Radical behaviorism is "the established formal designation for B. F. Skinner's philosophy of the science of behavior". The term radical behaviorism is also used to refer to the school of psychology known as the experimental analysis of behavior. Radical behaviorism, as a school of psychology, bears little resemblance to other schools of psychology, differing in the acceptance of mediating structures, the role of private events and emotions, and other areas.
Radical behaviorism has attracted attention since its inception. First, it proposes that all organismic action is determined and not free. However, there are deterministic elements in much of psychology. Second, it is considered to be "anti-theoretical," although this is a fundamental misunderstanding of the role of theory in a radically inductive scientific position, which rejects hypothetico-deductive method.
Read more about Radical Behaviorism: Natural Science, The Basics: Operant Psychology, Common Misunderstandings, Explaining Behavior and The Importance of The Environment, Radical Behaviorism: A Natural Science, Private Events in A Radical Behaviorist Account, Outgrowths
Famous quotes containing the words radical and/or behaviorism:
“To the indefinite, uncertain mind of the American radical the most contradictory ideas and methods are possible. The result is a sad chaos in the radical movement, a sort of intellectual hash, which has neither taste nor character.”
—Emma Goldman (1869–1940)
“If we ever do end up acting just like rats or Pavlov’s dogs, it will be largely because behaviorism has conditioned us to do so.”
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