Environment and Behavior \"An Understanding

¶ … Environment and Behavior

"an understanding of some phenomenon: why it happens, what causes it, and what limits it" (Bechtel, 1997). A 'good one predicts, summarizes, provides understanding, and is heuristic' (Bechtel, 1997). "Heuristic means tending to provoke discovery" (Bechtel, 1997). 'Four major types are true E&B theories, the person in the environment, social psychological, and environment on the person' )Bechtel, 1997).

GAIA: Lovelock 1979. 'theory is that the atmosphere is maintained at a constant level by a mixture of bacteria, plants, and animals that act together like a living organism' (Bechtel, 1997).

Sociobiology: Wilson, 1975. "the central concept is that it is genes that determine behavior" (Bechtel 1997). Problem is that it doesn't explain altruism (Bechtel, 1997).

Biophilia: Wilson, 1984. 'tendency to preserve the habitat in which they (genes) can grow' (Bechtel, 1997).

Overload: Milgram 1970. Theory is that "we have only a limited capacity to process information, so when we are overloaded there are only so many strategies we can use to decrease the load to a manageable level" (Bechtel, 1997).

Understimulation: AKA sensory deprivation. End result was that ' sensory deprivation began as a method for bringing about mental illness and ended up removing symptoms' (Bechtel, 1979).

Organismic-Holistic: In between sensory deprivation and overload (Bechtel, 1997). Smuts, 1973. "An organism must be seen as a holistic entity, not just the sum of its parts" (Bechtel, 1997). Organism seeks out environment between the two extremes (Bechtel, 1997).

Sociopetal and Sociofugal: two "types" of space which either promote or inhibit social interaction (Bechtel, 1997). Sociofugal inhibits interaction while sociopetal encourages it (Bechtel, 1997). Some places need both types (like airports) (Bechtel, 1997).

Theories originating within the person: "trait theory sees human behavior as a result of what is brought to each situation. Situational determinism sees behavior within any situation as universal and regardless of individual differences" (Bechtel, 1997).

Stress: Seyle 1956. 'Environments can cause stress and belief systems are a central aspect of how people deal with their world' (Bechtel, 1997).

Belief Systems: Spicer 1971. AKA identity systems (Bechtel, 1997). "All of is operate within belief systems. They are socially reinforced and, more often than not, independent of environmental issues" (Bechtel, 1997). 'They give us the illusion of control' (Bechtel, 1997).

Control: "is only beneficial when the person is capable, believes he or she is capable, and wants to take control" (Bechtel, 1997).

Ecological Psychology: 'truest E&B model' (Bechtel, 1997). 'Blends or mixes the environment and the organism' (Bechtel, 1997). The transactional view is included among these and it attempts to combine many theories (Bechtel, 1997).