Behaviorism

According to Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Behaviorism is built on the assumption that “behave is what organisms do”, and its goal is to promote the scientific study of behavior of individual organisms. It states that all behaviors are responses to environmental stimuli.

'To predict, given the stimulus, what reaction will take place; or, given the reaction, state what the situation or stimulus is that has caused the reaction.' (Watson, 1930, p. 11).

Key Features   Methodology / Studies 

• Stimulus-Response * Controlled Experiment

• Operant Conditioning (Instrumental Conditioning) * Little Albert

• Schedules of Reinforcement * Bobo Doll Study

• Classical Conditioning * Skinner Box

• Nomothetic * Pavlov's Dogs

• Reductionism * Ethical Considerations

1897  Pavlov publishes the results of an experiment on conditioning after studying digestion in dogs

1913   Watson launches the behavioral school of psychology, publishing an article, Psychology as the behaviorist views it.

1905  Thorndike introduces the Law of Effect

1920 Watson & Rayner condition Little Albert to fear a white rat

1938 Skinner publishes Behavior of Organisms and introduces the concepts of operant conditioning and shaping

1943  Clark Hull publishes Principles of Behavior

1948  B.F. Skinner publishes Walden Two, describing a utopian society founded upon behaviorist principles

1958  Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior starts the activity

1959  Chomsky (1959) publishes his criticism of Skinner's behaviorism, "Review of Verbal Behavior."

1963  Bandura publishes a book called the Social Leaning Theory and Personality development which combines both cognitive and behavioral frameworks

1971  B.F. Skinner (1971) publishes his book, Beyond Freedom and Dignity, where he argues that free will is an illusion.

Strengths

• The approach of the behaviorism provides predictions that can be scientifically tested and support with evidence.

• Real life applications

• Many successful applications of classical and operant conditioning to support theories

• Identified comparisons between animals (Pavlov) and humans (Watson & Rayner - Little Albert)

• The experiments are objective, measurable and observable.

Limitations

• The behaviorism ignores mediational processes and biology, there is too little free-will.

• Ethical issues by using animal in experiments – animals can not consent to take part and are unable to withdraw.

• Humanism – comparison between animals and humans

• Reductionist

• It suggests that the behavior is learned but external stimuli affect behavior

The behaviorism (operating conditioning or classical conditioning) can be applied in education to support the students to learn, by designing the courses and lessons.

Another field where the behaviorism had a positive impact is Mental Health. Behavioral therapy, born from behaviorism and originally used in the treatment of autism and schizophrenia, helps people to change problematic thoughts and behaviors.

The behavioral approach helps us to better understanding of human psychology, different types of behaviors, from how people learn to how language develops.

The practical applications and the techniques of behaviorism impact the changes of problematic behavior and encourage more positive responses.

We are using the basic behavioral principles to teach our teams, students, children new behaviors and discourage unwanted ones.

The methods can work very well to remove behaviors with the condition to have the influence of the persons’ environment.

Watson, 1930, p. 11, Behaviorism, First published Fri May 26, 2000; substantive revision Fri Jan 13, 2023, retrieved on 19 January 2023 from Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

Behaviorist Approach, McLeod, Saul, Updated August 18, 2022, retrieved on 19 January 2023 from

Behaviorism - Education Research (byu.edu)

Skinner, B. F. (1953). Science and human behavior. New York: Macmillan