Difference Between Manners and Behavior

Manners vs Behavior

How do you make out about the behavior of a person after observing his manners? Is it possible for a person to have good manners and yet have a bad behavior? How do these two relate and what is the impact of one on another? These are questions that confuse people a lot and they cannot find answers to these questions. This article attempts so simplify these questions by letting readers know how to differentiate between manners and behavior.

First, let us talk about manners. These are nothing but code of conduct in different circumstances. They are not laws but in a society, people are expected to follow these norms or codes of conduct to classify as those having manners. You are sitting on a seat and a lady enters the room with no seat for her. You show good manners by leaving your seat and asking her to sit on it. A child not making noise in the absence of a teacher is an example of good manners. Though you are not forced to pay a tip to a waiter in a restaurant, it is a norm to give off money when leaving a restaurant acknowledging the services of the waiter. We use lady for a woman having good manners while the equivalent for a man is gentleman.

People trying to break a queue to get their work done before others who have been standing for a long time is an example of bad manners and such people get public disapproval as it is a norm to wait patiently for your turn in a queue.

Behavior on the other hand is a much broader term, encompassing all manners, feelings, emotions, acts etc in its wake. It is actually a true reflection of the real character of a person. It is your attitude that tells all about your behavior. In general people disapprove haughtiness, aggressive and bold behavior. They dislike people who boast about themselves and their achievements. Why do you think modesty is a virtue? There are many who even when they have achieved everything in their chosen field of profession are down to earth and modest. These are the people who become role models of future generations and not those who display bad behavior.

Though manners are taught at home by parents and other elders and then later by teachers, they do not become a part of the behavior until a person is comfortable with them. They are actually an outgrowth of the inner nature of a person which is the behavior shown by a person in all circumstances. It is good behavior that automatically translates into good manners and no matter how hard you try to inculcate good manners, they do not become a part of the basic nature unless they compliment the behavior of a person.