Behavior, Behaviorism, and Behavioral Sciences

Behavior is a broad concept that is rarely defined. It is studied across disciplines including but not limited to communication, psychology, sociology, biology, computer science, anthropology, and philosophy. While scholars of communication are primarily interested in the use of messages to generate meaning, behavior is inextricably linked to the production, transmission, and observation of communication. From philosophy, Darwin, ethology, and early psychology to the genesis of communication research, this entry provides a historical background to understand how the definition of behavior has evolved over time. Behavior appears at all stages of the research process, as an outcome variable, an indicator variable, or an independent variable. Traditions such as the behaviorist, cognitivist, motivational, and sociological approach the study of behavior differently. This entry discusses how modern researchers approach, measure, and operationalize behavior.