A psychology method known as behaviourism focuses on the examination of observable behaviours and how environmental factors affect them. B.F. Skinner, whose ideas and methods laid the groundwork for radical behaviourism, was one of the most significant behaviourists in history.
The operant conditioning theory, put out by Skinner, contends that behaviour is influenced and regulated by the results of that behaviour. By looking at the antecedents (stimuli that come before a behaviour) and the consequences (reinforcements or penalties that follow it), according to Skinner, behaviour may be understood and predicted.
Skinner coined the word “reinforcement,” which describes any event or stimulus that makes it more likely for a behaviour to recur in the future. Positive reinforcement involves providing a pleasurable stimulus while negative reinforcement involves eliminating a painful stimulus. For instance, a student is more likely to continue doing their schoolwork in the future if they receive praise for finishing their assignments (positive reinforcement).
On the other hand, Skinner acknowledged the function of punishment in altering behaviour. Anything that makes it less likely for a behaviour to happen again is considered a form of punishment. It can be either positive (addition of an unpleasant stimulus) or negative (removal of a pleasing stimulus). For instance, if a youngster receives constructive criticism for assaulting a sibling, they are less likely to
According to Skinner, shaping is a process that entails encouraging consecutive attempts to behave in a particular way. People can acquire complicated abilities by rewarding behaviours that eventually approximate the intended behaviour. For instance, while training a dog to fetch a ball, the dog may first receive praise for just approaching the ball. As training advances, the dog may also receive praise for picking up, bringing back, and finally depositing the ball at the owner’s feet.
The idea of stimulus control is a key component of behaviourism. This is referring to how environmental signals affect behaviour. When a behaviour is repeatedly reinforced in the presence of a certain stimulus, that stimulus grows to be connected to the behaviour and might cause it to occur. For instance, answering a ringing phone becomes to be connected with the sound it makes.
Additionally, behaviourists emphasise the value of experimental studies in understanding and supporting their beliefs. Behaviourists modify factors in well planned studies to see how they affect behaviour. These studies make it possible to pinpoint the functional connections between behaviour and environmental occurrences.
Conclusion :
It’s vital to remember that behaviourism does not examine interior mental processes like ideas, emotions, or cognitive processes; instead, it only examines observable behaviour. Instead, it places a strong emphasis on how the environment shapes behaviour.
In conclusion, behaviourism is a psychological strategy that places an emphasis on the investigation of perceptible behaviour and its interaction with the environment. Behaviourists try to comprehend and change behaviour by using the concepts of operant conditioning, rewards, penalties, shaping, and stimulus control.
Behaviorist
