Behavior facts for kids
Behaviour (or behavior) is how an animal or plant acts. It's everything they do! Some behaviours are things we think about, like deciding what to eat. These are called conscious behaviours. Other behaviours happen without us even thinking, like blinking or breathing. These are unconscious behaviours.
Some behaviours are things an animal is born knowing how to do. These are called inherited behaviours. Other behaviours are learned over time, like riding a bike or reading. These are learned behaviours.
Contents
How Behaviour Works
Our behaviour is closely linked to our bodies, especially our nervous system and endocrine system.
The Nervous System
The nervous system is like the body's super-fast communication network. It includes your brain, spinal cord, and all the nerves. When you touch something hot, your nervous system quickly sends a message to your brain. Your brain then sends a message back to your hand to pull it away. This happens so fast you don't even have to think about it! This quick reaction is called a reflex. Many of our unconscious behaviours are controlled by our nervous system.
The Endocrine System
The endocrine system works more slowly than the nervous system. It uses special chemicals called hormones. Hormones are like messengers that travel through your blood and tell different parts of your body what to do. For example, hormones play a big role when a child grows into an adult. They cause many changes in the body and can also affect how someone behaves.
Learning and Behaviour
Animals can change their behaviour based on what they learn. This is called learning.
What is Learning?
Learning means that an animal changes how it acts because it remembers being in a similar situation before. For example, if a dog learns that sitting nicely gets it a treat, it will likely sit nicely more often. Even very simple animals can learn. A basic type of learning is called habituation. This is when an animal stops reacting to something that happens often and isn't harmful. Imagine a bird that first gets scared by a loud noise but then learns to ignore it if it happens all the time and doesn't cause any danger.
Social Behaviour
When people talk about "behaviour," they often mean how people act towards each other. This is called social behaviour.
Good and Bad Behaviour
Children learn what is considered good behaviour and what is bad behaviour. Good behaviour usually means being polite, kind, and thoughtful to others. It's about acting in ways that people in a society expect and appreciate. For example, saying "please" and "thank you" or helping someone in need are examples of good behaviour.
See also
In Spanish: Comportamiento para niños
