INTRODUCTION TO

BEHAVIOURAL
SCIENCES
Dr. Madiha Ali
DPT,MSOMPT
 What is Human Behavior??

• Behavior can be defined as the actions or

reactions of a person in response to
external or internal stimulus situation. 
 Behavior can be:
• Conscious or unconscious,
• Overt or covert,
• Voluntary or involuntary.
Behavioral Sciences & Social
Sciences

• Focuses on the behavior of • Focuses on human beings

human beings & animals. in the social context.
• Experimental in nature • Experimental quality is
• Concentrates on the vague in Social sciences
communication and • Focus on the larger social
decision related themes. systematic themes
Determinants of Human Behavior

• Biological Perspective
• Behavioral Perspective
• Psychoanalytic Perspective
• Cognitive Perspective
• Humanistic Perspective
Human behavior is influenced by:

Culture, Rapport

Attitudes Persuasion

Emotions Threat or Force

Values Genetics.

Ethics

Authority
• Behavioral sciences deals with the study of human
behavior through integrated knowledge of psychology,
neuroscience, sociology and anthropology.
• Behavioral Sciences is a holistic and integrative
approach in all disciplines of education and Medical
practice
Neuroscience : study of human nervous system
function, structure and development.
Psychology: The study of the mind and mental
processes, especially in relation to behavior.
sociology: is the systematic study of human
society, and relationships on a group level.
Medical anthropology: Studies behavior within a
culture (culture-knowledge, beliefs, values,
customs, etc.) that are learned.
Psychology+ neurosciences= study
of human mind
Topic domains for the behavior
science in medical teaching:

1. Mind body interaction

2. Patient behavior

3. Physician role and behavior

4. Physician patient interaction

5. Social and cultural issues in health care

6. Health policy and economics

Why study behavioral science?????
HOLISTIC VS ALLOPATHIC
MEDICINE

• Whole is greater than its parts

• Integration of mind-body and spirit
• The holistic medicine aims at restoring health and
wellness to the person as a whole
• A health professional committed to holistic medicine is
expected to understand following aproach:
• Person
• Environment
• Health
• Physician
How would you describe your general
overall health?

I am in excellent health.

I am in good health.

I am in average health.

I am in poor health.
What is health?

"Health is a state of complete physical,

mental and social well-being and not merely
the absence of disease or infirmity.”
World Health Organization
HOLISTIC MEDICINE demands that a physician must be a
person who has following characteristics:
 *
The Biopsychosocial Model

BIO PSYCHO

HEALTH

SOCIAL

1977, GEORGE ENGEL

 *
The Biopsychosocial Model

Three principles:
• Disease is a result of multiple factors that
interact to make an individual feel ill.
• An individual is composed of a complex,
integrated system composed of interacting
subsystems > mind , body , spirit and social
relationships.
• Biological, psychological, social triad >>
determinants of disease.
BRAIN AND MIND??
•
• CLINICAL APPLICATION OF BPS:
The Integrated Model of Health
*
Care:

BIO
cognitive

SOCIAL HEALTH

BEHAVIOR
ENVOIRNMENT

HEALTH= HARMONIOUS
EQUILIBRIUM
HOMEOSTASIS:

• Is a reactive state that ensures harmony within

body systems through negative feedback loops.
ALLOSTASIS:
• Adaptive mechanism in which the individual
makes the adaptations by predicting changes in
advance.
EUSTRESS:

• Is seen as moderate, motivating and inspiring.

• Ensures optimum functioning of homeostatic and
allostatic mechanism.

DISTRESS:
• Earliest unpleasant departure from state of
happiness and health.
• Allostatic and homeostatic mechanisms are
challenged>>>restorative mechanisms to attain
normal health.
Stress-performance curve
 CLINICAL SCENARIO
Hamid and Hassan were good friends. Hamid was youngest among
siblings and lost his father when he was six years old. His mother
remarried and the step-father was not kind to Hamid. Hassan’s parents
were very supportive and caring. Hamid and Hassan were both bright
students and entered medical college together. Hamid had to stay in
hostel as he belonged to a distant village while Hassan preferred to
come to college from home everyday. Soon the stress of studies started
to mount and Hamid proposed that they should try smoking cigarette to
achieve ‘better concentration’. So they started to indulge in smoking
while studying together. Hamid soon developed cough but continued to
smoke. Hassan's parents found out and discussed about the dangerous
consequences of his habit. Hassan opted out of smoking and joined gym.
He consulted his behavioral sciences teacher to learn some innovative
methods of studying and techniques to give up smoking. He tried to
convince Hamid but he did not listen. With in few months Hamid become
addicted to drugs, his grades and physical health deteriorated and
failed his annual exams. He developed repeated episodes of chest
infections. Repeated absence from classes and poor performance in
academics led to withdrawal from medical college. Hassan went on to
continue his medical studies enjoying good physical health.
• Reference book: handbook of behavioral sciences
for medical and dental students and health
professionals by mowadat H rana, roop zainab
rana, mansoor mustafa.