Behaviorism
Behaviorism is a movement in psychology that completely denied the human consciousness as an independent phenomenon and identified it with the behavioral responses of the individual to various external stimuli. Simply put, all the person's feelings and thoughts were reduced to motor reflexes, developed from him with experience during life.
Behaviorism is a direction in psychology that studies the behavioral characteristics of humans and animals. This revolutionary trend radically transformed all scientific ideas about the psyche. It was based on the idea that the subject of studying psychology is not consciousness, but behavior.
Since in the early 20th century it was accepted to equate these two concepts, a version arose that eliminating consciousness, behaviorism eliminates the psyche. The founder of behaviorism was the American psychologist John Watson.
Since in the early 20th century it was accepted to equate these two concepts, a version arose that eliminating consciousness, behaviorism eliminates the psyche. The founder of behaviorism was the American psychologist John Watson.
The most important category of behaviorism is the stimulus. It is understood as any external influence on a person.
Behaviorism in psychology was based on the research of Academician Ivan Petrovich Pavlov. He found that on the basis of unconditioned reflexes, animals reacted with appropriate reactive behavior. However, with the help of external influences, they can also develop acquired conditioned reflexes and thus form new models of behavior.
In his experiment, Pavlov used a bell as his neutral stimulus. Whenever he gave food to his dogs, he also rang a bell. After a number of repeats of this procedure, he tried the bell on its own. As you might expect, the bell on its own now caused an increase in salivation.
So the dog had learned an association between the bell and the food and a new behavior had been learnt. Because this response was learned (or conditioned), it is called a conditioned response. The neutral stimulus has become a conditioned stimulus.
So the dog had learned an association between the bell and the food and a new behavior had been learnt. Because this response was learned (or conditioned), it is called a conditioned response. The neutral stimulus has become a conditioned stimulus.
In turn, John Watson began to carry out experiments on infants and revealed three basic instinctive reactions - fear, anger and love. The psychologist concluded that all other behavioral responses are layered into primary ones.
On the basis of numerous studies, behaviourism arose. Representatives of different psychological directions made a considerable contribution to the development of this trend. For example, Edward Thorndike introduced into psychology the concept of operant behavior, which is based on trial and error. This scientist called himself not a behaviorist, but a connexionist. His experiments he conducted on white rats and pigeons.
For the initial moment of the movement, Thorndike, in contrast to Watson, did not take the external impulse, which causes the body of the experimental to move, but a problem situation that causes the body to adapt to the conditions of the surrounding reality and build a new formula for behavioral response. According to the scientist, unlike the reflex, the connection between the concepts "situation-reaction" could be characterized by such signs:
- the starting point is the problem situation;
- in response, the body tries to resist it as a whole;
- he is actively seeking an appropriate line of conduct;
- and is learned by new methods of exercise.
The task of the research was to attenuate the tension and cause certain reactions (movement, approval, attention). On the basis of laboratory research, a very definite conclusion was drawn: human behavior can be controlled by combinations of punishments and rewards, changing their type and volume. Moreover, it becomes possible to "make" a person with any constants of behavior. This was important for solving purely political tasks of managing the masses.
Fundamental for the development of information theory was the position of behaviorists, according to which political information transmitted to the media can serve as incentives. Later, on the basis of behaviorism in the first half of the 20th century, formed an independent section of social psychology - the psychology of propaganda. The works of V. Berelson, P. Lazarsfeld, G. Allport, U. Schramm were devoted to the study of human interaction in the systems formed by the information source and the audience.
Behaviorists reduce the psyche to various forms of behavior, concentrate efforts on studying the characteristics of behavior of people - participants in communication. In the laboratory (experiment), the external conditions of the communicative situation, which is regarded as a special case of learning, constantly vary. Different communicators, channels for constructing texts are being studied. Behaviorists investigate behavior under the influence of the media without taking into account the subjective component.
Thus, the understanding of human behavior as a set of motor, verbal and emotional responses to the influences (stimuli) of the external environment is the formula according to which the subject is behavior, and not consciousness.
Thus, the understanding of human behavior as a set of motor, verbal and emotional responses to the influences (stimuli) of the external environment is the formula according to which the subject is behavior, and not consciousness.
