Emotions and Behavior according to Burns - Essay Example

From Burns's arguments, it is clear that behavior informs an individual on when and how to respond to certain deeds. Besides the internal factors, there exist external influences such as culture, peer groups, career interests, and living standards that contribute to the emotional status of an individual (Burns 11). The cognitive concept assesses the significance of thoughts and beliefs in shaping the behavior and values of an individual. Values are the ethical codes that define the rational articulation of one’s ideas or deeds.

Values aid in understanding why and how people behave as they do in specific situations. The integration of expectations, goals, values, and links to cognitive and behavioral competencies is crucial in assessing the emotional differences between man and animals. Social reputation and identity are comprised of previous actions, perceived responses from people, and expected future behaviors. Norms and customs are internalized into habits, preferences, and expectations that are generalized across common situations in a human being’s life.

From the assessment results, it is clear that an individual uses his or her cognitive component to assess various situations. This helps in developing solutions and responses to queries based on one’s reasoning. The emotional aspect also takes a critical role in influencing the responses and self-esteem (Branden 32).