n this assignment you're required to write a 1500-word essay in response to one of the quotes below. You're required to reflect on what behaviour is and utilise one of the theories of behaviour that...

School difficulties and human behavior
School difficulties and human behavior
Human behavior is dynamic in nature and hence can be considered unpredictable. However, through the study of psychology, it is possible to understand many aspects of behavior and its impact on society in general. Learning and education is an integral part of human behavior. It has been noted that student behaviors can be studied to predict their learning patterns at school. This has led to the examination of various theories in relation to student behavior. The Humanistic theory is one such theory that examines behavior as a means to self-fulfillment. In the light of this theory it is understandable how behavior exhibited by certain children actually sets them up for learning difficulties at school.
In psychology, behavior is considered a person's external reactions to his/her environment. It is something that is exhibited on the outside and unlike mind or thoughts or feelings, it can be observed, recorded and studied. By studying ones behavior inferences can be made about feelings, attitudes, thoughts and other mental processes which may be influencing them. The Humanistic theory is one way of studying behavior. The main emphasis of the Humanistic theory is that people have a subjective sense of who they are and how they fit into the world. According to it, behaviors are a reflection of ones quest for self-awareness, self-acceptance and feeling of personal responsibility. Self-actualization concerns psychological growth, fulfillment and satisfaction in life. Each person, in different ways, seeks to grow psychologically and continuously enhance themselves. So according to Humanistic theory, behavior is a means to fulfill one’s potential and reach true self. An individual has an ideal self, the self they would like to be. Behavior is guided by want to reach this ideal self. Troubled behavior occurs when there are mismatches between what one thinks he should be and what they actually are.
(Bulotsky-Shearer, Dominguez & Bell) assert that children with problem behaviors have difficulty learning at school.
"The evidence is unequivocal – children who have difficulty regulating their emotions, paying attention, initiating peer interactions and sustaining engagement in learning tasks are at risk for school difficulties.” (2012, p. 421).
One such difficulty can be observed in children seeking attention as they have difficulty initiating peer interactions. These students are constantly seeking the attention of their teacher by being actively involved in the discussion. What they are actually trying to do is dominate the discussion and disregard their peers. A good example of this behavior would be when a student answers questions immediately as they are asked without giving chance to other students to answer the question. Even though such children make important contribution in their class, others can feel left-out or ignored. Such students can also become easily discouraged when others are given a chance.
These students may be exhibiting such behavior, according to the humanistic theory, in order to prove their knowledge and mental ability or understanding in...