...even today. Behaviorism is, simply speaking, the analysis of a person’s response to his environment. John B. Watson, B. F. Skinner, and Edward C. Tolman would include their own varying details to accompany that definition. Most researchers in behaviorism concur that psychology should be considered as the study of behavior, not the study of the mental processes, and that behavior is caused by stimuli that abide in the external environment, not from the internal mind (Goodwin, 2008). From Watson’s first findings, which pushed behaviorism forward, Skinner proposed his own theory of behaviorism called radical behaviorism. Tolman believed that the important concepts of psychology could be deduced from the behavior displayed by rats traveling through mazes that he created (Goodwin, 2008). Even though they were thought of as behaviorists, their concepts and theories contrasted on a wide scale that went from Pavlov’s conditioning one end to the start of cognitive theory on the other end (Goodwin, 2008). Fundamental Perspective of John B. Watson John Watson (1878-1958) attended the University of Chicago where he studied under John Dewey. Dewey’s teachings did not satisfy him, and he soon decided to study under a functionalist psychologist named James Rowland Angell and Henry Donaldson, a physiologist. From their teachings, Watson began formulating his own beliefs, which would lead eventually to the establishment of what is called the psychological school of behaviorism. Watson’s...
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...February 1, 2015 Abstract The theory of behaviorism is that human and animal behavior can be explained in terms of conditioning without any preconceived thought, but it can be defined by observable behavior that is researched. Behaviorism projects that individuals are products of their experiences and have become who they are because of conditioning. John Watson, who is credited with Behaviorism, made the comment that he could take “twelve healthy infants and take any one of them and mold them into any given occupation regardless of genetics, race, talents and/or abilities.”(Jenson, 2014) Watson felt that conditioning was a crucial part of behaviorism, as it was an extension of Pavlov’s discovery and his studies of stimulus-response reflexive relationships. In this paper the founding of behaviorism, the main components of the behaviorism theory, a brief description of 3 behaviorist experiments, and how behaviorism develops new behaviors will be discussed. Behaviorism and its effect on the learning process The founder of behaviorism is credited to John B. Watson. According to Watson, behavior was a subject matter in its own right, to be studied by the observational methods common to all sciences. This field of study and learning was founded in 1912, and it was formed as a reaction to the current focus on psychology at the time. In order to form this theory, John Watson studied the research of Ivan Pavlov. Watson felt that “psychology must have an empirical, objective...
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...if not for the behaviorist John Watson, the Radical Behaviorist B.F. Skinner and the Cognitive Behaviorist Edward Tolman. Each of these men created theories that involved the field of behaviorism and each man has shaped the way we see and understand our fellow man. Each of these men created theories that are still used as founding principles in their respective fields of psychology. The Birth of Behaviorism and John B. Watson The school of thought known now as behaviorism would not exist today without the birth of John Watson in 1878. John Watson was a highly intelligent man able to attend college at only sixteen years old. John Watson graduated with masters before his twenty second birthday. After graduating at only twenty one years old John Watson became a school principal. His career as a school principle was short lived; John Watson left his job to attend the University of Chicago. John Watson studied philosophy under John Dewey. Finding he was unsatisfied with John Dewy’s teaching John Watson chose two different professors, first the functionalist psychologist James Rowland Angell and second the physiologist Henry Donaldson. Using what he was able to learn from Angell and Donaldson, John Watson started to form his own ideas and theories about human behavior. John Watson’s teachings and theory’s would come to be known as "behaviorism". According to the American Psychological Association, "Behaviorism is defined as “A scientific approach that limits the study of psychology...
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...Abstract Behavioral psychology also known as behaviorism in focusing on observable behaviors, which behaviorists uses key concepts of conditioning, punishment, and reinforcement. John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner’s approach on behaviorism exhibited behavioral psychology as the model of formal disciplinary. On the other hand, Edward C. Tolman’s approach on behavioral learning subsidized to behavioral psychology. Although Watson, Skinner, and Tolman’s approaches were different in describing and explaining their theoretical approach, Watson, Skinner, and Tolman contributed their own theories proven to impact a part of psychology in influencing the advancement of modern day psychology in understanding behavior and human learning. Perspectives John B. Watson (1878-1958) was born in a small city (Travelers Rest) in Greenville County of South Carolina to Emma Watson and Pickens Butler. Watson was an American psychologist who founded the psychological school of behaviorism and the first to advocate a behavioral approach. Watson believed that one could benefit a full understanding of behavior by learning and modifying the environment in which people function and control as well as he thought that it was feasible and probable to produce any desired type of behavior by controlling a person’s environment (Feldman, 2010). According to Watson, psychology should be the science of observable behavior in which he treated mental events outside the province of a scientific psychology. Watson’s...
