Final answer:
Behaviors are either instinctual or learned responses to stimuli, influenced by innate predispositions or the environment, respectively. Mental processes, on the other hand, relate to how the mind impacts behavior, studied in depth by psychologists. Behavioral economics explores the reasons behind systematic and seemingly irrational behaviors.
Step-by-step explanation:
Behaviors are responses to stimuli that can be either instinctual or learned. Instinctual behaviors, such as mating systems and methods of communication, are not influenced by the environment, whereas learned behaviors, including imprinting, habituation, and conditioning, are shaped by environmental changes. Cognitive learning is recognized as a particularly powerful form of learned behavior. Mental processes involve how the mind influences behavior, focusing on mental development and how individuals process their worlds. Psychologists are interested in the internal aspects—mental health and emotional processes of behaviors—while sociologists look at external factors, such as social institutions, cultural norms, and interactions with others. Behavioral economics bridges these areas by examining systematic behavior, including what may be deemed as irrational, to understand the deeper underlying reasons behind such behaviors. Some psychologists subscribe to the belief that operant conditioning can explain all human behavior, where actions, ideas, and feelings are responses that can be explained through physical factors.