Behaviorism: what it is, elements, characteristics and importance

When psychology first emerged as a separate science from biology and philosophy, the debate began overhow to describe and interpret the human mind and behavior.

The differentschools of psychology represent the main theories within psychology and among them is that ofbehaviorism. In this article we tell you a little about what behaviorism is about, its characteristics and importance.

What is behaviorism?

Behaviorism, also called the behaviorist approach, was themain movement in psychology between the 1920s and 1950s. Behaviorism focuses on the observable behavior of people and animals, unlike thecognitive approachwhich is oriented towards the mental processes of the human being.

To highlight: Behaviorism is characterized byidentifying observable and measurable behaviors, which explain and help to understand human behavior. For behaviorists, any behavior can be modified through proper conditioning, regardless of individual traits and thoughts, throughconditioning based on rewards or punishments.

Behaviorism was dominant in the first half of the tenth century, laying the foundation for understanding how humans learn, animal training, and teaching standards. It was also the basis for the development of another current calledneobehaviorism, which extended the studies referring to the learning process of the human being.

Who were the main representatives of behaviorism?

Behaviorismwas formally established with the publication of the classic article by John B. Watson (considered the father of behaviorism) published in 1913, entitled “Psychology as the Behaviorist Views it“. However, behaviorism has many brilliant representatives, such as the following:

1. Watson

John Broadus Watson (1879 to 1958) was an American psychologist, was the first of the behaviorists, and is considered one of the fathers of behaviorismtag. He was raised by a mother with strict religious standards and an alcoholic father who left him when he was 13 years old.

You should know:Watson developed his theory of behaviorism and applied it to child development. He strongly believed thata child’s environment factored in his behaviorsover his genetics or temperament. He believed that a child can be conditioned to become the kind of person you want.

As you can imagine, this was radical thinking at the time , and many people were not comfortable with that thinking at the time.

2. Pavlov

Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist, known for his discovery of classical conditioningtag. During his studies of the digestive system of dogs, Pavlov noticed that dogs naturally salivated when presented with food. However, he also noticed that the animals began to salivate whenever they saw the white lab coat of an experimental assistant.

Note:  Through this observation, this meant for the study that by associating the food with the lab assistant, a conditioned response was produced. was produced.

3. Skinner

Burrhus Frederic Skinner (BF Skinner) was an American psychologist, known for his influence on behaviorism . Skinner referred to his philosophy as “radical behaviorism” and it was he who suggested that the concept of free will was simply an illusion.

Noteworthy: He believed that all human action was the result of conditioningtag. Among his discoveries are the creation of the operant conditioning chamber (known as theSkinner box ), reinforcement programs, and the creation of the cumulative recorder to track response rates, among others.

4.Wundt

Wilhelm Wundt opened the Institute for Experimental Psychology at the University of Leipzig in Germany in 1879. This was the first laboratory dedicated to psychology and its opening is therefore considered the beginning of modern psychology.

You should know: Wundt separated psychology from philosophy by looking at the workings of the mind in a more structured way, with an emphasis on Objective measurement and control .

5. Thorndike

Edward Thorndike (1898) was famous for his work on Learning Theory, leading to the development of conditioning within behaviorism. Thorndike studied learning in animals (usually cats) and devised a classic experiment in which he used a puzzle to prove theLaws of learning .

What are the elements of behaviorism?

There are several principles that distinguish behaviorism from other psychological approaches and learning theories, such as constructivism(theory based on the acquisition of knowledge through experience and the environment) . According to behaviorism, there are two main approaches,classical conditioning and operant conditioning , and it includes the following elements:

1. Stimulus

Behavior is the result of the response to a stimulustag. According to behaviorism, in this sense all behavior, no matter how complex, can be reduced to a stimulus-response association.

2. Answer

Behaviorism focuses on the response to certain stimuli , in order to reinforce a desired behavior in return. This is how behaviorism is based on the premise that if we change our environment (stimulus), we will respond to it.

Note: Skinner described it as similar to a missile homing device, in that it uses information (feedback) from the target to guide it.