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...eventually turn out to be a habit. A habit that will consume our senses until it will all become our Behavior. As to Psychologists, Behaviorism is more concerned with behavior than with thinking, feeling, or knowing. It focuses on the objective and observable components of behavior. Behaviorism focus on behaviors that can be observed only. Behaviorism deals with the consequences of behavior and those behaviors can be rewarded or punished. (Huitt, W., & Hummel, J. (2006). An overview of the behavioral perspective. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. ) HISTORY Behaviourism is derived from the belief that free will is an illusion. According to a pure behaviourist, ( John B. Watson (1878-1958)) human beings are shaped entirely by their external environment. Alter a person's environment, and you will alter his or her thoughts, feelings, and behaviour. Provide positive reinforcement whenever someone perform a desired behaviour, and soon they will learn to perform the behaviour on their own. (Ivan Pavlov: 1891) The term behaviorism refers to the school of psychology founded by John B. Watson based on the belief that behaviors can be measured, trained, and changed. Behaviorism was established with the publication of Watson's classic paper "Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It" (1913). The origins of behaviorism grew out of the ideology of the American...
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...Behaviorism is associated with many scientists in the past and our current society today. Behaviorism is a learning theory based on the thought that all behavior attain when conditioned is considered behaviorism. Also, behaviorism is the scientific study of observable behavior. Behaviorism is more interested with behavior than with feeling or knowing. The main focus is the objective and observable components of behavior. The behaviorist theories all share some version of stimulus-response mechanisms for learning. Behaviorism originated with the work of John B. Watson, an American psychologist. Watson held the view that psychology should only concern itself with the study of behavior, and he was not concerned with the mind or with human consciousness. This paper will discuss the history behind behaviorism, the components of the theory, and how behaviorism develops new behavior. Behaviorism is conducted by stimuli and it decides to select one response instead of another due to the conditioning. It assume that the learner is passive and starts off with a clean slate. The behavior then goes threw and positive and negative reinforcement. Behaviorists study stimulus events that cause behavior to occur, stop occurring, or change in some way as a function of antecedents or consequences to behavior. Behavioral scientists recognize, however, that environmental events that affect behavior as antecedents or consequences often vary from person to person....
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...Associationistic Theories of Watson and Skinner History credits John B. Watson as the founder of behaviorism. His disliking of the structuralism and functionalism approaches led Watson to consider psychology a science of behavior. Rather than focusing on methods like introspection, Watson strongly suggests that psychological research involve examinations of the measurable and observable behaviors. In his classic study of Little Albert, Watson demonstrates how learning of fear can occur through the principle of classical conditioning. Watson and other behaviorists like B.F. Skinner also emphasize that environmental factors affect and determine behavior. Skinner took the study of behaviorism to the next level by proposing concepts like mind, consciousness, and feelings were neither measureable or observable and were, therefore, not necessary in explaining behavior. Skinner claims that one can explain behavior by analyzing the conditions present before a behavior occurs and by analyzing the consequences that follow the behavior. The principles associated with Skinner’s operant conditioning suggest personality as a function of environmental influences rather than unconscious thoughts and feelings. However, this belief faces criticism for paying little attention to emotions and internal processes. By examining the theories of Watson and Skinner, one can better understand by classical and operant conditioning by explaining their major themes and evaluating their effectiveness...
