Conduct is an interaction between the constituent elements of human nature and the natural and social environment. Behavior is personal conduct, or conduct in its external relations. While conduct may be defined briefly as the sum of the reactions of an organism in and through living, behavior implies action in the presence of others. Behavior essentially, therefore, possesses a social quality which need not be existent in conduct, although Dewey regards conduct as "A social reaction in and because of environment."
Whether behavior is regarded as action or reaction, it is patent that it must depend on at least two elements dealing with human organization. Behavior must be viewed in terms of structure and function. Abstract definitions are inadequate to indicate the complicated interrelations between man's internal mechanisms and the external forces which surround him. Internal, as thus used, practically means inherent.
Man's behavior is conditioned by the state of