What makes us act the way we do? There are as many different answers as there are people. Each person is a unique makeup of individual characteristics which blend together to form the personality, the behavior of the person. We can identify certain broad characteristics of groups of people and apply them to individuals to get an idea of how they will behave in a given situation. This is called stereotyping and, when taken too far, will give a distorted picture of what to expect of a persons behavior.
While you can never get a fully accurate picture of how someone will behave based on their demographics and characteristics, you can make certain general guesses that will point you generally in the right direction regarding their behavior. The most popular and fun characteristic to use to point to behavioral differences is probably gender. Numerous books have been written about the differences between men and women. Certain broad characteristics are identified that point at the broad gap in perspective that each gender has in viewing the world.
A man sees a room and may see the functionality of it; what is the room’s use, its purpose. Does the room meet the requirements for fulfilling that purpose? What improvements can be made to better use this room? What is the quality of construction of this room? A woman sees the room and sees the color. How does the room look? How does she feel in that room? She envisions her family in that room, her friends. These are broad differences and may not be wholly accurate in the individual case, but in the genders in general, this will prove to be fairly representative of the behavior of the two populations.
I tend to agree with scientists who study the human brain to try to identify the differences between the genders. According to studies, there is a greater link between the left and right hand sides of the brain in women than in men. The right hand side of the brain is broadly in charge of creativity and emotion; the left hand side of the brain of calculation and reason. This gives women broader access to their creative and emotional aspects than men and makes them perceive the world differently.
I believe this difference in perspective explains much of the difference between genders and can explain much of the differences in behavior. This is still a general stereotype, however. Since the left side of the body is controlled by the right hemisphere of the brain, left handed men have a more developed right hemisphere and are often more creative and emotional than right handed men. So while you may apply certain ideas about behavior to a man based on his gender, you may find it to be in error in the individual case. Sexual orientation is also an indicator of behavior.
Let me be clear, I am not simply referring to the “gay or straight” question. People sexually attracted to men behave differently than people sexually attracted to women. REGARDLESS OF GENDER. While this may seem to fall under the topic of gender, I believe it is a separate issue. If you are attracted to men, you are looking for a particular set of character and physical traits. Your ideal may include a muscular body structure, a height range just above your own, a vibrant skin tone. You want a man who is well spoken and considerate of your needs, as well as a man capable of satisfying your sexual desires.
You also know that this man (if he is straight, if not he has a different set of characteristics he is looking for) is looking for someone whose height range is somewhat less than his and whose body is shaped roughly like an hourglass. He is looking for a person who is flirtatious, but willing to submit to his dominant role. If you are attracted to this man in any way, you will find yourself behaving in a fashion that will make you attractive to him. Likewise, the man, if he is at all attracted to you, will behave in ways designed to attract you.
In other words, your behavior will be altered in the presence of someone who holds any sexual attraction to you. This explains anomalies in behavior. Men, when only with other heterosexual men behave in a quite different fashion than when they are in the presence of women. Women also behave differently when exclusively with other women. When put in the presence of someone that you find to be sexually appealing, however, your behavior will modify to become what you feel is attractive to that person. This often occurs without any conscious thought on a person’s part.
What was common workplace behavior in all men’s or all women’s workplaces now changes, becomes even unacceptable and illegal when the different sexes work together. While it is possible for women to tell off color jokes to each other, for a man to tell the same woman the same joke is incredibly offensive. This is not because the joke was coming from someone of a different gender, but because the person telling the joke has a different sexual orientation than the women telling the joke. This gives the joke an undertone that makes it unacceptable. How does a person’s values and attitude differences affect their behavior.
This is difficult to pinpoint in the individual, I believe. For instance, a person condemns stealing company time by surfing the internet during working hours. What does this tell us about his or her values? Does this indicate that the person values integrity and a strong work ethic and therefore is opposed to the theft of company time? Or does this indicate that the person values appearing to have integrity and therefore says things which make them appear honest? Or does this indicate that the person values stealing company time to surf the internet and wants to divert suspicion from themselves?
It has often been said that a person’s values are revealed by what they do when they believe no one is looking. Your values direct your behavior, but identical behavior can result from any number of different motivations. One person values life and therefore opposes abortion. Another holding those same values murders an abortion doctor. These actions both seem perfectly reasonable to them while appearing insane to a person who values life and feels that a woman has the right to choose to have an abortion. It is my belief, therefore, that while values do affect behavior, they are not a good indicator of behavior.
Finally, your religion affects everyone’s behavior. Yes everyone. Whether you believe in the God of the Judeo-Christian tradition, Allah of the Muslims, Mankind in the humanistic philosophy, or the spirits of your ancestors in a number of different religions, you do believe something. I think it is interesting to note that in every culture ever encountered from western culture, far-eastern cultures, to the smallest tribe in the most remote parts of the world there is some religious tradition among all of them. The atheist believes that there is no god.
Is this built on more evidence than the man who holds cows to be sacred? Can it be scientifically proven that there is no god? One tenet of logic says that it is impossible to prove a negative. The atheist therefore is practicing a different form of religion. Ultimately, religion guides your behavior because it answers the question what happens when I die. If you feel that your actions in this life govern your lot in your next reincarnation, you will behave accordingly. If you feel that when you die your body simply rots in the casket and nothing survives, this also guides your behavior.
If you feel that if you kill infidels you will be rewarded with seventy virgins for your eternal afterlife, you will alter your behavior. If you feel that your actions here are monitored by a God who balances justice and rewards according to those actions either with eternal paradise or eternal hell your behavior is governed by that belief. While some may represent themselves to be of one religion or another, their actions reveal their true beliefs about what happens to them when they die.
