Behaviorism

In the twentieth century empirical is succeeded by psychology practical. Americans put science on a materialistic basis. Instead of internal experiences and doubts in the forefront in psychology effect is had. There is a new direction, a behaviorism which in transfer into Russian means "behavior". Supporters of the new direction believed that only those behavioural reactions which can be seen and regarded have to be a studying subject in psychology. The science has to be only objective. When actions of the person are available by means of sense bodys to external observation of the psychologist, there is clear a motivation of the studied personality.

The theory of a behaviorism says that the behavior of people is dictated not by their thoughts, but usual mechanical influence of external environment. Everything is very simple: the appeared incentive generates a certain reaction. In a behaviorism it is meant reaction such movements of the person which he makes, performing this or that operation; under an incentive – the irritations going from the outside world available to the observer.

As between incentives and reactions there is a natural communication, the behaviorism learns that, having learned the principles of such interrelation, it is possible to achieve from the person and society of necessary behavior in various situations. At the same time at all there is no need to investigate internal mental experiences.

Theory of a behaviorism

Such concepts as "understanding" and "experience" of the new direction of psychology lost any importance. The theory of a behaviorism recognizes only specific action and not less specific incentive which is visible to all people around. All internal emotions are considered as subjective. One person worries "about the broken cup", another – considers that time of replacement of ware approached. Anyway, both go and buy a new cup. In it the basic principle which is the cornerstone of the theory of a behaviorism the incentive generates reaction, all the rest is temporary and alluvial.

Besides, the behaviorism believes that all incentives have to be subject to documentary confirmation, be fixed by vernal objective means. It is not necessary to rely on introspection to the psychologist at all. The founder of the doctrine of a behaviorism John Watson removed a formula: an incentive – reaction. Only the incentive induces the person to any action and defines its character. Conclusion: it is necessary to do as much as possible experiences with data recording and the further deep analysis of the acquired information.

Bezeviorizm as the doctrine about behavior, also extends to fauna. Therefore behaviourists welcomed Pavlov's doctrine and used his results.

The new direction of a behaviorism gained popularity as differed in simplicity and availability of understanding. But, soon, it turned out that not everything is so simple. Some incentives cause not one, and at once several reactions. The doctrine needed updating.

Directions of a behaviorism

The crisis of a behaviorism was solved by introduction to a classical formula of an additional variable. Now began to be considered that it is possible to record not everything by objective methods. The incentive works only from an intermediate variable.

The behaviorism, as well as any doctrine, was exposed to modifications. So there were new currents:

• Neobehaviourism;
• Sotsbikheviorizm.

Skanner was a founder of a neobehaviourism. The scientist believed that the researches which do not have objective confirmation are not scientific, and it is not necessary to conduct them. The new behaviorism does not set a task of education of the personality, but directs efforts to "programming" of behavior of an individual for achievement of the most effective result for the customer. Practice of "a gingerbread method" in researches confirmed importance of a positive incentive at which the best results are achieved. Skanner, conducting researches, repeatedly was trapped, but the scientist believed that if the behaviorism cannot find the answer to any question, then such answer does not exist in the nature at all.

The main direction of a behaviorism in the social plan studies aggression of the person. Adherents of a sotsbikheviorizm believe that the person uses the best efforts to achieve a certain situation in society. The new word a behaviorism in this current is a mechanism of socialization which provides not only acquisition of experience on own mistakes, but also on others misses. On the basis of this mechanism bases of an agressive and cooperative behavior are created. Experience of a behaviorism in psychology of the Canadian psychologist Albert Bandura which took three groups of children and presented them the same feature film is in this respect remarkable. In it showed how the boy beats a rag doll. However for each group different endings were removed:

• Positive relation to actions of the boy;
• Punishment of the boy for "a bad act";
• Absolute indifference to actions of the main character.

After viewing of the movie of children brought into the room where there was just the same doll. Children who saw that they punish for beating of a doll did not touch it. Kids from two other groups showed aggressive qualities. It proves, from the point of view of a behaviorism that the person is actively influenced by society in which it is. As a result of experience Albert Bandura suggested to prohibit all violence scenes in movies and mass media.

Main delusions of a behaviorism

The main mistakes of adherents of a behaviorism consist in full ignoring of the personality:

• Misunderstanding of the fact that studying of any action is impossible without binding to the specific personality;
• Misunderstanding of the fact that in identical conditions different persons can have several reactions and the choice optimum always remains for the person.

According to supporters of a behaviorism in psychology, "respect" is under construction only on fear. The similar statement cannot be considered as true.