The Theoretical Frameworks Within Social Psychology Essay

Behaviorism is one of the main theoretical frameworks within social psychology, its main objective is to predict and control human behavior. The approach of this paper aims to provide a broad overview regarding to the historical background that contributed to the emergence of this theory, its founders, and their philosophical and methodological foundations of behaviorism. Behaviorism is primarily focused on observable behavior rather than on the thought process or emotion. This school of thought can be split into two main fields: Classical conditioning (Pavlov, Watson) and Operant conditioning (Thorndike, Skinner) Classical conditioning can be defined as â€Å"reflexive or automatic type of learning in which a stimulus acquires the capacity to evoke a response that was originally evoked by another stimulus.† (McLeod, 2013) This means taking a neutral stimulus and pairing it with an unconditional stimulus that provides the unconditioned response. Operant conditioning is not con cerned with automatic responses or reflexes. The science behind operant conditioning is learned behavior and autonomous responses. It bases the responses on reward and punishment system to observe if it strengthens or weakens a certain conscious behavior. Dr. Ivan Pavlov was a Russian scientist who lived from 1849-1936. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology. Trying to study the digestive system of dogs, he came a cross a legendary discovery. Pavlov birthed the first theory of behaviorism, whichShow MoreRelatedMy Worldview Reflects Who I Am A Hmong Woman982 Words   |  4 PagesTheoretical Orientation My worldview reflects who I am a Hmong woman, but most importantly my assumptions and beliefs in how I view and interpret the world around me. As previously discussed, the underlining foundation of my worldview lies within the nature of relationships formation, early childhood relationships, affect, and instilment of hope. 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