behavioral

adjective

be·​hav·​ior·​al bi-ˈhā-vyə-rəl 

bē-

1

: of or relating to behavior : pertaining to reactions made in response to social stimuli

behavioral problems

behavioral similarities

Half of all potential guide dogs don't get final clearance because of medical or behavioral issues.

—Cassie Kreitner

2

: relating to or concerned with the social, psychological, and emotional factors that affect financial decisions and behavior

behavioral economics

Behavioral finance … holds that financial man—far from the perfect, mechanical trader depicted in textbooks—is a rather neurotic fellow. He follows the crowd, fails to plan ahead and often makes mistakes.

—Roger Lowenstein

behaviorally

bi-ˈhā-vyə-rə-lē 

bē-

adverb

… gradually came to the conclusion that the wild dogs are physically and behaviorally distinct enough to constitute a uniform breed.

—Christine Mlot

Examples of behavioral in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Returning to the previous example, financial institutions could generate synthetic datasets comprised of imaginary customers and transactions that still display their real customers’ collective behavioral patterns. —Rachel Ventresca, Fortune, 7 June 2024

Previously, Mountbatten worked as a geologist and as director of the SCL Group, which was a British behavioral research and strategic communication company, which closed operations due to the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica scandal. —Rebecca Schneid, TIME, 7 June 2024

Eventually, the conflict between Rosenberg and her former bosses came down to whether behavioral supports available through telehealth were sufficient to keep the family safe. —Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 6 June 2024

Children with long Covid may also experience new or worsening mental health conditions or psychiatric symptoms, which can lead to behavioral problems at school, changes to eating or sleeping, and other signs associated with pediatric depression or anxiety, the report says. —Isabella Cueto, STAT, 6 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1919, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing behavioral

• behavioral modification
• behavioral science
• behavioral therapist
• behavioral therapy
• cognitive behavioral therapy