Introduction
Contemporary psychology comprises various approaches or perspectives characterized by different assumptions and beliefs about human behavior. The main psychological perspectives include biological, psychodynamic, behavioral, cognitive, and humanistic. They are made up of different theories, each with strengths and weaknesses. Because no particular perspective can be termed correct or incorrect, all the approaches are essential in understanding human behavior. It is, in fact, an advantage that there are various approaches because these contribute different opinions to understanding the subject. The following study is an analysis of the behaviorist psychology perspective, expanding on the main theories, classical and operant conditioning. This essay also discusses the motivators of the behaviorist perspective comprising the theory of learned behaviors, sustaining the level of homeostasis and incentive motivation.
The Behaviorist Perspective
The behaviorist perspective views human beings or animals as creatures largely influenced by their environment (Grand Canyon University, 2021). The perspective was developed by a number of psychologists, including Ivan Pavlov and John B. Watson, among others. In their study, Miller, Overstreet, & Lang (2022) explain that living creatures are a result of what the environment has taught them. Focusing on human beings, their observable characters or responses are shaped by environmental factors, also known as stimuli. There are two main processes expanding the behaviorist perspective. These include classical condition and operant conditioning.
Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning was developed by Ivan Pavlov and entails learning by association. The theory states that behaviors are learned by connecting a neutral stimulus to a positive one. Ivan Pavlov, the psychologist behind this theory, demonstrated it by conducting an experiment where he trains a dog to associate the ringing of a bell with being offered food (Beard, 2021). In this case, the ringing of a bell is a neutral stimulus associated with the positive stimulus of being offered food. At the end of the experiment, we see the dog salivating at the sound of a bell ringing even when no food is offered. Through natural reflexes and neutral stimuli, it is evident that the dog is conditioned. In this case, the salivation resulting from the smell of food is an unconditional process. Other modern examples of classical conditioning include when one goes to put on their shoes, their dog wails in excitement. Here, the dog associates the neutral stimulus of wearing shoes with going for a walk outside. Another example is the association of perfume with a certain person. For instance, smelling a certain perfume reminds one of their lover, thus making them feel sentimental. Lastly, this principle of behavioral psychology has been applied in numerous therapies, including aversion therapy and systematic desensitization for phobias. Through slow and gradual exposure to the phobic stimulus, an individual is able to fully overcome the fear.
There are three stages in classical conditioning comprising before, during, and after conditioning. Before conditioning is the initial stage where no new behavior has been mastered yet. Here, the neutral stimulus yields no reaction from the subject. In the During conditioning stage, the subject begins to slowly notice the connection between the neutral and positive stimulus. For instance, the dog began to drool when the bell rang, even when no food was offered. In the last stage, after conditioning, the two stimuli are strongly associated. A new behavior, or rather the conditional response, is now fully developed.
Operant Conditioning
The second process, operant conditioning, was developed by B.F. Skinner taps into the science of voluntary and involuntary behavior (Wahome, 2022). The psychologist explains three main behavior-shaping techniques; positive and negative reinforcement and punishment. Reinforcers are either positive or negative responses from the environment that increase the chances of a behavior being repeated. On the other hand, punishers are adverse reactions that decrease the likelihood or weaken a behavior. There are also neutral responses that focus on generating attention rather than increasing or decreasing the repetition of a behavior. In other words, operant conditioning uses rewards and punishment to alter behavior. Any behavior that is constantly rewarded is likely to become a norm, while behavior that is punished will not be repeated. Contemporarily, when one is awarded at their workplace for high performance, they most certainly will repeat the same rewarding practices in the hope of being awarded again. Summarily, the outcome of behavior will influence the possibility of it being repeated.
