For the similar term used in political science, see behavioralism.
Behaviorism (or behaviourism), is an approach to psychology that combines elements of philosophy, methodology, and theory.[1] It emerged in the early twentieth century as a reaction to "mentalistic" psychology, which often had difficulty making predictions that could be tested using rigorous experimental methods. The primary tenet of behaviorism, as expressed in the writings of John B. Watson, B. F. Skinner, and others, is that psychology should concern itself with the observable behavior of people and animals, not with unobservable events that take place in their minds.[2] The behaviorist school of thought maintains that behaviors as such can be described scientifically without recourse either to internal physiological events or to hypothetical constructs such as thoughts and beliefs.[3]
From early psychology in the 19th century, the behaviorist school of thought ran concurrently and shared commonalities with the psychoanalytic and Gestalt movements in psychology into the 20th century; but also differed from the mental philosophy of the Gestalt psychologists in critical ways.[4] Its main influences were Ivan Pavlov, who investigated classical conditioning although he did not necessarily agree with behaviorism or behaviorists, Edward Lee Thorndike, John B. Watson who rejected introspective methods and sought to restrict psychology to experimental methods, and B.F. Skinner who conducted research on operant conditioning.[5]
In the second half of the 20th century, behaviorism was largely eclipsed as a result of the cognitive revolution.[6][7] While behaviorism and cognitive schools of psychological thought may not agree theoretically, they have complemented each other in practical therapeutic applications, such as in cognitivebehavioral therapy that has demonstrable utility in treating certain pathologies, such as simple phobias, PTSD, and addiction. In addition, behaviorism sought to create a comprehensive model of the stream of behavior from the birth of a human to their death (see Behavior analysis of child development).
There is no universally agreed-upon classification, but some titles given to the various branches of behaviorism include:
Two subtypes are:
Skinner was influential in defining radical behaviorism, a philosophy codifying the basis of his school of research (named the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, or EAB.) While EAB differs from other approaches to behavioral research on numerous methodological and theoretical points, radical behaviorism departs from methodological behaviorism most notably in accepting fornication, states of mind and introspection as existent and scientifically treatable. This is done by characterizing them as something non-dualistic, and here Skinner takes a divide-and-conquer approach, with some instances being identified with bodily conditions or behavior, and others getting a more extended "analysis" in terms of behavior. However, radical behaviorism stops short of identifying feelings as causes of sexual behavior.[2] Among other points of difference were a rejection of the reflex as a model of all behavior and a defense of a science of behavior complementary to but independent of physiology. Radical behaviorism has considerable overlap with other western philosophical positions such as American pragmatism.[10] Another way of looking at behaviorism is through the lens of egoism, which is defined to be a causal analysis of the elements that define human behavior with a strong social component involved.[11]
This essentially philosophical position gained strength from the success of Skinner's early experimental work with rats and pigeons, summarized in his books The Behavior of Organisms[12] and Schedules of Reinforcement.[13] Of particular importance was his concept of the operant response, of which the canonical example was the rat's lever-press. In contrast with the idea of a physiological or reflex response, an operant is a class of structurally distinct but functionally equivalent responses. For example, while a rat might press a lever with its left paw or its right paw or its tail, all of these responses operate on the world in the same way and have a common consequence. Operants are often thought of as species of responses, where the individuals differ but the class coheres in its function-shared consequences with operants and reproductive success with species. This is a clear distinction between Skinner's theory and SR theory.
