behavior: observable or measurable activity, internal or external (ex: heart rates, etc.)

learning: relatively permanent change in behavior resulting from experience

Watson

• must study behavior instead of introspection and self-reported thoughts and feelings

• behaviorism: focuses on the study of environmental influences on observable behavior

  • goal: predicting and controlling behavior

methodological behaviorism

• AKA stimulus-response theory

• connection formed between specific stimulus and specific response

hull

• s-r connections: building blocks of behavior

• neobehaviorism: infer the existence of internal events from connection between environment and behavior

• largely operationalized physiological-type reactions (ex: hunger drive, tiredness, etc.)

tolman

• cognitive behaviorism: utilizes intervening variables to explain behavior

  • intervening variables: hypothesized cognitive processes (ex: expectation)

• similar to Gestalt theory ➝ sum is greater than parts

• cognitive maps: mental representation of one’s spatial surroundings

  • learning is different than performance

  • latent learning

bandura

• social learning theory - emphasizes importance of observational learning and cognitive variables explaining human behavior

• reciprocal determinism: environmental events and observable behavior and thoughts / feelings mutually influence each other

b.f. skinner

• radical behaviorism: emphasizes influence of environment on observable behavior

• countercontrol: when we understand how the environment affects us, we can change the environment to our benefit

• genetics

  • operant conditioning resembles the evolutionary principle

    • adaptive behaviors increase in frequency

    • nonadaptive behaviors decrease in frequency

• using behaviorism today

  • applied behavior analysis / behavior modification

    • treating / managing clinical disorders

      • doctors w/o borders - clinical psychologists

    • improving educational practices

    • treating children with developmental and intellectual disabilities (especially autism)