behavioral

especially British, be·hav·iour·al

[bih-heyv-yer-uhl]

adjective

1. relating to a person’s manner of behaving or acting.

   The program provides academic and behavioral supports for students of concern.

   Most of our biggest health risks are largely preventable with behavioral change.

2. Psychology, Animal Behavior.,  relating to or studying observable activity in a human or animal, often thought of as the aggregate of responses to external and internal stimuli.

   This psychiatry textbook offers a thorough discussion of both the behavioral sciences and clinical psychiatry.

   Harassment of wild marine mammals has disrupted their behavioral patterns, including migration, breeding, and feeding.

Other Word Forms

• behaviorally adverb
• behaviourally adverb
• interbehavioral adjective
• interbehavioural adjective
• interbehaviorally adverb
• interbehaviourally adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of behavioral¹

First recorded in 1925–30; behavior ( def. ) + -al ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

“The direct savings from avoiding targeted ads may not transform your finances overnight — but the behavioral shift it sparks can absolutely reshape your long-term trajectory,” he added.

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This research also suggests that behavioral interventions such as exercise, meditation, and cognitive behavioral therapy may influence how these brain circuits fire, just as hunger and fear did in the lab.

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A 2022 systemic review of 87 studies found increased screen time was modestly associated with higher levels of aggression, inattention, anxiety, depression and behavioral problems.

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These kinds of “nudges,” informed by behavioral science, don’t force anyone to give up social media.

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I write in my book, “Confessions of a Funeral Director,” that behavioral epigenetics have found that our experiences can be passed down on a molecular level.

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