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Behaviorism essay
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The essay was written as an assignment for the end of the semester, module History of Psychology, course Psychology. It was graded 2:1 (A).
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Essay Question PractiseAre you a Behaviorist? If yes, why yes? If not, why not?
Behavioral psychology is another way of naming Behaviorism. In its general meaning behaviorism is
a theory of learning according to which any behavior would be learnt through interactions with the
environment through a process called conditioning. Therefore, for the supporters of behaviorism
behavior is just a response to a certain stimulus. Furthermore it could be said that behaviorism is
strictly concerned with observable stimulus-response behaviors for the reason that they can be
studied in a systematic and observable manner (Leahey, 2018).
Psychologists like John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner argued that behaviour can be explained without
psychology or introspection even. Others, like Ivan P. Pavlov, believed that psychology and
physiology complete each other. Even though behaviorists have different views, they have in
common their belief that behaviour is the only subject for psychology, and they rejected experiences
as legitimate topics (Benjafield, 2015).
By 1912, psychology started focusing on being a science of the behavior rather than the mind.
Psychologists began examining closely animal behaviour, developing animal psychology, realising
that they cannot exclude animals from their work (Leahey, 2018). As animals cannot explain their
own behavior it Is important that they are observed and the correct environment for that is created.
The purpose of animal psychology, as of psychology in general, was to result in natural science.
Animal research was used in both America and Russia where behaviorism is considered to be
originating.
In 1913 John Watson wrote an article titled ‘Psychology as the Behaviorist Views it’ and with that
was marked the start of the behaviorist movement. The article set number of assumptions regarding
methodology and behavioral analysis. Watson stated that a psychologist should be completely
objective and should not use interpretations when it comes to conscious experience. For him the
purpose of psychology is not to explain but predict and control behavior. Watson also claimed that
similarities and differences among species in psychology matter for better understanding of the
science (Fancher & Rutherford, 2017). Watson formulated the theory of mind-body relationship. He
also claimed that instinct does not exist and the term should not be used in psychology (Henley,
2019). Namely, because of the fact that behaviorism claims and supports the idea that all behavior is
learned from the environment, it can be explained also why behaviorists strongly underline the role
of environmental factors in influencing behavior which equals to a focus on learning. For the
behaviorists we learn new behavior through classical or operant conditioning known as ‘learning
theory’. During his work Pavlov came to the discovery of conditioned reflex according to which an
organism would respond to the environment with conditioned and unconditioned reflexes. Pavlov
also believed that the activity of the nervous system can be characterised as inhibition (Henley,
2019). Based on this the behaviorists came to the conclusion that when an individual is born the
mind is ‘tabula rasa’, a blank slate from the moment of birth.
Another basic idea in behaviorism is that psychology should be viewed as a science. However, any
theory must be supported by empirical data carefully collected through a controlled observation and
measurement of behaviour.
For behaviorism there are three main learning mechanisms that are intended to explaining
everything we come to know about the world. The first one is Habituation and behaviorist define
Habituation as a decline in the tendency to respond to familiar stimuli due to repeated exposure
meaning that we just get used to things. This turns out to be an incredibly useful learning
mechanism because it keeps us focused on novelty (Benjamin, 2009).
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