Behaviorist Approach

Behaviorism, also known as behavioral psychology, is a theory of

learning which states all behaviors are learned through interaction with
the environment through a process called conditioning. Thus, behavior is
simply a response to environmental stimuli.
Behaviorism is only concerned with observable stimulus-response
behaviors, as they can be studied in a systematic and observable manner.
The behaviorist movement began in 1913 when John Watson wrote an
article entitled 'Psychology as the behaviorist views it,' which set out a
number of underlying assumptions regarding methodology and
behavioral analysis:

Assumptions of the Behavioral Perspective

All behavior is learned from the environment:
Behaviorism emphasizes the role of environmental factors in influencing
behavior, to the near exclusion of innate or inherited factors. This
amounts essentially to a focus on learning.

We learn new behavior through classical or operant conditioning

(collectively known as 'learning theory').

Therefore, when born our mind is 'tabula rasa' (a blank slate).

Psychology should be seen as a science:

Theories need to be supported by empirical data obtained through careful
and controlled observation and measurement of behavior. Watson (1913)
stated that:

'Psychology as a behaviorist views it is a purely objective experimental

branch of natural science. Its theoretical goal is … prediction and control.'
(p. 158).

The components of a theory should be as simple as possible. Behaviorists

propose the use of operational definitions (defining variables in terms of
observable, measurable events).
Behaviorism is primarily concerned with observable behavior, as opposed
to internal events like thinking and emotion:
The starting point for many behaviorists is a rejection of the introspection
(the attempts to "get inside people's heads") of the majority of
mainstream psychology.

While behaviorists often accept the existence of cognitions and emotions,

they prefer not to study them as only observable (i.e., external) behavior
can be objectively and scientifically measured.

Although theorists of this perspective accept that people have "minds",

they argue that it is never possible to objectively observe people's
thoughts, motives and meanings - let alone their unconscious yearnings
and desires.

Therefore, internal events, such as thinking should be explained through

behavioral terms (or eliminated altogether).

There is little difference between the learning that takes place in humans
and that in other animals:
There's no fundamental (qualitative) distinction between human and
animal behavior. Therefore, research can be carried out on animals as
well as humans (i.e., comparative psychology).

Consequently, rats and pigeons became the primary source of data for
behaviorists, as their environments could be easily controlled.

Behavior is the result of stimulus-response:

All behavior, no matter how complex, can be reduced to a simple
stimulus-response association). Watson described the purpose of
psychology as:

'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.' (1930, p. 11).

Types of Behaviorism
Historically, the most significant distinction between versions of
behaviorism is that between Watson's original 'methodological
behaviorism,' and forms of behaviorism later inspired by his work, known
collectively as neobehaviorism (e.g., radical behaviorism).

Methodological Behaviorism
Watson's article 'Psychology as the behaviorist views it' is often referred
to as the 'behaviorist manifesto,' in which Watson (1913, p. 158) outlines
the principles of all behaviorists:

'Psychology as the behaviorist views it is a purely objective

experimental branch of natural science. Its theoretical goal
is the prediction and control of behavior. Introspection
forms no essential part of its methods, nor is the scientific
value of its data dependent upon the readiness with which
they lend themselves to interpretation in terms of
consciousness.

The behaviorist, in his efforts to get a unitary scheme of

animal response, recognizes no dividing line between man
and brute. The behavior of man, with all of its refinement
and complexity, forms only a part of the behaviorist's total
scheme of investigation'.
Radical Behaviorism
Radical behaviorism was founded by B.F Skinner and agreed with the
assumption of methodological behaviorism that the goal of psychology
should be to predict and control behavior.
Skinner, like Watson, also recognized the role of internal mental events,
and while he agreed such private events could not be used to explain
behavior, he proposed they should be explained in the analysis of
behavior.
Another important distinction between methodological and radical
behaviorism concerns the extent to which environmental factors influence
behavior. Watson's (1913) methodological behaviorism asserts the mind
is tabula rasa (a blank slate) at birth.
In contrast, radical behaviorism accepts the view that organisms are born
with innate behaviors, and thus recognizes the role of genes and
biological components in behavior.
 The History of Behaviorism

 Pavlov (1897) published the results of an experiment on

conditioning after originally studying digestion in dogs.
 Watson (1913) launches the behavioral school of psychology,
publishing an article, Psychology as the behaviorist views it.
 Watson and Rayner (1920) conditioned an orphan called Albert B
(aka Little Albert) to fear a white rat.
 Thorndike (1905) formalized the Law of Effect.
 Skinner (1938) wrote The Behavior of Organisms and introduced
the concepts of operant conditioning and shaping.
 Clark Hull’s (1943) Principles of Behavior was published.
 B.F. Skinner (1948) published Walden Two, in which he described
a utopian society founded upon behaviorist principles.
 Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior begun in 1958.
 Chomsky (1959) published his criticism of Skinner's behaviorism,
"Review of Verbal Behavior."
 Bandura (1963) publishes a book called the Social Leaning Theory
and Personality development which combines both cognitive and
behavioral frameworks.

 B.F. Skinner (1971) published his book, Beyond Freedom

and Dignity, where he argues that free will is an illusion.


Behaviorism Summary
Key Features

Stimulus-Response

Operant Conditioning (Instrumental Conditioning)Schedules of

ReinforcementClassical ConditioningNomotheticReductionism
Methodology / Studies
Contolled ExperimentLittle AlbertBobo Doll StudySkinner BoxPavlov's
DogsEthical Considerations
Basic Assumptions

Psychology should be seen as a science, to be studied in a scientific manner.

