The Rise of Behaviorism
Behaviorism, launched by John B. Watson's 1913 manifesto, rejected introspection to study only observable behavior. Watson's 1920 Little Albert experiment conditioned infant fear to a white rat, showing emotions can be learned.
Classical conditioning was discovered by physiologist Ivan Pavlov while studying dog digestion. Dogs salivated to food (an unconditioned stimulus for an unconditioned response) and eventually to a bell paired with food, turning it into a conditioned stimulus for a conditioned response.
| Figure | Contribution |
|---|---|
| Watson | Founded behaviorism; Little Albert |
| Pavlov | Discovered classical conditioning |
Common pitfall: Assuming Pavlov studied learning. He studied digestion; conditioning was an accidental discovery.
Consequences Shape Action
B.F. Skinner extended behaviorism via operant conditioning, explaining actions through consequences rather than antecedents. Using the Skinner box, he proved that reinforcement increases a behavior's recurrence, while punishment decreases it.
Skinner's radical behaviorism treated internal mental states as entirely unnecessary for explaining actions. While classical conditioning pairs two stimuli, operant conditioning links a voluntary behavior to its environmental result.
| Type | Mechanism | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Reinforcement | Follows behavior | Increases recurrence |
| Punishment | Follows behavior | Decreases recurrence |
Distinction: Classical conditioning links antecedent stimuli, whereas operant conditioning links behavior to its environmental consequences.