John B. Watson's Theory Of Behaviorism

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John B. Watson Theory of behaviorism: The term behaviorism refers to the school of psychology founded by John B. Watson based on the belief that behaviors can be measured, trained, and changed. Behaviorism was established with the publication of Watson 's classic paper, Psychology as the Behaviorist Views It (1913). Behaviorism, also known as behavioral psychology, is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Conditioning occurs through interaction with the environment. Behaviorists believe that our responses to environmental stimuli shapes our behaviors. John Watson believed that if he were given infants, then he would be able to make one a thei, …show more content…

This school of thought suggests that only observable behaviors should be studied, since internal states such as cognitions, emotions and moods are too subjective. There are two major types of conditioning: 1. Classical conditioning is a technique used in behavioral training in which a naturally occurring stimulus is paired with a response. Next, a previously neutral stimulus is paired with the naturally occurring stimulus. Eventually, the previously neutral stimulus comes to evoke the response without the presence of the naturally occurring stimulus. The two elements are then known as the conditioned stimulus and the conditioned response. 2. Operant conditioning Operant conditioning (sometimes referred to as instrumental conditioning) is a method of learning that occurs through rewards and punishments for behavior. Through operant conditioning, an association is made between a behavior and a consequence for that …show more content…

According to his theory, individuals are born without built-in knowledge. Everybody learns through experience, perception and parental guidance. One answer to providing more effective circumstances to children could be a much more self-critical, reflective and differentiated strategies of instruction developed through meaningful observations, noticing and recognizing what is important, influencing and significant to the child and about the child, and reacting in a supportive way. This kind of healthy interaction between individual child’s genes and the environmental context in which they develop would mean a good initial start. Moreover, chances of positive pathways in life seem to be enhanced by heredity vulnerabilities and complex behaviors. Nurture Is More Influential Than