Psychology is often defined as “The science that deals with mental processes and behavior”.

In the modern day, there are basically two prevailing schools of thought. ‘Geneticists’ and ‘Behaviorists’… the old notion of “nature vs nurture.”

The Geneticists are inclined to think that human behavior is derived from heredity and instinct, through the study of genetics. Often on the news, we see reports detailing studies which claim to find a ‘genetic predisposition’ to ‘being republican’ or ‘smoking cigarettes’. This supports the world view that we are ‘hardwired’ in some way and that even subtle nuances of behavior, such as an inclination for addiction, is genetic or “instinctual” in some way.

The Behaviorists, on the other hand, see the human being as a product of conditioning, as based on the environmental exposure of that person. Therefore, the actions of a person have a source that is derived from experience or a triggered train of thought, brought on by a learned understanding. The mechanism of action and belief therefore is sourced in learning, not heredity or instinct.

Which is more relevant?

Obviously, both views are relevant in certain ways. Our interest in surviving and reproducing is imprinted genetically  in some way as, it is directly associated with fundamental survival. However, the means by which survival is obtained is entirely based on the social conditioning of that person. If a person grows up in a scarce, poverty stricken environment, with limited access to employment, they will have more of a propensity to engage in illegal activity to survive within an environment that gives them less opportunity to strive… more so, then say a middle class person who has their basic needs met.

On the other side of the spectrum, if a person with great wealth has grown up in an elitist family and through environmental influences, is conditioned into thinking that his or her wealth or class serves as a status symbol, they may as a result feel justified to exploit those who work below them and perform illegal activities to conform to the identity and social arrogance they think is bestowed upon them.

The bottom line is, it is environmental conditioning that really affects 99% of our actions, and all diligent behavioral studies have proven this time and time again. In the most simple form even a single celled organism benefits from experience so that its future behavior is better adapted to its environment. This is also the nature of evolution which is undoubtedly proven by the fact that we are who we are today as direct influence of the environment in which we have lived in.

It is found that, a lot of People become alcoholics not because they have a genetic predisposition, but because of the influence of their parents or friends or their environmental influenced upbringing. There are also cases showing that if you abuse a child, very often they grow up to abuse other children.

When the mass media promotes a certain idea in society, such as “terrorism”, the public is conditioned into believing this is true and that it is a real threat, regardless of reality. The fact is, we are emergent, vulnerable organisms and we are always undergoing influence, conditioning and change through the means of others, our environment or ourselves.

This is largely influenced by the social and ideological identifications which many have been conditioned to think are immutable. This particular state of awareness is where paralysis comes in, for there is nothing in nature to support the conclusion that anything we think about today will not be outdated in the future, for one of the few patterns we can stand behind with a certain degree of confidence (so far) is the reality that all elements of nature are emergent. The ‘identification’ with set understandings for the sake of ones integrity is a serious distortion in our world, for it is considered a ‘weakness’ when a person is proven wrong. This is, of course, absurd, for to be proven wrong is how most learn and it should not be a feared circumstance.

Fritz Pearls once said that

“The human species is the only species that has the ability to interfere with their own growth”.

This is an important understanding, for our belief systems, which we think we must keep unperturbed to support our identities, often in actuality stand in the way of new, exciting opportunities for change of understandings and the promotion of personal growth.

The most dominant institutions which perpetuate this paralysis seem to be, Theistic Religion and The Monetary System. Theistic religion promotes a fixed world view, with a “faith” based understanding that rejects logic and new information due to the threat of this taking place of comfortable understandings. The Monetary System (which is in all countries) is based on the Competition for Labor resulting in Labor for Money.

Very simply, the “competitive edge” can only be sustained through self-perpetuation, which along with self interest naturally leads to a static institution which prefers not to change, for it threatens the survival of that business, government or perpetuates change outside what is considered the norm.

This is unsustainable.