Behaviorism is primarily concerned with observable behavior, as opposed to
internal events like thinking.
Behavior is the result of stimulus–response (i.e., all behavior, no matter how
complex, can be reduced to a simple stimulus – response features).

Behavior is determined by the environment (e.g., conditioning, nurture).

Areas of Application

Gender Role Development

Behavioral TherapyPhobiasEducationBehavior-
ModificationPsychopathologyDepression
Relationships
Moral Development

Aggression

Addiction
Strengths

The behaviorist approach provides clear predictions. This means that

explanations can be scientifically tested and support with evidence.

Real life applications (e.g., therapy)

Emphasizes objective measurement
Many experiments to support theories

Identified comparisons between animals (Pavlov) and humans (Watson &

Rayner - Little Albert)
Limitations

Ignores mediational processes

Ignores biology (e.g., testosterone)

Too deterministic (little free-will)
Experiments – low ecological validity
Humanism – can’t compare animals to humans

Reductionist
Issues and Debates
Free will vs Determinism
Strong determinism of the behavioral approach as all behavior is learnt
from our environment through classical and operant conditioning. We are
the sum total of our previous conditioning.

Softer determinism of the social learning approach theory as it recognises

an element of choice as to whether we imitate a behavior or not.

Nature vs Nurture
Behaviorism is very much on the nurture side of the debate as it argues
that our behavior is learnt from the environment.

The social learning theory is also on the nurture side because it argues
that we learn our behavior from role models in our environment.

The behaviorist approach proposes that apart from a few innate reflexes
and the capacity for learning, all complex behavior is learned from the
environment.

Holism vs Reductionism
The behaviorist approach and social learning are reductionist; they isolate
parts of complex behaviors to study.

The behaviorists take the view that all behavior, no matter how complex,
can be broken down into the fundamental processes of conditioning.

Idiographic vs Nomothetic
It is a nomothetic approach as it views all behavior governed by the same
laws of conditioning.

However, it does account for individual differences and explain them in

terms of difference of history of conditioning.
Are the research methods used scientific?
The behaviorist approach introduced the scientific methods to
psychology. Laboratory experiments were used with high control
of extraneous variables.

These experiments were replicable and the data obtained was objective
(not influenced by an individual’s judgement or opinion) and measurable.
This gave psychology more credibility.

However the behaviorists use animal experiments as it assumes that

humans learn in the same way than animals.

Behaviorism Strengths and Weaknesses

Behaviorism has experimental support: Pavlov showed that classical

conditioning leads to learning by association. Watson and Rayner showed
that phobias can be learnt through classical conditioning in the “little
Albert” experiment.
An obvious advantage of behaviorism is its ability to define behavior
clearly and to measure changes in behavior. According to the law of
parsimony, the fewer assumptions a theory makes, the better and the
more credible it is. Behaviorism, therefore, looks for simple explanations
of human behavior from a very scientific standpoint.
However, behaviorism only provides a partial account of human
behavior, that which can be objectively viewed. Important factors like
emotions, expectations, higher-level motivation are not considered or
explained. Accepting a behaviorist explanation could prevent further
research from other perspective that could uncover important factors.
Many of the experiments carried out were done on animals; we are
different cognitively and physiologically, humans have different social
norms and moral values these mediate the effects of the environment
therefore we might behave differently from animals so the laws and
principles derived from these experiments might apply more to animals
than to humans.
In addition, humanism (e.g., Carl Rogers) rejects the scientific method of
using experiments to measure and control variables because it creates an
artificial environment and has low ecological validity.
Humanistic psychology also assumes that humans have free
will (personal agency) to make their own decisions in life and do not
follow the deterministic laws of science. Humanism also rejects
the nomothetic approach of behaviorism as they view humans as being
unique and believe humans cannot be compared with animals (who aren’t
susceptible to demand characteristics). This is known as an idiographic
approach.
The psychodynamic approach (Freud) criticizes behaviorism as it does
not take into account the unconscious mind’s influence on behavior, and
instead focuses on externally observable behavior. Freud also rejects the
idea that people are born a blank slate (tabula rasa) and states that people
are born with instincts (e.g., eros and thanatos).
Biological psychology states that all behavior has a physical/organic
cause. They emphasize the role of nature over nurture. For
example, chromosomes and hormones (testosterone) influence our
behavior too, in addition to the environment.

Cognitive psychology states that mediational processes occur between

stimulus and response, such as memory, thinking, problem-solving, etc.
Despite these criticisms, behaviorism has made significant contributions
to psychology. These include insights into learning, language
development, and moral and gender development, which have all been
explained in terms of conditioning.
The contribution of behaviorism can be seen in some of its practical
applications. Behavior therapy and behavior modification represent one
of the major approaches to the treatment of abnormal behavior and are
readily used in clinical psychology.
What is the theory of behaviorism?
One assumption of the learning approach is that all behaviors are learnt
from the environment. They can be learnt through classical conditioning,
learning by association or through operant conditioning, learning by
consequences.

What is behaviorism with an example?

An example of behaviorism is using systematic desensitisation in the
treatment of phobias. The individual with the phobia is taught relaxation
techniques and then makes a hierarchy of fear from the least frightening
to the most frightening features of the phobic object.

He then is presented with the stimuli in that order and learns to associate
(classical conditioning) the stimuli with a relaxation response. This is
counter conditioning.
How behaviorism is used in the classroom?
In the conventional learning situation, behaviorist pedagogy applies
largely to issues of class and student management, rather than to learning
content.

It is very relevant to shaping skill performance. For example, unwanted

behaviors, such as tardiness and dominating class discussion can be
extinguished through being ignored by the teacher (rather than being
reinforced by having attention drawn to them).