Behaviorism: A Deep Dive

 Behaviorism: A Deep Dive

Behaviorism is the psychological approach that makes the assertion that all behavior is learned through experience within our environment. According to the American Psychological Association, this approach was formulated in 1913 by John B. Watson who saw behaviorism as an extension of functionalism (APA, 2018). Watson saw behaviorism as more of a study of observable behavior, as opposed to the study of internal processes (such as feelings and our consciousness). Throughout everyday learning experiences and interactions with our environment, humans and animals can form and pick up on behaviors that can be reinforced or weakened over time. Today, behaviorism can be considered to be more outdated due to the fact that many psychologists now tend to focus on the inner workings of the mind (Villa, 2019). In addition to Watson, B.F. Skinner is another psychologist who is credited with research in behaviorism. Skinner came up with the theory of radical behaviorism, which essentially states that behavior is shaped by environmental consequences (similar to Watson’s views, although Skinner didn’t entirely dismiss internal mental processes as Watson did). Skinner made much contribution to the study of behavior through his work on operant conditioning (Skinner’s box), and reinforcement and punishment. 

Behaviorism can look like a child doing chores for their parents and in return, receiving a weekly allowance. In this case, the allowance would act as a positive reinforcement in that child’s environment, which will promote them to continue doing chores. In animals, this can look like a dog learning that if they listen to commands, they will receive a treat. Punishment allows for the opposite effect by either adding a negative stimulus or taking away a positive stimulus. For example, taking a video game console away for a week if a child misbehaves. These examples can help us better understand how behaviorists such as Watson and Skinner believe that our actions and behavior are reinforced or punished by our environments and are less influenced by our internal mental processes. 

Works Cited:

APA Dictionary of Psychology. (2018, April 19). APA Dictionary of Psychology. Apa.org. https://dictionary.apa.org/behaviorism

‌Villa, P. (2019). Behaviorism [Review of Behaviorism]. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/behaviorism

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