Interpreting human behavior through cause and effective relationship
Muntasha Ahmad
Cause and effect relationship Each action is driven by a cause, and every behavior has a reason behind it. In psychology, this idea is explained through the concept of cause and effect relationship, the understanding that certain factors affect the events of our life. At its core, a cause and effect relationship means that one event (the cause) leads to another event (the effect). For example, lack of sleep can lead to irritability, and frequent exposure to violent media correlates with increased aggressive behavior in children. This relationship can be explained by an experiment conducted by Ivan Pavlov in the 1890s by showing that dogs can be conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell if the sound of the bell repeatedly coincided with the time they were given food.
This experiment demonstrated that initially, food caused dogs to salivate naturally, but after conditioning, the bell alone caused the effect, showing a clear cause-and-effect relationship. In the famous book, The Metamorphosis written by Franz Kafka, every effect is tied to a deeper psychological or social cause. In this book, the cause and effect relationship drives the entire narrative, beginning with Gregor Samsa’s sudden transformation into a giant insect. This shocking event causes him to lose his ability to work, which in turn leads to his family’s financial instability and forces them to become self-reliant. As a result of his disturbing appearance, Gregor is isolated, leading to a breakdown in communication and emotional connection between him and his family. Over time, their initial concern turns into frustration and neglect, which causes Gregor’s physical and mental decline. The situation worsens when his sister Grete, who once cared for him, decides that he must be removed, and this rejection deeply affects Gregor, ultimately leading to his death. His death, in turn, brings relief and a sense of freedom to the family. The deeper themes such as alienation and the way society values individuals based on their usefulness can be highlighted through this chain of causes and effects.
Why Do People Think, Feel, And Act The Way They Do? Human behavior is not random; it is shaped by a series of causes that lead to a series of specific effects. Human growth can be explained by analysing cause and effect relationship between environmental inputs (causes) and physical, cognitive, or emotional outcomes (effects) across the lifespan. Specific childhood experiences shape adult behavior.
“Positive social connections in youth and adulthood significantly boost mental health and happiness in later life. By recognizing these cause-and-effect patterns, we gain the insight needed to make intentional choices that steer our future well-being, despite the external factors we cannot control.”
Early Childhood The Foundation Of Emotional Development: A landmark study termed as Harry Harlow’s attachment study was conducted on baby monkeys. Baby monkeys were given a choice between a wire mother that provided food and a soft cloth mother that provided comfort. The monkeys preferred the cloth mother, showing that emotional security (cause) leads to attachment and healthy emotional development (effect). Lack of such bonding can result in chronic emotional difficulties. As children move into middle childhood, learning and social interaction become the key cause. Bobo doll experiment by Albert Bandura proved that children copy witnessed aggressive behaviour. Children who watched adults act aggressively toward a doll were more likely to behave aggressively themselves. This proved that exposure of behavior (cause) directly influences a child’s actions (effect), highlighting the importance of role models.
Adolescence A Stage Of Identity Formation, Societal Influence: The famous Asch Conformity experiments conducted by Solomon Asch revealed how peer pressure affects decision-making. Participants often gave incorrect answers simply to match a group’s opinion. This demonstrated that social pressure (cause) can lead to conformity and altered behavior (effect), a common experience during teenage years. In adulthood, environment and roles continue to influence behavior. A powerful study was conducted in 1971, Stanford prison experiment, led by Philip Zimbardo, in which participants were assigned roles as prisoners and guards in a simulated prison. The situation itself (cause) led to drastic changes in behavior (effect), with guards becoming authoritarian and prisoners showing distress. This highlighted how environment and social roles can impact human actions. In later life, reflections and memory play an important role. Although not based on a single experiment, multiple studies show that positive relationships (cause) lead to better mental health and happiness (effect) in old age. Understanding cause-and-effect relationships reveals how the past continues to shape the present, giving individuals the awareness to make better decisions for the future. While we may not control every cause in our lives, we can influence many outcomes. It reminds us that while we are shaped by our experiences, we also have the power to shape our future.
(The author is a NEET aspirant. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
