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In Psychology, Behaviorism is a systematic approach to understand the behavior of humans and other animals. A tenet of behavioral research is that a large part of behavior is learned. This leads to a “treatment” that brings about behavior modification through the use of conditioning. The theory has been influential in education, therapy, and animal training, while also being critiqued for ignoring inner cognitive and emotional processes.

Here is a Q&A on basic tenets of Behaviorism:

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Behaviorism

QUESTION: What are the basic tenets of Behaviorism?

ANSWER: (By Perplexity AI)

The basic tenets of Behaviorism are as follows:

• Observable Behavior as the Focus: Behaviorism posits that psychology should study only observable and measurable behaviors, not internal mental states such as thoughts or emotions. This allows for more objective, scientific study.
• Learning Through Conditioning: All behaviors are learned through interactions with the environment via conditioning.
  • Classical Conditioning: This involves learning by association, where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus, resulting in a learned response (e.g., Pavlov’s dog salivating at the sound of a bell).
  • Operant Conditioning: Behaviors are shaped by their consequences. Behaviors followed by positive reinforcement (rewards) are likely to be repeated, while those followed by punishment are less likely to recur.
• Role of Reinforcement and Punishment: Behavior is shaped and maintained through reinforcements (positive or negative) and can be weakened or extinguished by punishment or lack of reinforcement.
• Environmental Determinism: The environment, not biological traits or internal processes, is seen as the chief determinant of behavior. Essentially, people (and animals) are products of their surroundings and experiences.
• Reductionism: Complex behaviors can be broken down into simple stimulus–response (S-R) units.
• Scientific Approach: Behavior should be studied using controlled, systematic experiments on both humans and animals. The laws that govern learning are assumed to apply across all species.
• Emphasis on Present Behavior and Environment: Behaviorists focus on current observable behaviors and immediate environmental factors rather than past experiences or unconscious motives.

These principles form the foundation of behaviorism, a theory credited to key figures such as John B. Watson, Ivan Pavlov, and B.F. Skinner. The theory has been influential in education, therapy, and animal training, while also being critiqued for ignoring inner cognitive and emotional processes.

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Conditioning

Behaviorism is based on Experimental Psychology. It is considered to be “scientific” when one can observe a direct, mechanical response to a stimulus. That may be true for matter; but it is not true for life.

The scientific method is based on observing CONSISTENCY of experimental results with what is there in the broad universe. Our observations of the universe show that the behavior of MATTER is a mechanical reaction and, therefore, quite simple to predict. In comparison, the behavior of QUANTUM PARTICLES AND RADIATION is complex; and it takes higher mathematics (based on statistical mechanics) to predict with some certainty. Finally, when it comes to LIFE AND THOUGHT, the behavior is so complex that it cannot be predicted, even when you use higher mathematics, or the “symbolic” logic of computers.

Where life is concerned, the results of any experiment must be consistent with how live logic would function under those experimental conditions; and not like some matter-like simple reaction.

The premise of Behaviorism that “a direct, mechanical response to a stimulus is scientific” is completely false when applied to life. Operating on this false premise has been quite harmful, specially in the field of education. But the psychologists who are stuck in their matter-centric viewpoint remain quite oblivious. Such psychologists are quite aberrated and harmful in their fixed ideas and close-mindedness.

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