situation and prevailing circumstances, conflictual and conformist, etc.

Intentional and unintentional behavior plays a significant role in everyday communication and interaction. If a person committed a certain act without malicious intent, this does not exempt him from responsibility, but somewhat mitigates the punishment. And if the behavior served as a response (for example, a provocation to a conflict), responsibility is somewhat reduced.

Other equally important varieties are conscious and unconscious behavior. Although they can easily be confused with intentional and unintentional, they are different concepts. Unconscious behavior is an action, the motive and execution of which is not realized by the person. As a rule, it goes unnoticed by the actor himself, but is perfectly interpreted by those around him.

Human behavior for the most part represents a social aspect, but there is also an individual aspect - it is carried out in the paradigm of “I and objects”. It is also classified into erroneous and correct, adequate and inadequate, etc.

Other classifications

According to other parameters, behavior is divided into:

  • congenital;
  • acquired;
  • creative.

In the first case, actions that are genetically programmed are considered behavior. They also include those learned in the first hours of life.

In the second case, behavior is formed as a result of learning and upbringing. A lot of controversy arises here, since a detailed analysis of many actions clearly demonstrates that they are also genetically programmed, and training acts only as a kind of catalyst for the maturation of readiness to perform them.

Speech, lexical norms, rules of behavior, foundations, attitudes, etc. are also part of acquired behavior. A separate category is learned behavior – a model of behavior formed based on the example of other significant adults. In some cases, it is also considered to be phobic reactions, for example, in cases where the child has not encountered heights, but has developed acrophobia.

Creative behavior is actions created by the person himself. It represents a constructive, creative action.

There are a large number of factors that influence human behavior, but this issue is the most controversial in behavioral psychology. Currently, there are several basic concepts that explain human behavior.

1. Personality trait theory. According to this direction, human behavior is determined (predetermined) by individual traits. According to some researchers, a person can have from 2 to 10 basic character traits, which determine the general “course” of his actions.

2.Behaviorist theory. It defines a behavioral act as a response to a stimulus. Behavior is a set of emotional, motor, speech reactions formed in response to the influence of the external environment.

At birth, a person already has a certain repertoire of genetic reactions. During life, the impact of a stimulus provokes the creation of new reactions based on this repertoire; unconditioned stimuli are combined with conditioned ones, forming complex systems.

3. Second theory gave rise to the creation of social learning theory. According to it, human behavior is determined by roles and patterns. They, in turn, are formed in the process of observing social patterns. Personality is a product of the interaction of “I” and the environment, therefore behavior is influenced by the person’s environment, significant adults, movie characters, teachers, comrades, etc. This theory explains well the variability of behavioral acts depending on circumstances, but pays little attention to personal qualities as a factor in determining behavior patterns.

4. Psychoanalytic theory. It represents the greatest opposite of behaviorism and states: behavior is the result of resolving intrapersonal conflict. It arises between three structures of the psyche: Id (It - subconscious, instinct), Ego (I, personality) and SuperEgo (society, conscience, norms, foundations). The leading role belongs to the Id, it is this that motivates action, and behavior is defined as a set of behavioral acts in response to the impulses of the Id. Conflicting aspirations are unconscious and therefore must be recognized as internal conflicts and analyzed accordingly.

5. Cognitive theory. Behavior according to it is not a mechanical response to a stimulus, but the result of an interpretation of a specific situation, which is realized through existing knowledge and experience. Behavioral actions depend, first of all, on a person’s own assessment of circumstances, therefore the subjects of study should be: obtaining information, explaining it, creating and recognizing an image, imagination, speech, etc.

6.Gestalt. According to this theory, a person perceives the world in the form of holistic images, while interacting with the surrounding reality, he identifies the most relevant wholes here and now. Behavior is a manifestation of being in the form of a single image. That is why the “here and now” characteristic is primary in the interpretation of certain human actions.

7. Group dynamics theory. Human behavior directly depends on collective activity, since he is not only a participant in the group, but also its product. This assumption “works” only in relation to behavior in a group, more often in a work team.

