Behavioral analysis refers to the ability to analyze and understand human behavior. While the general public calls it “reading people”, scientifically it has to do with the analysis of human communication, as well as the interpretation of the present along with the prediction of future behaviors. The human brain is a fascinating organ which does not operate on randomness. It always operates on mental trategies. Sometimes these strategies are consciously built and sometimes it is simply a piece of “code” wired to run in our brain creating instantaneous, involuntary reactions. For example, if we sit relaxed on a chair and we hear a very loud noise like an explosion, we will jump off. Another example would be when we experience an emotion that we didn’t consciously think about feeling and it just happens.

However, a fundamental stone of what makes us humans is that we communicate with one another constantly. Whatever our brain experiences, it is designed to communicate it one way or another. This communication consists of three main types; linguistics (what we say), paralingustics (how we say it) and non-verbals (everything that is not a word). That creates multiple channels of communication that we need to be able to monitor simultaneously, such as the face, the body, the content etc.

Behavioral analysts do not use intuition, therefore, they do not assume or speculate. Rather they are trained to critically evaluate any point of interest marked in a given communication. This is easier said than done as having scientific knowledge alone is not enough. Behavioral analysis on top of anything else is a skill that needs to be developed and honed continuously.

Mastering the art of communication can elevate anyone from just a speaker into an effective communicator. This achievement can have beneficial applications in multiple different areas of life. These areas are sales, marketing, interviewers, HR, negotiations, lawyers, investigators, psychologists, and psychotherapists where being able to comprehend the spoken as well as the unspoken can make the difference.

Behavioral analysis provides a deep, profound understanding of people. And that is what we all desire after all; to feel understood.