Which of the Following Psychologists Was a Behaviorist?

 

Which of the following psychologists was behaviorism? Answer the questions below to find out! Listed below are some of the major contributions of behaviorists: Watson, Skinner, Thorndike, Tolman, and others. Which of these psychologists was the most influential? Click on the name of a psychologist to learn more about it! This quiz will help you determine which psychologist contributed most to the field of behaviorism.

Watson

John B. Watson was an influential psychologist. He helped to pioneer the behaviorism psychology movement. He studied child development and feared the unobservable data that many scientists deemed irrelevant. However, he did not entirely reject the idea of studying human consciousness. He considered it more realistic to study human behavior. One of Watson's most famous experiments involved an 11-month-old boy named Albert. The experiment involved training the child to fear a white rat by pairing it with a loud noise.

In his 1913 "Behaviorist Manifesto," Watson advocated an external, environmental focus on the causes of human behavior. Watson also introduced the concept of nurture as a second significant source of behavior. Although he was an unapologetic environmentalist, Watson's stance on the topic was not immediately embraced by all people. His work was disapproved of by many of his contemporaries.

Skinner

B. F. Skinner was an influential behaviorist psychologist who thought that the study of human behavior should be based on observable events. He held that behaviors could be influenced by two main factors: the person's environment and the laws of human behavior. In other words, he emphasized the importance of the environment in determining human behavior. This method quickly became known as behaviorism. While early psychologists had great ideas for understanding human behavior, they were stifled by the dogma of behaviorism.

During his studies, Skinner was fascinated by children. His interest in learning began to develop when he was a child. He was interested in the development of the brain and learning, and his research became known as "behavioral psychology." In addition to the field of psychology, Skinner also had a keen interest in education. To understand the development of learning in children, he developed a teaching machine. His groundbreaking work on learning was based on his findings, and his book, The Technology of Teaching, was published in 1968.

Thorndike

Edward L. Thorndike was an American behaviorist psychologist who died in 1949. Born on August 31, 1874, he studied animal behavior with William James McKeen Cattell at Harvard University. His Ph.D. thesis is considered one of the foundational works of psychology, as it introduced the concept of studying animal learning in a laboratory. Thorndike proved that observations of animal behavior could answer many questions about human behavior.

Thorndike's work on animal behavior laid the foundation for modern educational psychology. His theories of learned behavior are based on classical and operant conditioning. He also contributed to the development of educational tests and employee exams. He also served as the president of the American Psychological Association. The name of this American psychologist was changed from Thorndike's maiden name, James Edward. His work is reflected in the term "Behavioral Science."

Tolman

The work of Tolman, an American psychologist, is an example of how behavioral psychology has been influenced by other theories. Tolman is perhaps best known for his research into the psychology of behavior, which involved observing rats in mazes. In addition, Tolman incorporated Gestalt psychology ideas into his work. His theories laid the foundation for subsequent work in cognitive psychology. As a result, Tolman's research has greatly contributed to the understanding of human thinking.

A behaviorist psychologist, Tolman was born in West Newton, Massachusetts, to a wealthy, Quaker family. He chose to study engineering at MIT before pursuing a career in psychology. After reading William James, he became fascinated by psychology and philosophy. In 1911, Tolman entered a doctoral program in psychology at Harvard. Tolman studied learning in rats, exposing himself to the work of prominent psychologists of his day.