Sociological theories are a separate category, since they distinguish a fairly large number of them. In addition, they consider the behavior of an individual exclusively in a group or society.

Sociological theories

Typicality theory. Behavior is determined by the presence of typical properties, which, in turn, are formed due to belonging to a category (cultural, national, professional, etc.)

Theory of social action. Behavior is a consequence of actions taking into account the interests, needs, and perceptions of other participants.

Institutional. Behavior is the role acquired by the individual, namely the compliance of actions within its framework with norms.

Functional. Behavior is the performance of a certain function established for the purpose of normal functioning of the group.

Interactionism. Behavior is the interaction between participants in structural units, small groups within a large one.

Theory of social conflict. Behavior is a consequence of a clash of interests of group members, as well as public positions and opinions.

Social exchange theory. Behavior is based on a rational, mutually beneficial exchange of goods, activities, and rewards for them.

Phenomenological approach. The main aspect of this theory is the concept of the everyday world. It is shared by many people in the process of life, however, it does not exclude private, biographical moments. There are face-to-face or impersonal relationships in the world, and this determines human behavior.

We have described only the main generally accepted theories, each of which determines human behavior in a certain way. It should be understood that the factors influencing human behavior at any given moment and under certain circumstances are diverse, and each of them requires consideration.

The article was prepared by psychologist Margarita Vladimirovna Poltoranina

Social behavior is one of the main concepts studied in both psychology and sociology. It is not for nothing that psychology is sometimes spoken of as a science that examines what human behavior is.

Behavior as a subject of psychology is a person’s activity, which serves as a means of satisfying his needs related to different spheres of life: social, physiological and biological. It turns out that the concept we are considering is similar in content to, but there are also differences, because the latter is a purely physiological reaction to a particular stimulus, and human behavior is a much deeper mechanism.

Back in the early 30s, US psychologist E. Tolman concluded that the guiding principle of all actions is a person’s goal. He entered the goal into the pre-existing stimulus-response scheme. It turns out that this is precisely what distinguishes a person from an animal. He not only gives a response to a stimulus, but has the opportunity to think about his actions and actions.

The psychology of human behavior has been studied by many movements, including. In particular, K. Levin believed that actions can be explained only by taking into account the state of the individual. At the same time, a person behaves one way or another, based on his own motor and psychological activity. At the same time, human behavior is a way to defend one’s interests, establish oneself in society and realize one’s vital interests.

In psychology, the most common theory is that an individual's actions are determined by biological and social factors. That is, how a person behaves depends on his genetic predisposition and the environment in which he finds himself at a given time.

There are several classifications of the psychological phenomenon we are considering. If we take the satisfaction of needs as a basis, we can distinguish the following types of behavior: parental, sexual, food, protective, service, etc.

Types of human behavior can be combined with each other, so that at one moment a person can perform actions of several types.

Characteristics of actions

Features of human behavior are manifested by the following facts:

  • Intonation, gestures, facial expressions and postures.
  • Acts of behavior are actions that have a specific meaning.
  • The biggest acts are actions. They are usually closely related to norms of behavior and have social significance.

It is worth saying that the units of human behavior are actions. They are the ones who manifest and shape human personality. The concept of “behavior” assumes that each act is expressed by a position that a person expresses in words, inaction or action in relation to something.

Behavior in society can only be assessed on the basis of those moral standards that are generally accepted in a given society. It is ethical standards of behavior that determine the correctness or incorrectness of a person’s actions in a given situation. Note that each action consists of several components: motive, goal, subject of transformation, means, process, result and evaluation.

Typology

In a broad sense, the psychological category we are considering is divided into two large groups - template and initiative. However, it is not limited to these varieties. It must satisfy human needs and not violate the moral principle. Such social behavior is normal and does not violate moral requirements or the interests of other individuals.

