What is the psychological reason for childish behaviour...?

Question

... Such as nose picking, urinating in showers or baths, etc? Names of studies or references would be extremely helpful!

Specifically with reference to adults continuing this behaviour.

Answer 1

It could stem from an emotional delay. However, nose picking can be a symptom of Tourettes or an underlying physical symptom (dry skin etc).
Cognitive Behavioral therapy or behavioral modification will work on problem behaviors and strive to replace them with more healthy behaviors.
Most of what you describe are "learned behaviors", things that individuals have learned to get away with. The objective would be to "UNlearn" the behavior. Replace it with a more socially acceptable behavior that is healthier for the individual and those that live with them.

Answer 2

depends on the person's age. For instance, when I was growing up there were no tissues, and family made a big deal about using linen handkerchiefs. The pretty ones you didn't want to dirty and the linen ones you had to use over and over again which was gross. Kids started picking their noses, or wiping their nose on their sleeve or just blowing stuff onto the ground, and for some that continued thru adulthood (I've seen them still do it). Sometimes little kids pick their nose if they have worms and if you see that action not stop then you need to get them to the doctor. Some men have nose hairs that tickle so much that they are always playing with their nose, even Senators and Congressmen (have you ever watched them on tv?). yeah. Or if you have a cat then the dander gets up there and bothers you till you remove the one kitten hair from your nose. But it's been said, and just recently, that in Germany people do pick their nose as a mater-of-fact and it's said that it's a healthy thing to do. So what might be wrong for one culture may not be wrong at all for another culture.

Now when you ask about urinating in showers (I don't know that it's done in baths, but I know it's done in pools) I've known little kids to do that, and I'm not sure if it was that they wanted attention, or if it was because they saw their dad do it in the shower and just tried to mock dad (as a matter of learning experience, like if dad can do it then it must be ok). Perhaps dad is even doing something different in the shower and the child thinks it's urinating. But it may be a more serious psychological problem the child has in wanting some kind of attention, even if it's a spanking then it's at least some kind of attention. I would wonder too if in foreign countries people do urinate while taking a shower and it's a custom.
All I know is that some people train their cats to go in the tub and it's a matter of convenience as well as less costly because you don't have to buy sand.

Answer 3

Hi Lucky, This is classic passive-aggressive behavior. The behavior can be mild causing few problems or it can be severe, affecting every area of the person's life. It can be a purely reactionary to certain circumstances, or it can show up as a disorder resulting in negativity & passive resistence behaviors against any perceived authority. The latter usually is rooted in something from childhood. For whatever reason the person feels unable to express anger the more direct fashion, so he expresses it indirectly. It is also used as passive rebellion of authority. Some but not all behaviors include Always forgetting to do something asked, chronic tardy to work, negative responses to good news, & subcommunication {I hate this one}. What to do to diffuse it? Like any other personality disorder the person first must realize he has a problem. Once that happens therapy can address the anger issues that are the cause & help the person develop healthy ways to express anger. Assertiveness training at one point may be help. Also those close to the person can be of help by pointing out when the behavior is occurring so the person involved can see it. All this can only happen effectly IF the person sees there is a problem, otherwise he will just use it to add fuel to his already angry attitude. Any time a behavior is point out it should be done as non-judgementally as possible if the person is working on the issue, & this can be difficult because this behavior has an effect of anger in others. You can Google passive-aggressive behavior for a lot of info. Good luck, I hope this was helpful.

Answer 4

Sorry I'm not familiar with a lot of studies, but the term "arrested development" comes to mind. So I would recommend looking up that term and studies relating. I believe it's usuallly caused by a traumatic event in ones life at a certain age and psychological/emotional development is stifled.

Answer 5

Some people just haven't been socialized to know any better. Nose picking might be the result of allergies. Urinating the shower, according to my massage therapist, can cure athlete's foot. Since I don't have athlete's foot, I haven't tried it.

Answer 6

Mostly, it is learned or just experimentation on the part of the child. Also, children have to learn to control the muscles in their bodies. Some children take a little longer than others to accomplish these skills. Are you looking for reasons or remedies?

Answer 7

The nature of man. That is the best way of explaining the behaviors you named. We never grow up, you are always that little boy who got away with it because you were cute. I know for I fell into that group, they will tell that it is caused by this or by that. You have never grew up, pure and simple.

Answer 8

could have something to do with the way in which the child or adult were raised.. Nature V. Nurture...


http://www.trinity.edu/~mkearl/socpsy-2.html




maybe the parents didnt smack them around enough lol..

Answer 9

Thats not childish behavior, just laziness.

Answer 10

Has anyone thought that maybe people do it because they actually enjoy it? Yes, it might be disgusting to think about it but, think....