behavioral

[ 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 Words From

• be·hav·ior·al·ly be·hav·iour·al·ly adverb
• in·ter·be·hav·ior·al in·ter·be·hav·iour·al adjective
• in·ter·be·hav·ior·al·ly in·ter·be·hav·iour·al·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of behavioral¹

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

Example Sentences

They also used a technique called optogenetics to turn parts of this brain circuit on or off in different emotional and behavioral contexts while measuring the animals' breathing and behavior.

From Science Daily

Although the project is within city limits, it fell to the county to offer supportive services through its behavioral health services agency.

From Los Angeles Times

Schools have generally been working hard to meet the special educational needs of an array of students — those with learning disabilities, those learning English, those with behavioral issues and those whose households struggle with poverty.

From Los Angeles Times

By the mid-20th-century, however, leading behavioral theorists denigrated the idea of studying animal emotions since, even if they existed, they were scientifically unmeasurable and unverifiable.

From Science Daily

"In daily interactions, we often encounter people who could be considered good texters or poor texters," said lead researcher David Fang, BCom, a doctoral student in behavioral marketing at Stanford University.

From Science Daily