If a person commits actions that go against the norms accepted by all people, his behavior will be considered. The causes of deviant behavior fall into three broad categories. They are presented in the following types:

  • Individual – mental illnesses, violations of proper family education, etc.
  • Socio-psychological – communication in a dysfunctional social environment.
  • Macrosocial are reasons that are caused by the social and cultural development of society.

Types of deviant behavior, by and large, can be reduced to the following: alcoholism, drug addiction, substance abuse, vagrancy, breaking laws, harming oneself and other people. There are many reasons for this, and usually it is a complex of factors: personality traits, unfavorable surrounding atmosphere (both in the family and in other social groups).

However, it also happens that types of social behavior that deviate from the norm do not bring anything bad to society and have positive features - in such cases it cannot be said that this is incorrect behavior. This, for example, could be charity, holiness, etc.

About conflicts

We should also talk about such a concept as behavior in conflict. A person’s behavioral model itself can sometimes provoke various conflict situations, and it, in turn, can be conscious or unconscious. In the second case, people do not understand their conflictual existence and cause conflict situations without realizing it, and in the first case, they deliberately create situations that provoke others to quarrels, squabbles, etc.

Types of social behavior that can be called conflict are primarily explained by the following reasons: a person wants to assert himself, show his individual qualities, defend his point of view at all costs, subjugate others, etc.

Modeling behavior in conflict today is widely used by psychologists in trainings and business games in different groups (educational and work). Thanks to this method, the mechanism of cohesion of the social group is launched, which ultimately leads to the fact that members of the social group will have a culture of behavior as a priority and they will not forget about the rules of interaction and attitude towards each other, and the ethics of collective relationships will develop more and more more.

The ability to behave in conflict situations is very important for managers and senior executives, because the more competently they manage the team, the more fruitful its activities will be.

Note that the types of behavior in conflict between individuals are the following:

  • Avoidance is a person’s attempt to avoid conflict.
  • Confrontation is an individual defending his interests by any means and means.
  • Adaptation is the ability of an individual to give in to his interests in order not to become a participant in the conflict.
  • Compromise is the desire to find a solution in a controversial situation that will satisfy all parties to the conflict.
  • Cooperation is an active solution of a problem by both parties, and with benefit for each of them.
  • – a person’s ability to defend his interests without infringing on other parties.

How a person will behave in a conflict, as well as in other situations, depends mainly on his temperament, character and personality traits. Author: Elena Ragozina

Every day we are among people, we perform some actions in accordance with this or that situation. We have to communicate with each other using generally accepted norms. Collectively, all this is our behavior. Let's try to understand deeper,

Behavior as a moral category

Behavior is a set of human actions that an individual performs over a long period of time under given conditions. These are all actions, not individual ones. Regardless of whether actions are performed consciously or unintentionally, they are subject to moral evaluation. It is worth noting that behavior can reflect both the actions of one person and an entire team. In this case, both personal characteristics and the specifics of interpersonal relationships influence. Through his behavior, a person reflects his attitude towards society, towards specific people, and towards the objects around him.

The concept of a line of conduct

Behavior concept includes the determination of a line of behavior, which implies the presence of a certain systematicity and consistency in the repeated actions of an individual or the characteristics of the actions of a group of individuals over a long period of time. Behavior is perhaps the only indicator that objectively characterizes the moral qualities and driving motives of an individual.

The concept of rules of conduct, etiquette

Etiquette is a set of norms and rules that regulate a person’s relationships with others. This is an integral part of public culture (culture of behavior). It is expressed in a complex system of relationships between people. This includes concepts such as:

  • polite, courteous and protective treatment of the fair sex;
  • a sense of respect and deep respect for the older generation;
  • correct forms of everyday communication with others;
  • norms and rules of dialogue;
  • being at the dinner table;
  • dealing with guests;
  • fulfillment of the requirements for a person’s clothing (dress code).

All these laws of decency embody general ideas about human dignity, simple requirements of convenience and ease in human relationships. In general, they coincide with the general requirements of politeness. However, there are also strictly established ethical standards that are immutable.

