Behaviorism II: Post Watsoni

Lecture 11

The IQ Zoo

● Established by Keller and Marian Breland

● Trained animal shows at major tourist attractions

The IQ Zoo: Bird Brain

The IQ Zoo: Bird Brain

The IQ Zoo: Muscular Goats

The IQ Zoo: Muscular Goats

Stages of Behaviorism

1. Watsonian Behaviorism (~1918 - 1930)

2. Neobehaviorism (1930-1960)○ Tolman, Hull, Skinner

○ Operationism is fundamental

3. Sociobehaviorism (1960 - 1990)○ Bandura, Rotter

○ Consideration of cognitive processes

Neobehaviorism

● Operationism was a fundamental principle and driving

force of neobehaviorism

● Attempt to increase objectivity in psychological

● Physical concepts must be operationally defined precisely

● Discard pseudo-problems

Physical Concept

Operations that Determine Concept

Neobehaviorists

● Edward Chace Tolman (1886-1959)

● Purposive Behaviorism○ Tolman wants to focus on molar behavior (vs. molecular behavior)

○ Behavior has purpose that can be objectively defined

● Proposes intervening variables drive behavior○ S-O-R versus S-R

○ Unobserved factors drive behavior

● Learning Theory○ Repetition strengthens associations

○ Sign Gestalts are cues associated with expectancies

Neobehaviorists

● Clark Leonard Hull (1884-1952)

● Mechanistic in his approach

● Hulls research methods:○ Simple observation

○ Systematic controlled observation

○ Experimentation

○ Hypothetico-deductive method

● Hull’s theory of learning focuses on reinforcement○ Law of primary reinforcement○ Habit strength

Neobehaviorists

● B. F. Skinner (1904 - 1990) was one of the most

influential psychologists of all time

● “...are theories of learning necessary?”○ Where did theories get use..nowhere!

○ Cleaner approach to behaviorism

○ Took an ‘empty organism’ approach a la Locke’s Tabula Rasa○ Devoted to the study of responses

○ Descriptive Behaviorism

Neobehaviorists

● Operant Conditioning was the experimental technique

popularized by Skinner○ Behavior is controlled and shaped through its consequences○ Develops a Law of Acquisition

Neobehaviorists● Schedules of Reinforcement

○ Reinforcement is not

always as consistent as in

the lab

○ Fixed ratio, Fixed interval,

Variable ratio, Variable

interval

Neobehaviorists

● Complex behaviors are learned through a process of

successive approximation● Operant conditioning leads to development of Behavior

Modification techniques○ Change undesirable behavior

○ Application of reinforcement

● Criticisms of Skinner’s behaviorism?

● Contributions of Skinner’s Behaviorism?

Sociobehaviorism

● The beginnings of the cognitive challenge to behaviorism

● Return to study of mental or cognitive processes

● Albert Bandura (1925 - Not Dead!)○ Develops a Social-Cognitive Theory○ Stressed the influence of external reinforcers

○ Incorporates modeling and vicarious reinforcement○ Self-Efficacy is instrumental in learning

● Influence of ‘self’ and ‘others’ in learning

Fate of Behaviorism?

● Methodological behaviorists

● Radical behaviorists

● Behavior is vital in modern psychology