THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - BEHAVIOR

"When new turns of behavior
cease to appear in the life of the
individual, its behavior ceases
to be intelligent."



C. E. Coghill

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - SELF-IMAGE

"The self-image is the key
to human personality and human
behavior. Change the self-image and you
change the personality and the
behavior."


Dr. Maxwell Maltz

TO LIKE IS TO LOVE

To like or love someone means that we enjoy that particular individual for certain unique qualities that fit with our interests and needs. It means, too, that we have, not just an opinion, but a feeling about that person.

Oftentimes, we hear people say, "it's not easy for me to make friends." Even though we may enjoy and need to be alone now and then, we are basically social animals who need the company and cooperation of others. We need to make friends, to like and be liked, and to form loving relationships with at least a few people who are in some ways special to us.

To understand the relationships that people form, it is important to realize that we are not focusing on individual behavior. Instead, we keep meaning to understand behavior between pairs of human beings and the reasons people like and love those they do.

ATTITUDES

Virtually every day we are bombarded by attempts to influence the way we think, feel, and act. Advertisers try to persuade us to buy their products and services. Politicians try to influence our votes, teachers, our intellect, and religious leaders, our moral behavior. Friends influence our style of dress, vocabulary, and taste in music. Our parents often shape many of our attitudes about right and wrong behavior. We often accept ideas and attitudes without realizing how much we are influenced by the persuasiveness of others.

How do people change our attitudes? What is it about human behavior that makes us either susceptible to persuasion or resistant to it?