To illustrate positive reinforcement, Skinner conducted an experiment where he put a hungry rat inside a box containing a lever on the side. Any time the rat moved about in the box, it would hit the lever accidentally, but a food pellet would immediately drop into the box. With time, the rat realized that food would only drop when it knocked the lever. This created a repetitive behavior because of the end goal or consequence of getting food. Contemporarily, one can instill repetitive behavior in their child by rewarding them. For instance, every time a child performs a house chore without being asked or instructed, a parent can reward them by giving them their favorite snack. This will be a positive reinforcement where the child repeats the action again and again. It is important to note that positive reinforcement does not have to be tangible items. A parent can positively reinforce their child through such reactions as clapping, cheering, hugging, or praising them. On the other hand, a perfect illustration of negative reinforcement is when a child refuses to eat vegetables during dinner. A parent’s response by taking away the vegetables is an example of negative reinforcement.
Motivation in the Behaviorist Perspective
For any living creature to survive, it is dependent on various needs that cannot be compromised. These include food and water, which, if continually met, the creature maintains a level of homeostasis. The behavioral perspective explains that the strong desire and uncompromising nature of this level is what motivates individuals every day (The Albert Team, 2022). The strive to achieve this level also affects various aspects of an individual’s life. Therefore, if this level of homeostasis is slightly interrupted, an individual is forced to react. This reaction is driven by a motivation to maintain the desired level of homeostasis again. A proper example of this is when an individual is starving, the feeling of hunger motivates or drives an individual to look for food.
The concept of motivation from the behaviorist perspective can also be explained by the theory of learned behaviors. This is more or less similar to the theory of operant conditioning, where an individual is motivated to do something because of the end goal. The end goal can be achieving something or evading something negative. In other words, the theory of learned behaviors explains that an individual learns to do something because they are motivated to achieve a specific end result or avoid a negative outcome. An example of this would be a person looking to buy a car. This person will be motivated to wake up every day and go to work to make money for this end goal. The third aspect of motivation is incentive motivation. This refers to external factors that motivate an individual to act or behave in a certain way. For instance, getting a puppy will motivate an individual to look forward to going home at the end of the day. Similarly, getting money motivates an individual to wake up and go to work. Overall, these different types of motivation can be combined to understand why a person behaves the way they do.
Conclusion
The behaviorist perspective of psychology is effective in understanding human and animal behavior because it studies observable characteristics. Observable behavior can be objectively measured; hence easier to study and draw informed conclusions. Although the perspective has attracted criticism that it underestimates the complexity of human behavior, it is undeniable that every action has a motivational aspect behind it.
References
Beard, T. (2021). What Is Classical Conditioning? Retrieved November 25, 2021, from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-classical-conditioning#:~:text=studying%20the%20phenomenon.-,What%20Is%20Classical%20Conditioning%20Theory%3F,is%20called%20a%20conditioned%20response.
Grand Canyon University. (2021). Perspectives in Psychology. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from Grand Canyon University: https://www.gcu.edu/blog/psychology-counseling/perspectives-psychology#:~:text=The%20Behavioral%20Perspective&text=*%20This%20approach%20centers%20around%20learned,behavior%20as%20learned%20or%20acquired.
Miller, S., Overstreet, L., & Lang, D. (2022). Behavioral Perspective. Retrieved March 2, 2022, from Iowa State University: https://iastate.pressbooks.pub/individualfamilydevelopment/chapter/behavioral-perspective/#:~:text=The%20behavioral%20perspective%20is%20the,external%20stimuli%20in%20the%20environment.
The Albert Team. (2022). Behavioral Perspective: AP® Psychology Crash Course. Retrieved March 1, 2022, from AP® Psychology: https://www.albert.io/blog/behavioral-perspective-ap-psychology-crash-course/#:~:text=This%20theory%20says%20that%20an,be%20used%20in%20different%20ways.
Wahome, C. (2022). What Is Operant Conditioning? Retrieved April 27, 2022, from WebMD: https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/what-is-operant-conditioning#:~:text=Operant%20conditioning%2C%20sometimes%20referred%20to,is%20punished%20will%20rarely%20occur.
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