3. Conditioning

The task of behaviorism is to specify the types of associations and understand how environmental events control behavior as the environment changes, which is also established in cognitivism (psychological current focused on human knowledge processes).

You should know:The word “conditioning” refers to the process of acquiring new associations. Thus, for example, an animal understands that if it presses a lever it will get food.

4. Reinforcement

The behaviorist Skinner referred to reinforcement theory as a way to explain behavior and why we do what we do.

The theory states that an individual’s behavior is a function of its consequencestag. By applying the principles of motivation across various stimuli, industries such as business, government, education, and mental institutions can gain a broader understanding of human behavior.

Reinforcement theories focus on observable behaviorand is a form of conditioning that focuses on environmental factors. That is, reinforcement asserts that stimuli are used to shape behaviors.

Noteworthy: There are four main approaches to reinforcement theory : positive reinforcement , negative reinforcement , positive punishment, and negative punishment.

5. Punishment

According to Burns (1995) “Punishment creates a set of conditions that are designed to eliminate the behavior”

In this sense, positive punishment is effective in eliminating unwanted behavior, but it has its limitations. Punishment has been found to be most effective when the stimulus is added immediately after the unwanted behavior rather than applying a delayed stimulus.

Note: Another factor to keep in mind is that, according to Skinner, punishment does not always teach desirable behaviors. In addition, it can produce undesirable emotional reactions such as passivity, fear, anxiety or hostility.

What are the characteristics of behaviorism?

Behaviorism is characterized by analyzing the behavior of people , paying main attention to the relationship between stimuli and responses. The following aspects are also considered :

1. People are influenced by stimuli

The stimulus response theory refers to the belief that behavior is manifested as a result of the interaction between stimulus and responsetag. In other words, behavior cannot exist without a stimulus of some kind.

2. Stimuli generate responses and are related

Behaviorism is based on the stimulus-response theory that a stimulus will elicit a response by either pairing a response with a reflexive trigger (for example, salivating at the sound of a bell), or rewarding a response (for example, pressing a lever to obtain food).

To highlight: These answers can be related to each other and that is why, if you want to follow behavioral therapy, it is necessary to do it with a professional who knows how to relate the desired answers.

3. Experimentation is applied as a method

Watson always stressed the importance of experimental control . Watson’s psychological research resulted in a new approach to psychology as a science.

In fact, in 1913 Watson published an article in the Psychological Review and from then on Watson’s science became known as Stimulus-response psychologytag. Behavioral psychology, based entirely on experimentation, is an experimental and objective branch of science.

4. It is based on classical conditioning

Classical conditioning is a behavioral process by which a response becomes more frequentor more predictable in a given environment as a result of reinforcement. Normally reinforcement is a stimulus or reward for a desired response.

Note: A clear example is the way in which we train a pettag. If he does the trick (give the paw) we give him food. If he tears the newspaper, we punish him.

5. Behaviors are observable and the product of experiences

The behaviorist theory focuses on the Study of observable behavior to control and predictit, and its objective is to achieve a certain behavior. This is directly related to the subjective experiences of such responses.

What is the importance of behaviorism?

One of the main benefits of behaviorism is that it allowed researchers to learn about observable behavior in a scientific and objective way.

Therefore, behaviorism is a powerful therapy for those who want to address a particular issue,such as quitting smoking, quitting alcohol, fighting anxiety, solving an eating disorder and improving the relationship with food and treating deficit symptoms. Attention(1)tag. Therefore, it is highly relevant in areas such as: 

1. In psychology

Behavioral therapy is a generic term for types of therapy that treat mental health disorders. This form of therapy seeks to identify and help change potentially destructive or unhealthy behaviors.

It works on the idea that all behaviors are learned and can be changed. Treatment focuses on current problems and how to change them. People often seek behavioral therapy to treat:depression , anxiety , panic disorders, anger issues, and quitting addictions. (two)

You should know: It can also help treat conditions and disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bipolar disorder, and phobias.

2. In education

Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective method of treating people with Learning disabilities.A study published by PubMed suggests that behaviorism is one of the best ways to address (from therapy) the symptoms of attention deficit . (3)