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Chapter 1: Problem 20

In part, what aspect of psychology was the behaviorist approach to psychology a reaction to?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The behaviorist approach to psychology was a reaction to the introspective and psychoanalytic approaches that were dominant prior. These previous methods were heavily criticized by behaviorists for their subjectivity and focus on unobservable concepts.

Step by step solution

01

Understand Behaviorism

Firstly, it's important to understand what behaviorism is. Behaviorism is a school of psychology that suggests that all behaviors are learned through interaction with the environment. Behaviorists believe that our responses to environmental stimuli shape our actions.
02

Identify Prior Psychological Schools of Thought

To identify what behaviorism was a reaction to, look at the dominant psychological schools of thought that were present before the rise of behaviorism. In this case, it would be introspection and the psychoanalytic school of thought.
03

Understand their Differences

Behaviorism was a reaction against these previous perspectives, mainly due to their focus on introspection and the unseen workings of the mind, such as unconscious desires and motivations. Behaviorists believed that psychology should be a science of behavior, not the mind, and thus focused their efforts on observable behaviors and ignored subjective phenomena like thoughts and emotions.
04

Draw Conclusions

In conclusion, the behaviorist approach was mainly a reaction to the subjectivity of introspection and the unobservable nature of psychoanalytic concepts, and was a move towards a more scientific, objective study of human behavior.

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