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...issues than does the radical behaviorist theory of B. F. Skinner. Skinner successfully explains human behavior in terms of operant conditioning and reinforcing agents. He changes the focus from Freud's internalized (mental) processes to the importance of the external environment. Skinner emphasizes the importance of the directly observable behavior. However, he fails to completely account for behavior, excluding the original motivational drive. In contrast, Freud succeeds in construing the origins of behavior and motivation, which makes the psychoanalytic theory of Freud more adequate as a theory of personality. Throughout history humans have been puzzled by human behavior, the reasons behind it, and have been faced with the consequences of their own as well as others' behavior. Many studies have been done and theories developed in an attempt to explain this fascinating area of human existence. Among many theories and theorists, Freud's psychoanalytic and Skinner's radical behaviorist theories have been selected and looked at throughout the following paper. Theory of personality that Freud introduced together with its concepts, many deemed romantic, unprovable and sometimes obscene, has shaped the way humans view themselves in many cases. He introduced concepts of the unconscious, id, ego, superego, repression, anxiety and others, sufficient tools in explaining any behavior encountered. In contrast, Skinner proposed a theory focusing on different aspects of personality...
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...human behavior and how individuals think and feel. One of those perspectives is known as the Behavioral Perspective. The main focus of this perspective is behaviors that are learned. The difference between behaviorism and other perspectives is that its emphasis is placed on behaviors that can be observed, not on internal states (Cherry, 2014). There are many major thinkers that made contributions to the Behavioral Perspective, and their theories have been valuable, and serve as a basis for the schools of thought in modern psychology. In this paper, I will be comparing and contrasting the Behavioral Perspectives of John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner, with the perspectives of another major thinker known as Edward C. Tolman. The main focus of John B. Watson and of B. F. Skinner was behaviorism while Edward C. Tolman’s focus was Cognitive Behaviorism (Cherry, 2014). John B. Watson’s Perspectives John B. Watson was a major thinker and also a psychologist who was later known as the father of behaviorism. During part of the 20th Century, he dominated with his perspective of behavior. Watson’s theory of psychology was that it was based on behaviors that one could observe. Watson came to be a strong supporter of behaviorism, and was known for his famous quote “Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-informed, and my specified world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of...
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...when what has been learned has been forgotten” -B.F. Skinner Behaviorism is described as a developmental theory that measures observable behaviors produced by a learner’s response to stimuli. Responses to stimuli can be reinforced with positive or negative feedback to condition desired behaviors. Punishment is sometimes used in eliminating or reducing incorrect actions, followed by clarifying desired actions. Educational effects of behaviorism are key in developing basic skills and foundations of understanding in all subject areas and in classroom management. According to behaviorism, knowing is giving the correct response when exposed to a particular stimulus. The behaviorist is not concerned with how or why knowledge is obtained, but rather if the correct response is given. Yu Ching Chen’s web site on behaviorism states that, “Learning is defined as nothing more than the acquisition of new behavior”. In terms of the concept of learning, the process tends to be passive with regard to the behaviorist theory. The learner uses low level processing skills to understand material and the material is often isolated from real-world contexts or situations. Little responsibility is placed on the learner concerning his/her own education. Typical classroom instruction consistent with the behaviorist theory includes; classroom management, rote memorization, and drill and practice. Several examples of behaviorism used in classroom management were highlighted in the...
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...___ Behaviorism Perspectives For the purpose of this paper the theories of John B. Watson and his introduction of behaviorism in 1913 and his eventual scandal and departure from the world of psychology will be discussed along with, Burrhus F. Skinner and his introduction of operant conditioning and its continued impact on the world of psychology and finally Edward Tolman and his theories of molar vs. molecular, goal-directedness, intervening variable and cognitive maps will be discussed. Each of these philosophers had their own theories regarding behaviorism and each of them had impacts on the behaviorism that we use in today’s psychology. First we will take a look at each of their individual theories on behaviorism, and then we will compare and contract those theories. In conclusion these theories will be reviewed along with the theory that has lasted the test of time. John B. Watson J. B. Watson introduced his psychological school of behavior theory in 1913. His theory was based on the control and prediction of behaviors. He set out to prove his theory with one of his most famous studies of little Albert B. He theorized that children had three basic emotional reactions, love, fear and rage. His experiment set out to prove that he could instill behaviors in Albert and control those behaviors. He began his experiment by introducing Albert to a white rat, when Albert would reach out to touch the rat he then would make a loud noise behind his head causing him to pull away...
