Behaviorism

Definition:

Behaviorism (behavior) is a scientific paradigm in the field of psychology. The founder is the American John B. Watson, who at the beginning of the 20th century, based on the experiments of Ivan Pavlov, recognized the connections between animal and human learning. Pavlov, with the learning theory of conditioning, laid the foundation for the theoretical assumptions of behaviorism.

Early behaviorism saw man as a 'black box'. What exactly happens in the processing in the organism, is unknown, which is why one focused only on the observable behavior (behavior). The stimulus-response model (S-R model) became the essential basis: A stimulus (observable) hits the organism, is processed in the 'black box' (unobservable) and generates a response (observable). Introspection (introspection), the core of psychoanalysis, experiences a complete exclusion in behaviorism. Instead of questioning people about their inner life, mainly methodical laboratory experiments (under controlled conditions) were used.

Incidentally, today's behavioral therapy is based, as it were, on behaviorism. Behavior is learned, but can also be forgotten again.

Important persons of behaviorism

* Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849-1936): provided with the experiments on salivary secretion (Pavlovian dogs) the theoretical basis for behaviorism. Pawlow derived the learning theory of classical conditioning from the results of the experiments.

* John B. Watson (1878-1958): is considered the founder of behaviorism. He presented the results from the animal experiments of Pavlov, in connection with the learning processes in humans. The Little Albert experiment proved (critically considered today because of methodological errors) that conditioning does not work only in animals.

* Edward Lee Thorndike (1874-1949): extended behavioral learning theory (eg law of effect) through extensive animal experiments (puzzle box). Ultimately resulted in instrumental conditioning.

* Burrhus Frederick Skinner (1904-1990): represented 'radical' behaviorism. Experiments with the specially developed Skinnerbox, led to the extension of theories of learning to Operant Conditioning.

* Edward C. Tolman (1886-1959): is one of the neo-behaviorists. He reintroduced the idea of ​​the mental map and, with his experiments on rats, finally initiated the transition to cognitivism.

Summary

John B. Watson is considered the founder of behaviorism.

Classical and operant conditioning, the stimulus-response scheme, the human being as a black box and the rejection of introspection are among the paradigmatic pillars of behaviorism.