History and Application of the Behaviorism Theory

Introduction

Behaviourism approach is to apprehend the way human and animal act. Behaviours that can be observed visually is called overt. Walking is considered overt. The behaviour that could not be seen is named covert. Any mental activity that could not be seen is considered covert. John Watson mentioned that psychology is an experimental science, on the findings of behaviour. Watson said that the responded behaviour is caused from a stimulus and to know the stimulus, we need to understand the responded behaviour. Behaviour could also be described using classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning is recognised as learning process from stimuli and response and the relationship between the stimuli and response.

The classical conditioning is how a stimulus can produce a response and how the connection between two stimulus creates a new response. Then there is operant conditioning, where by it is a process of modifying a behaviour through positive and negative reinforcement. Every behaviour that occurs comes with a consequence (reward or punishment), or a positive and negative reinforcements. Reinforcements or punishments are used to increase positive behaviour and decrease the negative behaviour. Behaviourism is widely used in any setting today. Education, office, even at home the concept of behaviourism is applied, this is to create a disciplined environment for everyone. Behaviourism has helped create positive behaviour out of people in any social environment.

Behaviourism And Its Founders

John Watson was the founder of behaviourism and he tried to explain why people behaved in the ways they did. He applied the ideas of stimulus and response to something that's going on in the environment. People can learn behaviours, adapt and grow it into a much complex behaviour. According to him, the focus of psychology should be more on examining the observable behaviours and taking control.

Ivan Pavlov, developed the concept of classical conditioning, which means two stimuli are brought together to produce a learned response. He is well known for his experiments with dogs, which involved ringing bells and subsequently bringing food out to the dogs in order to see whether the dogs would begin salivating in response to the bell. Ivan Pavlov’s relation to behaviourism is that he studied the different reflexes and stimuli responses in animals and people in regards to the environment around them. B. F. Skinner took a step further to explain human behaviour. 'Skinner box,' was a tool that he used in his animal experiments. He placed an animal inside of the box, and gave it a reward or punishment to shape the way it behaves, red button. He had come up with the operant conditioning. It is where rewards and punishments are given in response to a positive or negative behaviour. It used as a reinforcement to influence the way people behave.

Basic Principles On Which Behaviourism Is Founded

Behaviourism is perceived as everyone started as blank slate. Whereby people always act based by what kind of environment they are in and influenced by positive and negative reinforcements. Pavlov had done a research on the stimulus and response behaviour on dogs. He had used and unconditioned stimulus and got an unconditioned response. Which he then, understood the behaviour of animals and applied it to humans as well. This was the concept of classical conditioning. He also found that after a while, the stimulus would not have a response but when reinstated, the stimulus can be recovered. There are stimuli influencing the way that people behave, and then there are responses, as a result.

Behaviours are shaped by the good and bad results that we get. B. f. Skinner has done a research on how a rat is able to get food from positive reinforcers (Skinner Box). The experiment had shown that with every behaviour we do comes with a consequence. There different types of reinforcements. Positive reinforcement is where giving something to an individual to increase their positive behaviour. Example, giving a gold a child when they clean up after themselves. This would result in the child learning to be organised. And then there is negative reinforcement, whereas we remove negative behaviours as a response. Example, if a child does not eat their vegetable, he/she would be scolded by the mother. To avoid getting scolded from the mother, as a result, the child will eat the vegetable. Skinner also contributed on the schedule of reinforcement, which is continuous reinforcement and partial reinforcement. Continuous is every behaviour will be rewarded or punished. And partial is when the reinforcement is done only when it is needed. The basic principles of behaviourism that is found is about the experimental science on observable human and animal behaviour. The Skinner Box and Pavlov’s dog shows that all behaviours are learned through the environment.