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...Behaviorism as a Theory of Personality: A Critical Look Payal Naik Northwestern University This paper explores the theory of behaviorism and evaluates its effectiveness as a theory of personality. It takes into consideration all aspects of the behaviorism theory, including Pavlov's classical conditioning and Skinner's operant conditioning. Additional research in this field by scientists such as Thorndike is also included. As a result of this critical look at behaviorism, its weaknesses as a comprehensive personality theory are revealed. At the same time, its merits when restricted to certain areas of psychology and treatment of disorders are discussed. For as long as human beings can remember, they have always been interested in what makes them who they are and what aspects of their being set each of them apart from others of their species. The answer according to behaviorists is nothing more than the world in which they grew up. Behaviorism is the theory that human nature can be fully understood by the laws inherent in the natural environment. As one of the oldest theories of personality, behaviorism dates back to Descartes, who introduced the idea of a stimulus and called the person a machine dependent on external events whose soul was the ghost in the machine. Behaviorism takes this idea to another level. Although most theories operate to some degree on the assumption that humans have some sort of free will and are moral thinking entities, behaviorism refuses to acknowledge...
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...so has the perspective of the different fields of psychology. Each thought, each view point has been reevaluated and new theories added but the values and core foundation and thoughts of the past are still held strong. Behaviorist such as John Watson, B.F Skinner, and Edward Tolman were some of the most historic men in the field of psychology; although they may be a thing of the past they set a foundation for future psychologists and the schools of thought. John Watson’s Perspective John Watson a young scholar was born in 1878, at the age of 16 Watson began his college education and graduated with his masters at 21. (Cherry, 2014). After working for a year as a school principal he decided to go back to school to study philosophy at the University of Chicago where he met two men a psychologist by the name of Henry Donaldson and a functionalist psychologist by the name of James Rowland Angell. (Cherry, 2014). Watson respected and admired the theories of these men, taking what he learned from them he came up with his own thoughts and theories which drove him to the theory of behaviorism; this theory is what began Watson’s career where he founded the psychology school of behaviorism. (Cherry, 2014). Watson’s behaviorism is the “learning perspective” of all organisms that deal with the act of feeling, thinking, and acting. (Cherry, 2014). His theory related to that of classical conditioning in which his belief was that people reacted to different forms of stimuli rather than...
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...Behaviorism and Its Effect on the Understanding of Learning AIU Online Abstract This paper focuses on a brief summary on the history of behaviorism, starting with experiments conducted by Franklin Henry Giddings and Ivan Pavlov, a sociologist and a physiologist whom established the groundwork for behaviorism, particularly in America. In addition, this paper also explains the main components of behaviorism, which are classical conditioning and operant conditioning, connectionism, and the contiguity theory. It moves forward to explain four experiments that are popular through the study of behaviorism: the reason behind conditioned salivation in Ivan Pavlov’s dogs, conditioned responses in humans through Watson’s little Albert experiment, Thorndike’s research with cats and a puzzle box to demonstrate the law of effect through the use of reinforcements, and B.F. Skinner’s experiment with rats to prove how an organism learns through operant conditioning. Finally, this paper examines how, according to behaviorists, there are three principles of learning new and intricate behaviors, known as shaping, chaining, and fading. Behaviorism and Its Effect on the Understanding of Learning Behaviorism suggests that an organism learns from its environment. It is the result of the association between a stimulus and a response. An organism learns new behavior through classical or operant conditioning. It is a theory that does not base its ideals on emotions or prior knowledge. Some say behaviorism...
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...from the Internet, or other sources. I further agree that my name typed on the line below is intended to have, and shall have, the same validity as my handwritten signature. Student's signature (name typed here is equivalent to a signature): Maria D. Rodriguez __________ Perspective Paper Human beings by nature are inquisitive. Knowing where one comes from and what aspects separates one from other individuals has been in our nature since humans discovered having five toes on each foot. The approach of psychology basing the study on the fact that behavior can be researched without consideration of the inner state of the mind is known as behaviorism. Behaviorism is said to be both a philosophy as well as a psychological movement. Radical behaviorism Early in the 20th century, behaviorism initiated with the work of John B. Watson, an American psychologist. John B. Watson’s objective of his study was to base behavior on no mental life and no internal speech. He studied the adjustment of human beings and organisms to their respective environments. Therefore, it made sense to him that men could be studied objectively, like rats and apes. He’s approach put an emphasis on physiology in addition to the role of stimuli and...
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