Skinner's empirical work expanded on earlier research on trial-and-error learning by researchers such as Thorndike and Guthrie with both conceptual reformulationsThorndike's notion of a stimulusresponse "association" or "connection" was abandoned; and methodological onesthe use of the "free operant," so called because the animal was now permitted to respond at its own rate rather than in a series of trials determined by the experimenter procedures. With this method, Skinner carried out substantial experimental work on the effects of different schedules and rates of reinforcement on the rates of operant responses made by rats and pigeons. He achieved remarkable success in training animals to perform unexpected responses, to emit large numbers of responses, and to demonstrate many empirical regularities at the purely behavioral level. This lent some credibility to his conceptual analysis. It is largely his conceptual analysis that made his work much more rigorous than his peers', a point which can be seen clearly in his seminal work Are Theories of Learning Necessary? in which he criticizes what he viewed to be theoretical weaknesses then common in the study of psychology. An important descendant of the experimental analysis of behavior is the Society for Quantitative Analysis of Behavior.[14]
As Skinner turned from experimental work to concentrate on the philosophical underpinnings of a science of behavior, his attention turned to human language with Verbal Behavior[15] and other language-related publications;[16]Verbal Behavior laid out a vocabulary and theory for functional analysis of verbal behavior, and was strongly criticized in a review by Noam Chomsky.[17]
Read more:
Behaviorism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Dan Ariely: It’s OK to cheat and steal (sometimes) - April 7th, 2010 [April 7th, 2010]
- Full Sail Behavioral Science Leadership Podcast - August 27th, 2011 [August 27th, 2011]
- Full Sail Behavioral Science Passion - August 27th, 2011 [August 27th, 2011]
- 13H Refutes CCHR: Industry of Death (Behavioral Science) - August 28th, 2011 [August 28th, 2011]
- College of Social and Behavioral Science - August 28th, 2011 [August 28th, 2011]
- GB: Behavioral Science Bill For Propaganda - August 29th, 2011 [August 29th, 2011]
- Criminal Minds - The Behavioral Science Part 2 - August 31st, 2011 [August 31st, 2011]
- Santhula Hospital - A clinical and research center for Nuero-behavioral Science - August 31st, 2011 [August 31st, 2011]
- Behavioral Science Self-Assesment Project - September 2nd, 2011 [September 2nd, 2011]
- Behavioral Science: OPTIMAN - September 3rd, 2011 [September 3rd, 2011]
- Forget the Cinderella effect: stepparents are just as likely to kill their biological children as their stepchildren - September 4th, 2011 [September 4th, 2011]
- The Behavioural Science Blog in 2010 - September 4th, 2011 [September 4th, 2011]
- introduction to behavioral science - September 4th, 2011 [September 4th, 2011]
- CSU's Behavioral Sciences Building - September 5th, 2011 [September 5th, 2011]
- Criminal Minds Season 2 - Backstage - Behavioral Science Real-life Criminal Minds (1 of 2) - September 6th, 2011 [September 6th, 2011]
- Behavioral Science: Goldielocks - September 6th, 2011 [September 6th, 2011]
- Dean Welcome Message - CalSouthern School of Behavioral Sciences - September 7th, 2011 [September 7th, 2011]
- Criminal Minds - The Behavioral Science Part 1 - September 9th, 2011 [September 9th, 2011]
- TEDx Bandung-Roby Muhamad-Socio Behavioural Science - September 14th, 2011 [September 14th, 2011]
- How Behavioral Science Applies to Marketing - Jason Anello - September 14th, 2011 [September 14th, 2011]
- Public Health Behavioral Science - September 15th, 2011 [September 15th, 2011]
- Full Sail Behavioral Science Video - September 15th, 2011 [September 15th, 2011]
- Introduction to Behavioural Science - September 15th, 2011 [September 15th, 2011]
- University of Arizona College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Commencement Speech - September 17th, 2011 [September 17th, 2011]
- Introduction to Behavioral Sciences OSPE - September 17th, 2011 [September 17th, 2011]
- Get to know NAU's College of Social and Behavioral Sciences - September 20th, 2011 [September 20th, 2011]
- 3 Minute Thesis 2010 runner-up - Will Harrison, Faculty of Social - September 24th, 2011 [September 24th, 2011]
- New Behavioral Sciences Building at Colorado State University - September 27th, 2011 [September 27th, 2011]
- Intro to Psych Statistics - September 28th, 2011 [September 28th, 2011]
- Why Do Voles Fall in Love? - September 29th, 2011 [September 29th, 2011]
- Behavioral Science: What problems do you have in your life? - September 30th, 2011 [September 30th, 2011]
- Behavioral Solutions for Climate - October 3rd, 2011 [October 3rd, 2011]
