ABSTRACT
The word behaviour has several meanings. First, it is used to describe capability. In this sense we speak of competent and incompetent behaviour. This implies the application of knowledge, skills and understanding in ways that are effective or inefficient. Second, we use behaviour as a descriptor of reaction. This can be social or anti-social actions, aggressive or non-aggressive responses, conforming or non-conforming dispositions. A third use of the term is to portray emotions. This may be in the form of a general connection, whereby we refer to behaviour that is determined by emotion rather than reason, or the link may be to a specific expression of an emotional nature - for example, a tendency to exhibit behaviour that is fearful or zealous. A fourth is to actions that can be interpreted as indications of particular traits of personality. Thus an individual may exhibit anxiety, extroversion/introversion, depression or self-actualisation. A fifth, and for most people the most worrying feature of the range of human response, is when actions are experienced by others as troublesome. Thus, we may speak of abnormal behaviour, challenging behaviour, delinquent behaviour, violent behaviour, and so on.
