Major Schools of Thought Essay Examples and Topics

Behaviorism

Behaviorism is a school of thought within psychology that emphasizes the study of observable behaviors rather than internal mental states. The key principle of behaviorism is that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning; that is, they are learned through exposure to environmental stimuli. There are two main types of conditioning: classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Behaviorism has had a number of applications in different areas of psychology, but it has also been criticized for its lack of focus on consciousness and mental states.