  • Respectful treatment of students to teachers.
    • Maintaining subordination in relation of subordinates to their management.
    • Standards of behavior in public places, during seminars and conferences.

Psychology as the science of behavior

Psychology is a science that studies the characteristics of human behavior and motivations. This area of ​​knowledge studies how mental and behavioral processes proceed, specific personality traits, mechanisms that exist in a person’s mind and explain the deep subjective reasons for certain of his actions. She also considers the distinctive character traits of a person, taking into account the essential factors that determine them (stereotypes, habits, inclinations, feelings, needs), which can be partly innate and partly acquired, brought up in appropriate social conditions. Thus, the science of psychology helps us understand, since it reveals its mental nature and the moral conditions of its formation.

Behavior as a reflection of a person’s actions

Depending on the nature of a person’s actions, different ones can be defined.

  • A person may try to attract the attention of others through his actions. This behavior is called demonstrative.
  • If a person undertakes any obligations and fulfills them in good faith, then his behavior is called responsible.
  • Behavior that determines the actions of a person aimed at the benefit of others, and for which he does not require any reward, is called helping.
  • There is also internal behavior, which is characterized by the fact that a person decides for himself what to believe in and what to value.

There are others, more complex ones.

  • Deviant behavior. It represents a negative deviation from norms and patterns of behavior. As a rule, it entails the application of various types of punishment to the offender.
  • If a person demonstrates complete indifference to his surroundings, a reluctance to make decisions on his own, and mindlessly follows those around him in his actions, then his behavior is considered conformist.

Characteristics of behavior

An individual's behavior can be characterized by various categories.

  • Innate behavior is usually instincts.
  • Acquired behavior is the actions a person performs in accordance with his upbringing.
  • Intentional behavior is actions carried out by a person consciously.
  • Unintentional behavior is actions performed spontaneously.
  • Behavior can also be conscious or unconscious.

Code of Conduct

Close attention is paid to the norms of human behavior in society. A norm is a primitive form of a requirement regarding morality. On the one hand, this is a form of relationship, and on the other, a specific form of consciousness and thinking of the individual. The norm of behavior is constantly reproduced similar actions of many people, obligatory for each person individually. Society needs people to act in given situations according to a certain scenario, which is designed to maintain social balance. The binding force of norms of behavior for each individual person is based on examples from society, mentors and the immediate environment. In addition, habit plays an important role, as does collective or individual coercion. At the same time, norms of behavior must be based on general, abstract ideas about morality (the definition of good, evil, and so on). One of the tasks of properly educating a person in society is to ensure that the simplest norms of behavior become an internal need of a person, take the form of a habit and are carried out without external and internal coercion.

Raising the younger generation

One of the most important moments in raising the younger generation is. The purpose of such conversations should be to expand the knowledge of schoolchildren about the culture of behavior, to explain to them the moral meaning of this concept, as well as to develop in them the skills of correct behavior in society. First of all, the teacher must explain to students that it is inextricably linked with the people around them, that how the teenager behaves depends on how easy and pleasant it will be for these people to live next to him. Teachers should also cultivate positive character traits in children using the examples of books by various writers and poets. The following rules also need to be explained to students:

  • how to behave at school;
  • how to behave on the street;
  • how to behave in a company;
  • how to behave in city transport;
  • how to behave when visiting.

It is important to pay special attention, especially in high school, to this issue, both in the company of classmates, as well as in the company of boys outside of school.

Public opinion as a reaction to human behavior

Public opinion is a mechanism through which society regulates the behavior of each individual. Any form of social discipline, including traditions and customs, falls under this category, because for society it is something like legal norms of behavior that the vast majority of people follow. Moreover, such traditions form public opinion, which acts as a powerful mechanism for regulating behavior and human relationships in various spheres of life. From an ethical point of view, the determining point in regulating an individual’s behavior is not his personal discretion, but public opinion, which is based on certain generally accepted moral principles and criteria. It must be recognized that an individual has the right to independently decide how to behave in a given situation, despite the fact that the formation of self-awareness is greatly influenced by the norms accepted in society, as well as collective opinion. Under the influence of approval or censure, a person’s character can change dramatically.

