behaviorism: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

Pure, radical behaviorism is no longer a dominant paradigm in academic psychology, having been largely supplanted by cognitive and neuroscientific approaches. However, its principles remain foundational in applied behavior analysis (ABA), certain areas of behavioral therapy, and animal training.

Behaviorism studies observable behavior and external environmental stimuli, rejecting the scientific study of internal mental processes. Cognitivism, which succeeded it, focuses directly on understanding internal mental processes like memory, thinking, and problem-solving.

John B. Watson is considered the founder, who declared psychology should be the science of observable behavior. B.F. Skinner was its most influential proponent, developing the theory of operant conditioning. Ivan Pavlov's work on classical conditioning preceded and heavily influenced the movement.

This is a major point of criticism. B.F. Skinner attempted to explain language through operant conditioning in his book 'Verbal Behavior'. Noam Chomsky's famous 1959 review argued powerfully that behaviorist principles could not account for the creativity and rapidity of human language learning, a critique that helped catalyze the cognitive revolution.

A theory of learning based on the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning, focusing on observable actions rather than internal mental states.

Behaviorism is usually academic, scientific, psychological discourse in register.

Behaviorism: in British English it is pronounced /bɪˈheɪvjərɪz(ə)m/, and in American English it is pronounced /bɪˈheɪvjəˌrɪzəm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.