Reflection

From my personal opinion about behaviourism that apply in real life is how effective negative and positive reinforcement and negative and positive punishment for me. Both make me a better person and also if I done something not right for myself, I also punish myself for the lesson for me so that after this I would not repeat it again. And if I have done something good, I reward myself as for my encouragement to do it again. – Nur Qurratuaini Binti Mohd Shukri

Behaviours of a person shows a lot about how a person was raised. Different people have different behaviours and personally for me, behaviourism has affected my life in many ways. Through behaviourism, I have learned to understand and reflect myself on why I behave such a way and what I can do to improve or why I should not do some things as it would result into something I would not like or the people around me are not comfortable with. Understanding about what is behaviourism, I know that my past experiences and how the people around me have affected my behaviours. For example, during my primary school years, I have always had trouble getting my homework done and I would be punished by my dad, where he would not allow me to watch tv and play with my brothers. Therefor I would try to complete my homework on time so that I can watch tv and play with my brothers. This punishment is considered a positive reinforcer as I never missed finishing my homework after that. – Wan Nuradilla Binti Che Kamarul Hazahar.

Applications of Behaviourism to The Field Of Education, Psychology And Counselling

In education, behaviourism is used by educators to understand how every student learn and why they behave the way they do. Educators can use Classical conditioning and Operant conditioning to improve students’ performances. Rewards can be used to encourage students to do their best. For example, if a student can complete their task on time, the teacher could reward them by praises. The concept of behaviourism would not only help educators understand students better, but could also give a positive push for students to work harder to be the best that they can be.

Behaviourism is common in psychology and it is the research on the relationship of individuals' environments and behaviour. Behaviour is developed by the consequences of an action. It changes only when the consequences for behaviour also change. The term “behaviourism” gives an understanding that behaviour can be observed and there is stimulus to every response. The founders of behaviourism have worked on many ways to understand why a person is the way they are and it has been used by many people to give a sense of meaning for every action.

Behaviourist principles can be helpful as observing behaviour is easier than analysing emotions. Mental health professional use approaches based on behaviourism. Instead of analysing emotions, patients are given an understanding of the relationship between thoughts and behaviour. Counsellors would need to understand why a patient behave such a way and suggest them an action as a positive and negative reinforcement. For example, if a patient says that he/she is feeling like the world is against them and is afraid to face people, a counsellor should find out why he/she feels that way and help recommend a positive or negative reinforcement to help them.

Advancements in the Field Of Behaviourism

Behaviourism is a widely used approach today. Even in homes, parents use behaviourism to teach children what is wrong and right. People are easily shaped through consequences of their behaviour and almost everyone in any field of work uses the behaviourism approach. The inner thoughts are not observable therefor it is not used in behaviourism, but the inner thoughts are what influences a behaviour. To make a person change their behaviour, we should talk them into doing something that would motivate them emotionally.

Human resource departments use behaviourism to hire staffs and to work with the staff. Other fields of work use behaviourism to get clients or just to understand and improve how other people are. It is not used to change the behaviour of a person negatively but to diminish negative actions and increase the positive actions in a person.

Today, there are many mental health problems that can be read on newspapers and internet. All this mental problem is caused from a single stimulus, either it is the environment or from social habits, all that suffer from mental health problems can be helped by observed using behaviourism. Psychologist or counsellors doing therapy use behaviourism to instil positive and negative reinforcement to their patients. With every session, they will see the progress of the patient and try to help them overcome their problem.

Conclusion

Behaviourism is the observable method on explanation for human behaviour. Classical conditioning explains how we react through stimulus and response and operant conditioning talks about how reinforcement is important in creating behaviours. Pavlov, Watson and Skinner has proven that behaviour the learning process, without feelings and thoughts. People behave through a learned response that has been reinforced from past experience as a stimulus.

Some people have expectations on others to behave in a predictable manor. Although, some say that behavioural predictability may build confidence. Behaviours that are unpredictable is claimed unacceptable. Some people appreciate breaks in predictable manor. Predictability is to find the middle ground in our ever-changing society. Behaviourism method is a great way to use in teaching and learning, and discipline.