Classical Conditioning and Behaviorism Essay - 1096 Words

Classical Conditioning and Behaviorism When taking psychology classes I have always enjoyed learning about behaviorism because it seems so cut and dry; if someone wanted to get a clear understanding or their fellow man, all they would have to do is sit back and observe. With behaviorism there is no Id, Ego or Superego to take into account, just raw behavior. While this approach seems simple enough, I feel that it can only offer an incomplete window into seeing how people function and react with various things on a day to day basis. I don’t feel that behaviorism alone can define people on their interaction with the environment they are presented. Freud was on psychologist who voiced concerns to this as well. Freud believed that while†¦show more content†¦Looking at Watson’s body of works some of it can seem somewhat comical because some of his observations seem to be common sense. In behaviorism by John B. Watson he explains and gives examples of behaviorism at work in everyday life. One example go’s as follows. â€Å"If I am hungry, stomach contractions begin to drive me ceaselessly to and fro† Yes it was a different time the n but come on Watson. â€Å"If in this restlessness I spy apples on a tree, I immediately climb the tree and pluck the apples and begin to eat. When surfeited the stomach contractions cease†.(Watson 14-15). Maybe too many people have read this book and that is why America is an obese nation. If we all experienced being hungry and ate until the p hysical and emotional effects that came with being hungry we’d be in trouble, everyone know if you eat and still feel hungry you should give your body time to process some of the food you have eaten, however if your eating Chinese food that is an entirely different animal altogether. Watson’s experimentations on Albert are now seen by some as gross abuse of his powers as a practitioner of science. Albert was born with a number of congenital conditions that should have excluded him as viableShow MoreRelatedBehaviorism: Classical Conditioning1197 Words   |  5 PagesThere are four primary conditioning theories of behaviorism. These four theories are Pavlov’s (1849-1936) classical conditioning, Thorndike’s (1874-1949) connectionism (also known as law of effect), Guthrie s (1886-1959) contiguous conditioning, and Skinner’s (1904-1990) operant conditioning. According to the text (Shunk 2012) Classical conditioning was discovered around the beginning of the 20th century by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov. Pavlov was studying digestive process in dogs when heRead MoreBehaviorism And Classical Conditioning And Operant Conditioning Essay1504 Words   |  7 PagesBehaviorism is one of many theories in the field of psychology. It can be applied in different learning scenarios for different research purposes. Biographical information will be provided about the founders of the theory who are John B. Watson and B. F. Skinner. However, the information will focus more on their early education and known achievements. Furthermore, you will find different theories regarding behaviorism such as classical conditioning and operant conditioning. In order to understandRead MoreBehaviorism Theory Of Classical Conditioning1700 Words   |  7 Pages Behaviorism is a theory that behavior can be altered through conditioning. Behaviorism does not focus on thoughts or feelings of the subject, just their behavior. Ivan Pavlov was a major part of this movement of behaviorism with his theory of classical conditioning. The most important part of classical conditioning is that it is done through repetition. In his experiment he began with noticing that an unconditioned stimulus like dog food causes an unconditioned response like salivation. He thenRead MoreBehaviorism, Operant And Classical Conditioning1309 Words   |  6 Pagesideas and concepts and challenging them until they figured out how behavior works. Behaviorism is a school of thought that was joined from no other than John B. Watson. Behaviorism is the theory or doctrine that human or animal psychology can be accurately studied only through the examination and analysis of objectively observable and quantifiable behavioral events, in contrast with subjective mental states. Behaviorism was a movement in psychology and philosophy that emphasized the outward behavioralRead MoreThe Theory Of Classical Conditioning And Behaviorism753 Words   |  4 Pagesexperiment of how dog salivate before and after conditioning. His fundamental study was based on digestion and behaviors that are evoked during an event and an anticipate response. Yet, his experiment awoke the twentieth century by a different type of learning called Classical conditioning, which is a compulsory or unconditional type of learning from one stimulus to another through a response. The master of classical conditioning and behaviorism For many centuries ago, various studiesRead MoreBehaviorism and Classical Conditioning Essay3350 Words   |  14 Pagesconcepts, that of Behaviorism (Moore, 1921). Since the original behavioral theories were studied by scientists such as Edward Thorndike and John B. Watson, there have been many variations of the behaviorist view that have surfaced over the years. In this paper I will attempt to give a detailed description of the history of behaviorism including information about some of the most influential men associated with this movement. I will also explain the methodologies associated with behaviorism such as classicalRead MoreJohn B. Watson s Theory Of Psychology1048 Words   |  5 Pagesan enduring influence on psychology. Possibly his biggest contributions to psychology were his theory of behaviorism and his experiment on Little Albert. Though Watson’s experiments were extremely unethical and behaviorism doesn’t account for biological psychology, Watson was a n extremely remarkable psychologist because of his principal of behaviorism and his findings on classical conditioning. Background John Broadus Watson was born on January 8, 1878 in Travelers Rest, South Carolina. Watson’s familyRead MoreBehaviorism The Developmental Grand Theory1525 Words   |  7 PagesBehaviorism the Developmental Grand Theory Hillary C. Wade Cisco College Author Note This paper was prepared for Psychology 2314 Lifespan Growth and Development, Fall Mini-Semester, Taught by Linda Grant. Abstract Out of all the theories of lifespan development, behaviorism has proven to be the most efficient explanation of how we grow and adapt with our environments. Also known as the learning theory, it was developed by John B. Watson, and with major contributions from B.F. Skinner and Ivan PavlovRead MoreBehaviorism s Theory Of Psychology983 Words   |  4 PagesClassification Behaviorism claims that â€Å"consciousness† is neither defined nor unable concept; that it is merely another word for the â€Å"soul† of more ancient time (Watson, 1970). However, behaviorism holds the subject matter of human psychology it focus on the behavior or activities of the human being. Etymology The word behaviorism originates from the Middle French word behavior, meaning the observable activity in human and animal. This term was coined in 1913 by the United States psychologistRead MoreHow Two Incredibly Innovative Behavior Theorists During Their Time Were By John B. Watson1014 Words   |  5 PagesAmanda Blom EDS 6123 - Educational Practices I Dr. Barbara Murray 20 November 2014 Supervision Research Paper Two incredibly innovative behavior theorists during their time were, John B. Watson, and B. F. Skinner. The spark of the behaviorism movement began after Watson published the classic article Psychology as the behaviorist views it in 1913 (McLeod, 2004). John B. Watson’s prestigious career began in 1903 when he learned his doctorate degree in psychology with a minor in philosophy. Soon