Behavioral Anaylsis Paper 1 PDF

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This paper examines universal commons and specifically explores dance as one of those. It examines dancing from a social, cultural, and biological point of view, explains possible reasons why dance is important in society, and explores how they meaning of dance is different cross cultures. ...

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Jordan Walker Professor Troy Smith Introduction to Psychology 16 April 2018 Behavioral Analysis Paper 1 Dancing is defined as “to move one's feet or body, or both, rhythmically in a pattern of steps, especially to the accompaniment of music” (The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer). However, since prehistoric times and across the world, dance has often been used to represent celebration, tradition, spiritual awakening, or cultural passages; it is a universal language. The first accounts of dancing date back to the Cretaceous period, where pictures of humans dancing were depicted on cave walls. At Egyptian funerals, women danced to express the grief of the mourners. The “choros” was performed by the Greeks in a circle in honor of a god. And in India, dances that were performed in front of Hindu princesses were described in documents from as early as the 1st century AD. As a matter of fact, research experts state that it is highly unlikely any civilization denied themselves the pleasure and excitement of dancing until the invention of puritanism. Though the meaning has changed in many cultures, the art of dance continues to spans across the world. In the rural lands of Africa, dance captures the spirit of life events, from the death of a loved one, to a wedding, to childbirth, and is even used to ask spirits to bring rain or blessings. In addition, within their culture, dance is often used to identify tribes. On the other hand, Japan views dance as theatrical entertainment, where the women’s makeup is often overdone and the moves reflect social eras in Japanese history. For nearly 3,000 years, dance has existed in India as a significant part of culture and differs based on geographic location. Furthermore, in America, contemporary moves reflect modern society with dances such as “Gangman Style,” “The Whip and Nae Nae” or “Dabbing.” It is also considered an important part of culture in many other parts of the world, such as Spain, with popular dances such as the Tango or the Merengue, Germany, where dance is part of festivals and folklore, The Netherlands, and Cambodia. Not only does dance span cultures but age and gender as well. In African tradition, children are taught to dance from the time they are born and continue the tradition into adulthood. Males often engage in a dance known as “Umteyo” where they shake their thorax; the pressure and movement causes the spine to appear as though it’s rippling. Females, however, use a dance called “Moribayasa” to signify overcoming adversity. In this dance, several women circle their village, singing and dancing along the way, following the woman who is being celebrated. Furthermore, a study conducted by Samantha Sobash on e-Research found that in Western societies, both male and female children show an interest in dance beginning approximately at age two, and the interest or engagement in the activity often persists into adulthood. Interestingly, Japan’s culture places an emphasis on female dancers though males occasionally perform as well through a dance called “Bon Odori” which invites spirits of the

deceased during religious rituals. In addition, Indian culture uses it to honor their leaders as well as for general entertainment. Many psychologists have studied why dance continues to be an important part of culture. A study published in the Public Library of Science’s genetics journal in 2006 suggested that dancing has evolutionary benefits and is connected with not only attracting mates but with the ability to survive. According to the research, dancing was used to bond and communicate during tough times and therefore, people who were coordinated or rhythmic had an advantage over other groups at the time. Thus, dancing remains important to humans because of subconscious efforts to attract mates and to survive. A recent survey found that many people (approximately 83% of the general population) find the ability to dance an attractive quality. In her studies, Samantha Sobash also found that dancing is developmentally important. Not only does dancing increase self-esteem but is connected with greater physical health, such as increased stamina, agility, and a longer life. Particularly in children, dancing aids the development of strong bones and a healthy weight. Furthermore, dancing is socially important to humans and as noted, in prehistoric times, dance was used to communicate. In modern society, dancing is often a social activity, engaged in at parties and clubs or even schools. At Grass Valley Elementary in Oakland, California, dance was used at events and in the classroom as a way to engage students with special needs. They found that when involved in dancing, the students not only had increased moods and class performance but were more social and outgoing towards other classmates. In conclusion, though dance may change throughout time, social movements, and appear differently across cultures, it is enjoyed by most people regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, or even geographic location. It has been proven to have evolutionary benefits, be developmentally important in children, and can even be used as a social tool that expresses emotions. As Nancy with the Luna Dance Institute comments, “Dance is everywhere, dance is anywhere, yet, dance is nowhere.”...