Origins and Development of Behavioral Psychology
Behavioral psychology, or behaviorism, is a theory suggesting that the environment shapes human behavior. In a most basic sense, behavioral psychology is the study and analysis of observable behavior. This field of psychology influenced thought heavily throughout the end of the nineteenth century towards the middle of the twentieth century. Early behavioral psychologists’ theoretical, experimental, and analysis play a significant role in behaviorism as a separate school of psychology. There have been numerous developments in behavioral psychology since its inception in 1913. This paper aims to discuss the origin and development of behavioral psychology by focusing on key theoretical concepts and their application to behavioral analysis.
Underpinning concept (classical and operant conditioning)
Behavior psychology is based on two schools of thought, which emerged in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries—one school of thought associated behavior with stimuli, which forms the basis of classical conditioning. By definition, classical conditioning is a process when two stimuli are paired together repeatedly to impact behavior (Akpan, 2020). The other school of thought is based on operant conditioning, which argues that behavior is learned based on anticipated or existing consequences. The difference between classical and operant conditioning is that in the latter, the subject has a choice to respond; it actively does the behavior, while in the former, it does not.
Fundamentally, the classical condition was first introduced by the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov. He suggested that humans and animals produce reflexes to stimulus, which can be used to influence behavior in the long run. He confined his theory by conducting an experiment using dogs. Naturally, dogs salivate to food. Thus, Ivan Pavlov surgically implanted devices in dogs’ mouths to measure the quantity of saliva. After several experiments, Ivan Pavlov noted that the dog began to salivate before the food was presented. Notably, the dogs were noted to salivate the researcher’s footstep and bowl. Therefore, Ivan Pavlov deduced that the dogs were associating the bowl and footsteps with food. The footstep and the bowl have been classically conditioned to evoke the drooling response. Thus, a neutral response can be introduced between unconditional stimuli to impact behavior.
John B Watson made a further contribution to classical condition. The latter proposed that psychologists should focus on the observable behavior of individuals rather than the invisible, inner workings of their minds (a theory that stemmed from Freud). John B Watson suggested that if he was given a done healthy infant, he could shape them into “anything” like layers, doctors, beggars and artists regardless of genetic disposition or background. To cement his argument conducted the Little Albert experiment based on classical conditions, which demonstrated that people or children could be conditioned to learn new behaviors. John B Watson hypothesizes that stimuli can instill new behaviors in animals or humans, noted inherited.
In contrast, by definition, operant conditioning is a process by which an organism learns through the consequence of its behaviors. B.F Skinner first described the operating condition as the association of a voluntary behavior with consequences (Cherry, 2019). Skinner found three types of environmental responses or operant that can follow a behavior, punisher and neutral. Skinner developed the “skinner box” to reinforce his argument to demonstrate how a rat can learn new behavior based on repetitive consequences. B.F. Skinner was the most impactful behavioral psychologist, especially in describing radical behaviorism, an ideology that holds that all behaviors can be described as the consequence of studied connections among stimulation and a reaction, which can be reaffirmed or abolished via recompense and punitive measures (Day, 2016). Nevertheless, other researchers have made significant contributions towards the development of behavioral psychology over the last century.
Significant Contribution and Development
During 1880 and 1895, there were substantial and far-reaching advances in psychological concepts, especially in the United States. Therefore, by the earlier 20th century, psychology had achieved autonomy from philosophy by constructing labs to utilize empirical techniques, form its independent empirical structure, and formalize itself as a science—the scientific study of conduct. Before the 20th century, the discipline of psychological investigations was primarily concerned with the analysis of consciousness. During one of these earliest decades, behavior researchers suggested several hypotheses on human studying and behavior. Rene Descartes pioneered the dualistic viewpoint with his efforts at mechanistic interpretations of the body and intellect, which were the earliest moves toward higher realism. Auguste Comte, the originator of the positivist ideology, stressed that constructive information is extremely significant in positivist origins. These conditions exclude introspective, which is based on a private awareness that can’t be viewed scientifically. Comte was outspoken in his opposition to mentalism and empirical scientific approach.