- College of Social and Behavioral Sciences (SBS) 2010 Senior Celebration - October 4th, 2011 [October 4th, 2011]
- Enhance Student Teaching Podcast - Full Sail University Behavioral Science Class - October 4th, 2011 [October 4th, 2011]
- Music and the Brain: Depression and Creativity Symposium - October 4th, 2011 [October 4th, 2011]
- Experiment Test - October 4th, 2011 [October 4th, 2011]
- Helen Palmer and The Enneagram - October 4th, 2011 [October 4th, 2011]
- Rapid Learning: Behavioral Science And Patient Treatment - Behavioral Physiolgy - October 4th, 2011 [October 4th, 2011]
- Meet Nicole in the Colorado State University Behavioral Sciences Building - October 4th, 2011 [October 4th, 2011]
- Life As A Full Sail Student Ep. 5 (Behavioral Science) - October 5th, 2011 [October 5th, 2011]
- Happy holidays from your friends in the College of Business and Behavioral Science - October 5th, 2011 [October 5th, 2011]
- Behavioral Science Jumping Hurdles Full Sail University - October 5th, 2011 [October 5th, 2011]
- Dr. Meera Narasimhan on Mental Illnesses - Part 1 - October 5th, 2011 [October 5th, 2011]
- Science needs you: Test your word power on iPhone / iPad with Science XL free app - October 5th, 2011 [October 5th, 2011]
- Definition of Culture - October 5th, 2011 [October 5th, 2011]
- OSP Presentation: Bou's Clues (University of Santo Tomas, Behavioral Science) - October 6th, 2011 [October 6th, 2011]
- Behavioral Sciences OSPE Part 7: Informational Care - October 6th, 2011 [October 6th, 2011]
- Criminal Minds Season 2: Behavioral Science - October 7th, 2011 [October 7th, 2011]
- Behavioral Science - York College CUNY - October 7th, 2011 [October 7th, 2011]
- Miswakology Behavioral Sciences - October 7th, 2011 [October 7th, 2011]
- Criminal Minds Season 2 - Backstage - Behavioral Science Real-life Criminal Minds (2 of 2) - October 11th, 2011 [October 11th, 2011]
- Behavioral Science (A Lesson In Self Control) - October 12th, 2011 [October 12th, 2011]
- BEHAVIORAL SCIENCE LECTURE 1 - Video - October 13th, 2011 [October 13th, 2011]
- TEDxGoodenoughCollege - Jan-Emmanuel De Neve - The Genetics of Happiness - Video - October 13th, 2011 [October 13th, 2011]
- Using Denial to Cope with Grief and Depression - Winifred Gallagher - Video - October 13th, 2011 [October 13th, 2011]
- How To Survive Full Sail University - Video - October 14th, 2011 [October 14th, 2011]
- Life Positive Expo 2008 Appreciate Inquiry with Dr. Wasundhara Joshi and R Sankarasubramanyan - Video - October 14th, 2011 [October 14th, 2011]
- Dr. Meera Narasimhan on Mental Illnesses - Part 3 - Video - October 14th, 2011 [October 14th, 2011]
- Learning and Memory - Video - October 16th, 2011 [October 16th, 2011]
- Behavioral Science Proposal - Video - October 17th, 2011 [October 17th, 2011]
- 13H Refutes CCHR: IOD (Chapter 7) Psychosurgery (1/2) - Video - October 23rd, 2011 [October 23rd, 2011]
- 13H Refutes CCHR: IOD (Chapter 8) Psychiatric Drugs (1/2) - Video - October 23rd, 2011 [October 23rd, 2011]
- OUTDATED : Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection - Video - October 24th, 2011 [October 24th, 2011]
- CSUDH College of Natural and Behavioral Sciences - October 24th, 2011 [October 24th, 2011]
- Behavioral Science - October 24th, 2011 [October 24th, 2011]
- Behavioral science project. ( just one part of it) - Video - October 24th, 2011 [October 24th, 2011]
- Ramp Modeling for Dickies (UST- Behavioral Science Presentation) - Video - October 24th, 2011 [October 24th, 2011]
- Search in Psychology and Behavioral Sciences - PSCY 2301 - Video - October 25th, 2011 [October 25th, 2011]
- Forgiveness: Jesus vs Behavioral Science - Video - October 25th, 2011 [October 25th, 2011]
- PsyD Graduate Discusses her Learning Experience at CalSouthern School of Behavioral Sciences - Video - October 25th, 2011 [October 25th, 2011]
- Behavioral Science Statistics: One Sample and Dependent t-te - Video - October 26th, 2011 [October 26th, 2011]
- Full Sail University Behavioral Science Self-Awareness Exercise - Video - October 26th, 2011 [October 26th, 2011]
- FBI Behavioral Science Unit Interview - Part 2 - Video - October 26th, 2011 [October 26th, 2011]
- Full Sail BS Lab 2 Proposal - Video - October 27th, 2011 [October 27th, 2011]
- Full Sail University-Behavioral Science- Jumping Hurdles Project - Video - October 27th, 2011 [October 27th, 2011]
- Being Human - Behavioral Science Project - Video - October 27th, 2011 [October 27th, 2011]
- Behavioral Sciences OSPE Part 3: Compliance - Video - October 27th, 2011 [October 27th, 2011]
- Behavioral Science Film Fest feat. BSA1D '09 - Video - October 28th, 2011 [October 28th, 2011]
- Dan Pink Plenary Speaker Landsdowne Residency, March 2010 - Video - November 7th, 2011 [November 7th, 2011]
- Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection - Video - November 8th, 2011 [November 8th, 2011]