Behaviorism

Question 1

Behaviorism

Answer 1

• rejects spiritual, focuses on behavior
• most prod. decipline 1960s
• rejects subjective psychology

Question 2

George John Romanes

Answer 2

(1848-1894)
- continued Darwin’s ideas (neodarwinism)
- introduced objective measures

Question 3

Lloyd Morgan

Answer 3

(1852-1936)
- follower of Romanes
- Morgan’s canon: we only presume the existence of the thinking of animals when it is inevitable

Question 4

Edward Lee Thorndike

Answer 4

(1874-1949)
- tested animals intelligence
- animals behavior needs to be studied not consciousness
- 2 laws
1. Law of effect: reinforced behavior will be stronger
2. Law of exercise: more trails will lead to more connections

Question 5

Problem with animal mind

Answer 5

• dual observation: behavior and consciousness
• how do we determine what’s mechanical and mental in animals
  20th century, wanted to find criteria
• structural: nervous system
• functional: ability to learn

Question 6

John Boradus Watson

Answer 6

(1878-1958)
- best animal researcher
- founder of todays marketing strategies

Question 7

Behaviorist program

Answer 7

• 13th Feb. 1913: Watson started lectures that became printed
• goal: end dual observation, get rid of introspection
• either psych studies behavior or new science needs to be created
• behavioral psych needs to be a natural science

Question 8

Objections against introspection

Answer 8

• empirical: cannot answer simplest questions (how many senses are there)
• philosophical: not in line with methods of natural sciences
• practical: only observation in animal psychology
• social: does not provide answer to social problems

Question 9

Principles of behaviorism

Answer 9

• behavioral adaptation, both humans and animals strive to adapt
• reaction due to stimuli, no spontaneous behavior (deterministic)
• goal: manipulation of behavior

Question 10

Methodological behaviorism

Answer 10

• interested in behavior, doesn’t deny existence of conscious phenomena

Question 11

S-R behaviorism

Answer 11

• no central processes, brain switches stations (black box)
• all psychological data can be explained physically or physiologically
• thinking is implicit behavior

Question 12

IVAN PETROVICH PAVLOV

Answer 12

(1849/1936)
NOT A PSYCHOLOGIST. physiologist
His discoveries and methods
- Classical conditioning
- conditioned responses: unconditional response (reflex)
- conditioned responses, part of behavior

Question 13

Study of learning

Answer 13

• central aspect of behaviorist research
• little Albert and the white rat
• conditioning

Question 14

Dilemmas in Watson program

Answer 14

• Watson was against brain research
• consciousness is apparently all physical phenomena, no subjective experience