At the beginning of the 20th century, behavioralism was considered the most studied and discussed area of psychology. The word has English roots and means "behavior." There were quite a few psychologists who decided to devote their lives to the development of this trend. Together with them appeared social and neobiwiorism, which both intertwined and contradicted each other.
What is behaviorism
Behaviorism is a trend in psychology that explores the behavior and activity of an individual. One of the pioneers of this trend was an American, John Watson. He harshly criticized psychoanalysis and psychology for their subjectivism. The scientist believed that the basis of all psychological methods should be put only what was recorded by objective means.
Subject of study
Behaviorists study behavior, including actions, words, actions, which can be both congenital and acquired in the process of life. Watson proposed to represent behavior in the form of the formula S - R. Following it, the behavior is any reaction (R) to an external stimulus (S).
The psychologist classified the reactions according to 2 signs:
- acquired in the process of life and hereditary activities;
- internal and external.
Relying on this division, we can distinguish the following types of reactions:
- External acquired. This includes any movement-related skills: playing sports.
- Domestic acquired. This is a thought expressed by speech.
- External hereditary. This category includes blinking, grabbing, reactions that occur at the moment of love, hate, anxiety. Emotions and instincts described in terms of stimuli and reactions.
- Internal hereditary. Here are collected physiological reactions: blood flow, secretion, etc.
Methods of studying in behaviorism
Personality behavior was studied using natural science techniques:
- Observation without the use of technical devices. The essence of the method is to conduct a visual assessment of the reactions that occur in response to stimuli.
- Active surveillance using instruments. The technique uses technical devices that capture any changes that occur in the body under the influence of stimuli or environmental phenomena. These indicators include respiration rate, pulse, etc. In addition, the time spent on solving problems, the rate of ongoing reactions are studied.
- Testing. At this point, it is not the mental qualities that are being analyzed, namely human behavior, psychologists take into account which way a person chooses to respond.
- Verbatim record. The method is based on introspection. This is a way of self-observation, in which the test and experimental - the same person. It was not emotions or feelings that were analyzed, but thoughts voiced aloud.
- Methods of conditioned reflexes. Built on physiology. Reaction development occurs through negative or positive stimulus reinforcement.
Intermediate variable
The popularity of this psychological movement was explained by the simplicity of its principles, and Watson’s formula was considered universal for a long time. But in the course of research it was revealed that this is not the case.
Watson's colleagues found that many reactions could follow the same stimulus. This forced psychologists to add another "intermediate variable" to the S - R formula. This became a non-standard solution for behaviorists, as they had to retreat from their main conviction - only that which was objectively confirmed scientifically. The new formula looked like this: S - O - R.
Psychologists considered that the introduction of a non-scientific instance is justified, since the stimulus cannot work on its own, it acts together with an intermediate variable.
Neo-behaviorism
To support the ideas of Watson stood B. F. Skinner. The psychologist agreed that science should rely only on that which is objective. The scientist did not see the point of conducting tests that have no objective confirmation. He was inclined to study the mechanisms of behavior, and the main purpose of behaviorism in Skinner's psychology was the "programming" of human behavior to obtain a certain result.
For programming skinner chose the carrot methodHe was confident that the positive stimulus was more effective. Further research confirmed this. The psychologist did not take into account the goals of education, psychoanalytic sociology. He put behaviorism at the forefront, believing that if he does not answer the question, then there is no such answer in nature.
Skinner put forward two interesting theories:
- About the dangers of the spread of creativity. If we assume that creativity is greater for a fashion designer who creates sketches than a seamstress who creates clothes based on them, then this is normal. But if all people had equally developed creative potential, who would create clothes? That is, it turns out that equality in the development of the creative principle brings more minuses than advantages.
- About slave control of his slave owner. The fact that the slave owner is able to control the slave is obvious. If a slave performs orders, he is encouraged, for non-execution - punished. But the slave also has a minimum level of control, since he himself chooses whether to obey him or not, therefore, affects the measure of punishment or encouragement.
Skinner argued that a person’s identity is shaped by society.
Sociobehaviorism
American scientists who investigate the nature of aggression rely on behaviorism; the psychology of the individual is not as interesting to them as the process of performing a certain action. That is, a person uses force with a specific purpose, for example, to achieve respect, to gain power.
Not all behavioral theories are correct.
- First, the study of the commission of an action cannot be considered regardless of the personality characteristics.
- Secondly, even under the same conditions and with the same “stimuli”, there are many variants of “reactions”.
Sociobehaviorism originated in the 60s. He differed from other trends in that his followers argued that the acquisition of experience is possible not only because of his own mistakes, but also because of observing and analyzing strangers. The technique is the basis of cooperative and aggressive behavior, which is formed, including depending on the interests of the society in which the person is.
Behaviorism is applicable not only to the study of behavior, but also for its correction. Thus, many psychotherapists use behavioral methods of dealing with psychological problems, for example, negative and positive reinforcement, external influence techniques, desensitization, and others.
