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Research draft

human behavior

vr.tr.human-behavior · XCT.STA

Let an agent describe behaviour as observable conduct with context, avoid inferring inner states or traits from thin evidence, and respect privacy in behavioural data.

Thing Registry Cross-cutting context

Research draft, second pass

A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.

written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify

Researched by: Claude

Purpose and description

Let an agent describe behaviour as observable conduct with context, avoid inferring inner states or traits from thin evidence, and respect privacy in behavioural data.

The range of actions and conduct of people, individually and in groups, shaped by biology, psychology, culture, norms and circumstance.

What it is for: Understanding, predicting and influencing what people do, in science, policy, design and daily life.

It can be observe and record it; study it, in psychology, sociology, economics and anthropology; influence it, through incentives, norms and design, within ethical limits; regulate it, through law.

Distinguishing features

Observable conduct, unlike thought

Context-dependent: the same act means different things in different settings

Individual and collective

Behavioural data is personal data

What it looks like

Actions people take; visible directly or through traces in data.

How it is recognised

Observable actions in context

Behavioural data such as clicks or movements, which are traces, not behaviour itself

Collective behaviour such as mutual aid or objection movements

Related models

is studied by - disciplines

psychology and social sciences

is distinct from - inner activity

thought

is confused with - behaviour is not disorder

mental disorder

is shaped by - social rules

norm and law

In practice

Families and kinds

individual and collective behaviour

prosocial behaviour such as mutual aid

principled refusal such as conscientious objection

habitual and deliberate behaviour

Standards and regulation

Data protection law on behavioural profiling

Research ethics for studies of people

Consumer law on manipulative design

Failure modes and hazards

Inferring traits or intentions from single behaviours

Manipulative nudging and dark patterns

Profiling without consent

Also called

Mutual aiddraft evasionSelective conscientious objectionconscientious objection of Jehovah's WitnessesConscientious objection in GermanyConscientious objection in the United Statesconscientious objection to military serviceDraft evasion in the Vietnam WarParental lovematernal bondpaternal bondbutchpaternal lovethankingmuseum administrationdata dredgingparental alienating behaviorsedentary lifestyleaccident-pronenesshigh clinical workloadnature deficit disordercouch potatoLack of Physical Educationparticipation (in decisions)tobacco useaudience participationteacher participationsocial engagementdemocratic participationPseudo-participationyouth participationwomen in governmentparental participationemployee voicestakeholder participationpublic participationcommunity participationparticipatory researchadministrationstrategizing

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Where this came from

wikidata · CC0 1.0

Source repository Registry entry point

Drafted structure

Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.

Description What was done.

Behaviour should be described before it is interpreted.

Act

The observable conduct.

Observed act

What was done, when and where.

  1. What exactly was done, when and where? definition
  2. How was it observed or recorded? provenance

Context

Setting and norms.

Context

The setting that shapes meaning.

  1. In what setting did it happen? definition
  2. Which norms apply there? definition
Explanation Why it happened.

Explanations are hypotheses with evidence.

Causes

Factors and motives.

Explanatory factors

Proposed causes.

  1. What explanations are offered, and on what evidence? provenance
  2. Which alternatives fit equally well? boundary

Inference limits

What cannot be concluded.

Inference limits

Limits on inferring traits.

  1. What must not be inferred about the person from this behaviour? boundary
  2. How should uncertainty be stated? action
Influence Changing behaviour.

Influence must respect autonomy.

Methods

Incentives, norms, design.

Influence methods

Methods used.

  1. Which methods are used to influence behaviour here? definition
  2. What evidence shows they work? measurement

Ethics

Manipulation and consent.

Ethics check

Whether influence is fair.

  1. Is the influence transparent and respectful of choice? boundary
  2. Would it be considered a dark pattern? boundary
Data Behavioural data.

Behavioural data reveals a lot about people.

Collection

Consent and purpose.

Data basis

Basis for collecting behavioural data.

  1. On what basis is behavioural data collected? provenance
  2. Is profiling involved? boundary

Use

Analysis and sharing.

Data use

How data is used.

  1. How is the data used and shared? definition
  2. Can people see and object to it? action

What the second pass must settle

  • Should kinds of behaviour be separate entries?
  • How should agents mark inferences from behaviour?
  • The registry entry has merged aliases on conscientious objection; should they be split off?
Draft as JSON