Behavioral Perspective of Psychology
Michelle Pendleton
Psychology 101 Paper # 1
Behavioral Perspective
Professor: Rose Schafer
When it comes to psychology or psychologists, most people imagine a person lying on a couch and talking to someone about their problems. Maybe even rats, and monkeys running around being studied by humans. However, psychology has changed dramatically since the beginning of its time. Constantly expanding on new approaches, from structural, functional, psychoanalytic, to the most modern seven major psychology perspectives, one of which I am going to touch on in the contrast of this paper.
In the early 1900’s John B. Watson introduced the behavioral approach into the world of psychology. He is now known as the founder of behaviorism. Watson was influenced by the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov. Pavlov believed that, behavior results from within one’s environment. Well known behaviorist B.F. Skinner believed that we should use the behavioral approach to shape human behavior. Those who believed in the behavioral approach, viewed people and animals behavior and mental processes as being a direct impact or affect of their environment. They specifically believed, that we are a result of what we have learned from our environment.
Behaviorism, mainly focuses on, how stimuli ( environment ) affects observable responses. Behaviorism is unique because, behaviorists believe in scientific methodology. They also believe that only observable behavior should be studied, being that it could be objectively measured. In the psychoanalytic approach, it is believed that in an unconscious state, there are thoughts, memories, and desires that people lack awareness of, yet these thoughts, memories, and desires have a great impact on one’s behavior.
Sigmund Freud ( founder of the psychoanalytic perspective ) believed that events in our childhood can have a direct impact on our behavior as adults. When it comes to childhood, this could mean your
Psychology 101 Paper # 1
Behavioral Perspective
Professor: Rose Schafer
When it comes to psychology or psychologists, most people imagine a person lying on a couch and talking to someone about their problems. Maybe even rats, and monkeys running around being studied by humans. However, psychology has changed dramatically since the beginning of its time. Constantly expanding on new approaches, from structural, functional, psychoanalytic, to the most modern seven major psychology perspectives, one of which I am going to touch on in the contrast of this paper.
In the early 1900’s John B. Watson introduced the behavioral approach into the world of psychology. He is now known as the founder of behaviorism. Watson was influenced by the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov. Pavlov believed that, behavior results from within one’s environment. Well known behaviorist B.F. Skinner believed that we should use the behavioral approach to shape human behavior. Those who believed in the behavioral approach, viewed people and animals behavior and mental processes as being a direct impact or affect of their environment. They specifically believed, that we are a result of what we have learned from our environment.
Behaviorism, mainly focuses on, how stimuli ( environment ) affects observable responses. Behaviorism is unique because, behaviorists believe in scientific methodology. They also believe that only observable behavior should be studied, being that it could be objectively measured. In the psychoanalytic approach, it is believed that in an unconscious state, there are thoughts, memories, and desires that people lack awareness of, yet these thoughts, memories, and desires have a great impact on one’s behavior.
Sigmund Freud ( founder of the psychoanalytic perspective ) believed that events in our childhood can have a direct impact on our behavior as adults. When it comes to childhood, this could mean your