Positivist, mechanistic, and materialistic approaches had gained in strength by the turning of the 20th millennium. Their effect was so strong that it inevitably resulted in a revolutionary type of psychology, one of which lacked “consciousness,” “brain,” or “spirit”; the other one concentrated solely on what could be viewed, felt, and handled. The inevitable conclusion was the study of conduct-human as machinery. Conversely, functionalism led to the theoretical foundation of behaviorism’s evolution. Advocates of this system of view stated that every cognitive condition ought not to be determined by its inner structure but rather by the activity and purpose within the intellectual framework that it encompasses (Green, 2009). Following constructivism, functionalism shifted from concentrating solely on cognitive architecture to emphasizing how awareness is linked to human behavior.
Applied behavior analysis (ABA)
The early form of behavioral psychology was based on the classical condition concerned with measuring observable behaviors as dictated by John B. Watson and Ivan Pavlov. Skinner expanded the definition of the classical condition by factoring in the importance of consequence in influencing behaviors, which resulted in operant conditioning. Other behaviorists adopted both schools of thought. For instance, in the 1960s, Ole Ivar Lovaas, a human behaviorist, used the theories of classical and operant to develop applied behavior analysis (ABA) (Jones, Izquierdo & Kobel, 2017). It refers to a set of principles that focus on how behaviors change or are affected by the environment and how learning takes place. The analysis method was developed to aid behaviorists in trading and teaching children/ people with autism and related condition to become self-reliant and sufficient.
Using the classical and operant approaches, Ole Ivar Lovaas designed specific skills that could be used to enhance skills among autistic children. In 1973, Ole Ivar Lovaas conducted the first experiment where he sampled fourteen children with autism. The children received fourteen months of applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy. After the experiment, it was established that the autistic children demonstrated improved skills in nonverbal and verbal behavior.
Reflection
- I have provided a clear and well defined thesis statement, which outline the specific issue or problem to be discussed in the paper.
- The paper has been categorised based on stipulated research guidelines of the APA seventh edition. The initial section outlines an overview of the topic being covered. The body discusses the key issue pertaining to the topic based on the requirement of the paper.
- I have detailed the discussion on the origin of behavioral psychology based on the classical and operant condition. The origin of the classical conditioning has been discussed and the proceeding experiments that were conducted by various behaviorists towards establishing the theory.
- The classical conditioning theory has been discussed and evident provided based on how the researchers experiments to support the theory
- Similarly, the operant theory has been discussed and evident provided based on how the researcher experiments to support the theory. Furthermore, the origin of the operant conditioning theory has been discussed and the proceeding experiments that were conducted by various behaviorists towards establishing the theory.
- A revised and expanded analysis of how ABA developed from behavioral theory has been discussed. The paper has discussed how the proponent Applied behavior analysis (ABA) of the Ole Ivar Lovaas designed learning and behaviour experiments from the classical and conditioning theories. This assist the reader to understand how behavioral psychology emergence from a concept to practical use in the modern era.
- The paper has discussed on the contribution of various behaviourist towards the establishment of behavior psychology as viewed today.
Reference
Akpan, B. (2020). Classical and Operant Conditioning—Ivan Pavlov; Burrhus Skinner. In Science Education in Theory and Practice (pp. 71-84). Springer, Cham.
Cherry, K. (2019). What is operant conditioning and how does it work. How reinforcement and punishment modify behavior. Verywell Mind.
Christopher Green. (2009). (PDF) Darwinian theory, functionalism, and the first American psychological revolution. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/23993575_Darwinian_Theory_Functionalism_and_the_First_American_Psychological_Revolution
Jones, E. A., Izquierdo, S. M., & Kobel, C. (2017). Ole Ivar Lovaas: A Legacy of Learning for Children with Disabilities. In Theories of Early Childhood Education (pp. 115-128). Routledge.
Leave a Reply