Behavioral Analysis

Psychology Definition:

Behavioral analysis in psychology focuses on studying observable behavior to predict, understand, and change human actions. It emphasizes the role of environmental stimuli in influencing behavior, grounded in the principles of behaviorism.

  • Source: Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and Human Behavior. Macmillan.

Legal Definition:

In the legal field, behavioral analysis is applied to examine behavior patterns to support legal processes. This includes profiling in criminal investigations and assessing behaviors for competency evaluations.

  • Source: Bartol, C. R., & Bartol, A. M. (2012). Criminal & Behavioral Profiling. SAGE Publications.

Cybersecurity and Computer Science Definition:

In cybersecurity and computer science, behavioral analysis involves tracking and analyzing system or network activities to detect anomalies or signs of malicious behavior that could signal security threats.

  • Source: Sommestad, T., & Hunstad, A. (2013). Intrusion detection and the role of the system administrator. Information Management & Computer Security, 21(1), 30-40. doi:10.1108/09685221311314400

Additional Cross-Disciplinary Insights:

General Behavioral Analysis:

  • Focuses on applying behavior modification techniques across different environments, especially in clinical and applied settings.

  • Source: Kazdin, A. E. (2001). Behavior Modification in Applied Settings (6th ed.). Wadsworth/Thomson Learning.

Organizational Behavior:

  • Utilizes operant and social learning approaches to modify employee behavior within organizational settings.

  • Source: Luthans, F., & Kreitner, R. (1985). Organizational Behavior Modification and Beyond: An Operant and Social Learning Approach. Scott, Foresman.

Education:

  • Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is used in educational settings to develop interventions that enhance learning and address behavioral challenges.

  • Source: Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E., & Heward, W. L. (2007). Applied Behavior Analysis (2nd ed.). Pearson.

Cybersecurity Behavioral Analytics:

  • Examines how user behavior modeling in social networks and cybersecurity applications can predict and prevent cyber threats.

  • Source: Liu, A., Martin, C., Hetherington, T., & Matzner, S. (2015). A Survey of User Behavior Modeling in Social Networks for Cyber Security Applications. Journal of Network and Computer Applications, 57, 159-172. doi:10.1016/j.jnca.2015.08.011