What is Behaviorism?

What is Behaviorism?

Behaviorism is a psychological theory and approach that focuses on observable behaviors and external stimuli, rather than on internal mental processes. It emerged as a dominant school of thought in psychology during the early 20th century, primarily associated with the work of John B. Watson and B.F. Skinner.

According to behaviorism, the study of human behavior should be based on observable actions, as these can be objectively measured and studied. It disregards subjective experiences, thoughts, and emotions as they cannot be directly observed. Behaviorists believe that all behaviors, including complex ones, are learned through a process of conditioning.

There are two main forms of conditioning within behaviorism: classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning, proposed by Ivan Pavlov, involves the association of a neutral stimulus with a meaningful stimulus to elicit a response. For example, in Pavlov’s famous experiments, a dog learned to associate the sound of a bell (neutral stimulus) with food (meaningful stimulus) and would eventually salivate in response to the bell alone.

Operant conditioning, developed by B.F. Skinner, focuses on the consequences of behavior. It suggests that behaviors can be strengthened or weakened through reinforcement or punishment. Reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behavior occurring again, while punishment decreases it. Skinner introduced the concept of the Skinner box, a controlled environment used to study operant conditioning in animals.

Behaviorism has been influential in various fields, including education, therapy, and animal training. It emphasizes the importance of environmental factors and learning processes in shaping behavior. However, behaviorism has been criticized for its neglect of internal mental processes, individual differences, and the role of cognition in behavior. Over time, other psychological approaches, such as cognitive psychology, have emerged to complement and expand upon behaviorism’s ideas.

Shervan K Shahhian