Major psychological theories and behavioral science principles

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The Dunning–Kruger Effect: People with low ability at a task overestimate their ability.
Classical Conditioning (Pavlov): Learning through association.
Operant Conditioning (Skinner): Behavior shaped by reinforcement or punishment.
Social Learning Theory (Bandura): Learning through observation and imitation.
Cognitive Dissonance (Festinger): Discomfort from holding conflicting beliefs or behaviors.
Information Processing Theory: Mind as a computer—input, process, output.
Theory of Planned Behavior: Intentions predict behavior, influenced by attitudes, norms, and control.

Biopsychosocial Model: Health and behavior are influenced by biological, psychological, and social factors.
Evolutionary Psychology: Behavior shaped by evolutionary pressures.
Neuroplasticity: The brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Motivation progresses from basic needs to self-actualization.
Piaget’s Cognitive Development: Children move through stages of cognitive growth.
Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages: Eight stages of human development, each with a central conflict.
Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory: Learning is a social process, influenced by culture and interaction.
Kohlberg’s Moral Development: Stages of moral reasoning from obedience to universal ethics.

Big Five Personality Traits (OCEAN): Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Neuroticism.
Self-Determination Theory: Motivation driven by autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
Locus of Control (Rotter): Belief about control over life events—internal vs. external.
Freud’s Psychoanalytic Theory: Id, ego, superego; unconscious drives shape behavior.
Jung’s Archetypes & Collective Unconscious: Universal symbols and shared unconscious.

Bystander Effect: People are less likely to help when others are present.
The Bandwagon Effect: The tendency for people to adopt certain behaviors, styles, or attitudes simply because others are doing so.
Groupthink: Desire for harmony leads to poor decision-making in groups.
Social Identity Theory: Self-concept derived from group membership.
Looking Glass Self: Self-image shaped by how we think others see us.
Deindividuation: Loss of self-awareness in groups, leading to impulsive behavior.

Confirmation Bias: Favoring information that confirms existing beliefs.
Anchoring Bias: Relying too heavily on the first piece of information.
Availability Heuristic: Judging likelihood based on how easily examples come to mind.
Fundamental Attribution Error: Overemphasizing personality over situation in others’ behavior.

Behaviuor Driven Development (BDD) using JBehave