behavior

""Behavior can be viewed as responses in search of pretexts (i.e. stimuli -- reasons, excuses or something put forth to conceal a true purpose) for expression -- (context, Mead's point rephrased) people notice stimuli that permit them to do what they want and/or need to do. Though an organization may contain stimuli unlike those encountered in nonorganizational settings, these stimuli remain only potential stimuli until they are noticed. And Mead's point is that response repertoires control noticing. The person carries this repertoire and its response repertoire and its implications for noticing everywhere. If an observer gains an understanding of response repetoires, and the conditions under which attention is controlled by the content of their repertoires, then a more substantial theory about organizations and behaviors can be built. (Weick, 1979 32). See organizational behavior for the logical extension of this theme to organizations.