Human behavior assessment

When considering the issue, we must not forget about such a concept as assessing the behavior of an individual. This assessment consists of society’s approval or condemnation of a specific act, as well as the behavior of the individual as a whole. People can express their positive or negative attitude towards the subject being evaluated in the form of praise or blame, agreement or criticism, manifestations of sympathy or hostility, that is, through various external actions and emotions. In contrast to requirements expressed in the form of norms, which prescribe in the form of general rules how a person should act in a given situation, assessment compares these requirements with those specific phenomena and events that already take place in reality, establishing their compliance or non-compliance existing norms of behavior.

Golden rule of behavior

Besides the generally accepted ones we all know, there is a golden rule. It originated in ancient times, when the first essential requirements for human morality were formed. Its essence is to treat others in the way you would like to see this attitude towards yourself. Similar ideas were found in such ancient works as the teachings of Confucius, the Bible, Homer's Iliad, and so on. It is worth noting that this is one of the few beliefs that has survived to this day almost unchanged and has not lost its relevance. The positive moral significance of the golden rule is determined by the fact that it practically orients the individual towards the development of an important element in the mechanism of moral behavior - the ability to put oneself in the place of others and emotionally experience their condition. In modern morality, the golden rule of behavior is an elementary universal prerequisite for relationships between people, expressing a continuity with the moral experience of the past.

Recently, psychologists, sociologists and neurophysiologists have received a lot of new data about human behavior. Sometimes, of course, the research results are not surprising, but now they have been confirmed experimentally.

We present the conclusions of a number of studies, in brackets are articles that describe the experiments themselves. Of course, not all people behave this way. However, when interacting with others, general trends are worth considering.

Morality

People tend to commit immoral acts or not comply with someone's request for help if it does not require effort or if they do not have to refuse the person outright.

However, more people behave "appropriately" if they have to make a moral decision in front of someone else. Direct requests for help, donations, or signature collections are less often denied. ("Why do people behave badly?")

Half the time, people cheat to gain some kind of resource - from something material to attention, respect or higher status.

Lying requires a lot of mental effort. A person simultaneously has to hold a lie in his head - in order to tell it, and the truth - in order to hide it. As a result, he pronounces simpler sentences and performs worse on intelligence tasks. (“The evolution and psychology of self-deception”)

When people are observed, they behave better. Moreover, the illusion of observation works too. It was enough to hang photographs of eyes in a self-service canteen to encourage more people to clean up after themselves. (“How the illusion of being observed can make you a better person”)

Moreover, behavior affects morality (yes, yes). People who have lied, deceived someone, or committed another immoral act, then have a different assessment of what is good and what is bad. (“The science of why we cheat”)

The desire to appear moral often leads not to moral behavior, but to more sophisticated ways of justifying immoral actions. (“I read Playboy for the articles: Justifying and rationalizing questionable preferences”)

Moral, noble actions (even such as consciously purchasing goods made without harming nature) often act as an indulgence. After this, in conflict situations, people act less morally - as if they had already completed their share of good deeds that day. (“Behind the (leafy) curtain”)

People's perception

The personality traits of a stranger can be determined quite accurately from a photograph. Especially if the photo shows a person in a natural pose and setting. At the same time, it is easier and more accurate to determine the personality traits of men. Women's appearance is more subject to social standards. (“Personalities traits could be accurately judged by photo”)

An attractive, honest appearance can easily be misleading. People tend to trust appearance more than sincerity. Even professionals considered sincerely demeaned people who lied to be honest 86% of the time. (“Looks can kill – you better judgement”)

Appearance plays a huge role even in voting and choosing politicians. Voters judge the competence of politicians based on facial maturity and physical attractiveness. Of course, unconsciously. (“On the faceofit, voting’s superficial”)

