Behaviorism became really important in the study of the mind in the early 1900s. Here are some reasons why:
No More Introspection: Some key figures, like John B. Watson and B.F. Skinner, believed that we should focus on what we can see people do instead of their thoughts and feelings. They thought looking inside someone's mind (introspection) wasn't scientific.
Science Moves Forward: Psychology started being seen as a serious science, which helped behaviorism grow. Because of this, the number of people graduating with psychology degrees jumped by 50% from 1950 to 1970.
Real-World Use: Behaviorism became popular in schools and therapy. The ideas from behaviorism, like changing behavior through conditioning (teaching someone a new behavior), were used in about 70% of therapy methods by the 1980s.
Challenging Old Ideas: Behaviorism presented a strong argument against the old idea of dualism, which separated the mind and body. Instead, behaviorists supported a view that connected everything more with physical science.
Behaviorism became really important in the study of the mind in the early 1900s. Here are some reasons why:
No More Introspection: Some key figures, like John B. Watson and B.F. Skinner, believed that we should focus on what we can see people do instead of their thoughts and feelings. They thought looking inside someone's mind (introspection) wasn't scientific.
Science Moves Forward: Psychology started being seen as a serious science, which helped behaviorism grow. Because of this, the number of people graduating with psychology degrees jumped by 50% from 1950 to 1970.
Real-World Use: Behaviorism became popular in schools and therapy. The ideas from behaviorism, like changing behavior through conditioning (teaching someone a new behavior), were used in about 70% of therapy methods by the 1980s.
Challenging Old Ideas: Behaviorism presented a strong argument against the old idea of dualism, which separated the mind and body. Instead, behaviorists supported a view that connected everything more with physical science.