Owners influence cats to develop the behavior of using a litter box

Fundamental attitude and behavior is a development of imprinting by an animal's social environment. Imprinting results during the upbringing of an animal and depends on the species that are in its environment during this time. The innate releasing mechanisms of an animal govern how it will react to other animals of its own and other species and its ability to distinguish between them. The mechanisms depend on the species and can range from very general to very specific. Animals with general innate releasing mechanisms can be imprinted to other species, or even inanimate objects that roughly resemble the description of the mechanism in shape and size. Animals that have more specific mechanisms can sometimes only be imprinted to their own species.

Once an animal has been imprinted to a species (or object, but we will refer to other animals), it will treat that species as its own. It will follow that species like its own, make mating approaches toward members of that species, and also direct other familiar behavior towards that species.

Another base of attitude and behavior that is acquired from a person's social environment is morality. It is a Freudian belief that the morality of a person is shaped by society. However, other beliefs, such as those of many religions, proclaim that morality is instilled in people by a god or gods. If this were true, however, it could be argued then that all people would have the same morals. It could be said that the ideal morality is set by god, then individuals obtain their own morality from their parents and society. Whether or not this is the case, we will focus on how an individual obtains their morality, rather than the cause for it.

Morality is largely shaped by parents. Children imitate their parents and gain their morality from the morality of their parents. If parents try to teach their child one thing, but do another, the child will more likely copy the actual behavior of its parents. As for punishment as a tool to instill morals, it seems a distinction has to be made. Physical punishment given as a consequence of improper behavior does not produce the intended morals in a child. This includes physical beatings and the common method of denying freedom to the child. It seems that more psychological means are needed to induce the proper morals in a child. When a child sees a parent become sorrowful as a result of the child's behavior, it seems to have the desired moralizing effect. The child then believes that the parent loves him or her less, and will try to behave in an appropriate manner to get back on the parent's good side. Isolating the child in his or her room also has a similar effect. If the parents are not very involved with the child's life, then it is likely that other social sources, such as the people he or she keeps company with, will have a large influence on him or her.

What are your views on morality?

The strengthening of morals occurs with resistance to temptations. The stronger a person's refusal to carry out an action, the stronger his or her conscience becomes. Now if the person were to go against his or her morals, he or she would feel very bad because his or her conscience would be very punishing. This causes people with strong morals to turn themselves in and admit to their actions. On the other hand, if a person does something that he or she knows is wrong, his or her conscience becomes weaker, and it will be easier for him or her to repeat the action.

Have you ever noticed your morality change?

How attitude changes due to behavior