1. Explain the psychodynamics between thoughts, feelings, and behavior. Give a specific example. Behavior According to the American Psychological Association (APA) Dictionary of Psychology, behavior is a person's "activities in response to external or internal stimuli, including objectively observable activities, introspectively observable activities (see covert behavior), and nonconscious processes," as well as "more restrictively, any action or function that can be objectively observed or meas-ured in response to controlled stimuli." Behavior, the primary output of our attitude, also affects our thoughts and feelings. Behavior can be overt or covert. Overt behavior is expressed consciously like replying to a friend or volunteering for class recitation. Covert behavior, however, occurs beyond our awareness, in our blindspot such as mannerisms, body language, gestures, and personal tendencies. Feelings or affect and behavior relate to each other interchangeably; we may act or behave out of feelings and we may feel pleasant or unpleasant after an action. Our ability to evaluate our feelings and behavior will allow us to get better at knowing when and when not to express a particular feeling or action. Thoughts (cognition), like affect, are also related to behavior. We act in ac-cordance to what we think, be it overt or covert behavior, from either implicit or explicit attitude. Once the action has been done, our thought analyzes the reaction of the environment to the actions by absorbing social emotive reac-tions, physical changes if any, and what others think. Once the cognition com-ponent has analyzed the reactions with the behavior, it can then again change the attitude associated with the action or maintain it depending on discretion. Understanding Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors
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Psychodynamics between Thoughts, Feelings, and BehaviorThe psychodynamic relationship between thoughts, feelings, and behavior refers to the way these three elements influence and interact with each other in shaping our actions and mental state.1. Thoughts (Cognition): These are our interpretations, beliefs, and perceptions of situations.2. Feelings (Affect): These are emotional responses—how we emotionally react to those thoughts or situations.3. Behavior: These are the observable or unobservable actions we take based on our thoughts and feelings.How They Interact:Our thoughts influence how we feel.Our feelings drive how we behave.Our behavior then produces consequences, which may affect our thoughts and feelings again—creating a cycle.Example:Let’s say Maria is walking into a classroom where she will give a presentation.1. Thought (Cognition): “What if I mess up? Everyone will laugh at me.”2. Feeling (Affect): She begins to feel anxious and nervous.3. Behavior: She avoids eye contact, speaks softly, and rushes through the presentation.Now, after the behavior:If her classmates look confused or uninterested, her thoughts may shift to “I really did mess up,” reinforcing her fear.But if they encourage her or say she did well, her thoughts might change to “It wasn’t that bad,” which can reduce future anxiety.Summary:This cycle—thoughts lead to feelings, which lead to behavior—shows how tightly linked these three components are. Understanding this helps people:Recognize unhelpful thought patternsBetter regulate emotionsChange problematic behaviors