At the same time, personality traits influence the perception of external attractiveness. After people learned negative information about those they considered beautiful, their opinions changed. (“Personality traits influence perceived attractiveness”)

Hierarchy is so important for a person that its understanding is laid down from infancy. Infants understand that stronger individuals defeat weaker ones and express surprise when they see the opposite. (“Babies understand that bigger beasts usually top the pecking order”)

The more successful and rich are considered smarter, wiser, etc., and vice versa. And often people tend to think that those who have achieved success and those who have suffered have deserved it. (“Imperfect Chance”, Mlodinow)

Relationships with others

People tend to put others down when they are insecure. Subjects who were told they performed poorly on an IQ test expressed more national and religious prejudices than those who were told they scored well.

At the same time, people are sincerely confident that their negative opinion of others is sincere and has no connection with their lowered opinion of themselves. Humiliating others helps restore self-esteem. (“The evolution and psychology of self-deception”)

It is possible that helping other people is associated with indirect personal interest. Scientists call this "indirect reciprocity." People tend to help those who themselves are considered a “good” person who helps others. Therefore, the reputation of a good person is the key to future support. (“Using mathematical stoidentify good guys”)

The happier person is not the one who has a lot of money, but the one who has more than his neighbor. Dissatisfaction with big money is partly based on this. People constantly compare themselves with their neighbors. Having become rich, they begin to move in new circles, where people have even more money, and it is not easy to rise above those around them. (“Captured by naive self-interest”)

Anger and aggression

People with high testosterone levels enjoy the anger of others. (“High estosterone people feel rewarded by others’ anger”)

Anger increases the desire for possession in people. People put more effort into obtaining an object that they associate with angry faces. Previously, this was considered only a property of positive emotions. (“Anger makes people want things more”)

Angry women are perceived as men. The subconscious associations of anger with men and happiness with women are very strong. So strong that they can influence the determination of a person’s gender - of course, only with a quick glance. (“Are angry women more like men?”)

A spoonful of sugar reduces aggression. Suppressing aggressive impulses requires self-control, and self-control requires energy. Glucose supplies this energy to the brain. People who drank lemonade with sugar reacted less aggressively to a troublesome stranger after a few minutes than people who drank lemonade with a sugar substitute. (“A spoonful of sugar helps the rage go down”)

Information gathering and decision making

People usually look for the information they want and skip the information they don't want. Of course, it is impossible to predict exactly where you will find what. At the same time, you can choose a source that will most likely contain information that a person is ready to perceive - certain newspapers, authors, etc. (“Thehappinesshypothesis” by Jonathan Heidt).

However, people can also accept unwanted information if they feel confident and calm. (“The evolution and psychology of self-deception”).

The more complex the decision that needs to be made, the more likely people are to leave things as they are. (“Exploring status quobias in human brain”).

If the store has too much choice and people cannot immediately determine which product is better, they will leave without purchasing. (“Consumers stop buying as number of options increases”).

When people feel that they have no control over what is happening, they tend to see non-existent patterns in unrelated pictures and believe in conspiracy theories.

Based on this, the percentage of religious people in a country is reliably predicted by the level of security of existence (health care, life support, the opportunity to earn a living, etc.) (“The evolution and psychology of self-deception”).

People regret decisions they make quickly, even if they are happy with the results. It is not the actual time allotted for the decision that is important. What matters is whether the person feels that there was enough time. (“Quick decisions create gret”).

But hand washing significantly reduces doubts about the correctness of the decision made. (“Washing Away Postdecisional Dissonance”).

Oddities of our brain

People's behavior is influenced by bodily sensations. For example, there is a strong association between the feeling of heaviness and “importance”, “seriousness”, “gravity”. People rated a person as more serious and stable if their resume was submitted in a heavy folder, and vice versa.

Likewise, feeling rigid and rigid makes people inflexible. Those sitting on hard chairs were more unyielding in negotiations.

The feeling of a rough surface makes people feel difficult in relationships, and cold is closely associated with feelings of loneliness. (Incidental haptic sensations influence social judgments and decisions).



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