Definition:  “The actions or reactions of a person or animal in response to external or internal stimuli; conduct; manners or deportment, especially good manners; general course of life; treatment of others; manner of action; the activity of an organism, especially as measurable for its effects; response to stimulus; the functioning, response or activity of an object or substance.”

In inter-personal terms, there is always a cause for everything that happens…

Behaviour is anything that a thing does, involving movement, as a response to stimulation (the cause).  Attitude is revealed in facial expressions, posture and verbal intonation; it is therefore behaviour.  In Shinseido, the term ‘behaviour’ refers particularly (but not exclusively) to the way a person behaves towards other people or the environment.  When a person smiles at me, I smile back.  When there is a thunder storm, I seek shelter. 

While there is a cause for everything that happens, there is also an effect or consequence of an action or behaviour.   When a person smiles at me (the cause), I smile back (the behaviour) and reinforce that person’s sense of well being (the effect).  When there is a thunder storm (the cause), I seek shelter (the behaviour) and remain safe and dry (the effect).

Behaviour can be social in nature (for the good of the community) or anti-social in nature (unacceptable to the community), as in the manner of conducting oneself according to social norms (or not).  By definition, social and anti-social behaviours represent extremes on a continuum of behaviour that may be described simply as 'behaviour'.

Social behaviour constitutes any act that has benefit to others in the family or community.  We should seek to engender worldwide goodwill, peace, and unconditional love for all people regardless of gender, race, colour, religion, social status, sexual orientation, disability, national or social origin, political or other opinion, or condition.

Anti-social behaviour is behaviour that is unacceptable to other people (the community), behaviour that violates another person’s right not to be adversely affected in some way.  Such behaviour violates the rights of others and may therefore be defined as violence.

Anti-social behaviour can include:

• Arrogance

• Socially non compliant behaviour

• Bullying

• Snobbery

• Disruptive or maladjusted behaviour

• Threat (physical or other)

• Disturbed (especially emotionally)

• Discrimination: racism; ageism; sexism. Political, sexual, religious, philosophical, social, job or disability discrimination, or discrimination against any other belief, persuasion or opinion.

• Judgemental attitudes

• Dogma

• Harassment

• Physical assault

• Sarcasm

• Inter-personal conflict

• Betrayal

AGGRESSION

Aggression is an essential form of innate functional (positive) psycho-biologic energy that has, in conjunction with the quality of social co-operation, led to the survival of our species and which underpins healthy self-assertiveness, self-protection, the achievement of goals, the quest for self-accomplishment or mastery, and the realisation of our very dreams and aspirations.  It is manifest healthily in play or sports. 

Subject to circumstances and situation, when first cause aggression is used in a way that hurts another person in spiritual, emotional or physical terms it may be regarded as a dysfunctional (negative) force in which a person's fundamental human right not to be so hurt is denied.  This can be an unprovoked overt hostile attack towards others or self-injury.  The term, dysfunctional aggression, is therefore synonymous with the term ‘violence’.  ‘First cause’ is when a person initiates a challenging process, without provocation - it is therefore, the first act in a challenging situation.  This constitutes a violation of a person’s right; therefore, it is violence.  Dysfunctional aggression does not have to be extreme or physical to constitute violence.

WHAT IS VIOLENCE?

Any word, look, sign or act that hurts a person’s body, feelings, or things in a way that impinges upon (violates) that person’s right not to be so hurt.  By its very nature, anti-social behaviour or dysfunctional aggression violates the rights of others and so can be described as violence.

Violence does not have to be extreme or physical in order to constitute violence.

BEHAVIOUR THAT CHALLENGES

The term ‘behaviour that challenges’ emphasises the fact that the behaviour is a challenge to those who are confronted by it, and not just a problem held by the person exhibiting such behaviour.  The term does not necessarily imply blame upon the person exhibiting the behaviour.  Behaviour that challenges need not necessarily be negative or dysfunctional in nature, it can sometimes be good and positive, and merely represents a challenge to our perceptions, understanding, and management skills.

Behaviour that challenges can be regarded as a person’s behaviour that leads another to feel a discernible level of discomfort, stress, anxiety, threat, fear, embarrassment, distress or consternation.

The challenge can be to one’s perceptions or ability to manage the behaviour.

Such behaviours may be questioned in the moment:

1.       What is the reason for the behaviour?

2.       What are my own perceptions about the behaviour?

3.       Does such behaviour impinge upon my own fundamental human rights or those of others?

4.       How should I respond to the behaviour?

If the behaviour is in the first cause, and impinges upon our right or the rights of others, then that behaviour may be regarded as dysfunctional (such as anti-social behaviours or violence, including physical assault).   However, if the behaviour does not impinge upon our rights or the rights of others, and yet represents a challenge, we may need to question our own perceptions as to why the behaviour makes us feel uncomfortable.

We all have a right to use physical force in response to first cause violence providing that force is deemed reasonable as defined by statutory law.

Note: Behaviour achieves personal results (the effect).  What immediately follows behaviour can increase or decrease the likelihood of it happening again.