In lecture, we learned about the idea of behaviorism, a previously accepted theory of psychology. Behaviorism, a mental response based on actions relating to reward, is not a modern theory of psychology, yet it seems to make more sense than is accepted by psychologists. My dog, even Pavlov’s dogs, respond by a behaviorism approach, and yet psychologists think that we are too advanced for a simple animal response? I trained my dog to jump up and give me two high fives, and in return I give her a treat. As any dog, she enjoys the treat and knows that her completion of the task will result in an enjoyable reaction. It seems to me that humans, which are just complex animals, respond based on a reward system as well. Take college kids here for example. Girls know that if they dress up in a short little dress, do their makeup nicely, and have a nice hairdo, they will get positive attention from boys. Boys know that if they complement the girls and flatter them, they will be more likely to get a date with the girl. As another example, college kids know that if they study a lot, they will get better grades, and chances are, their happiness will improve. In the article Can Behaviorism Still Apply today, many psychologists argue that behaviorism does not apply to emotions, therefore it cannot be the logical primary source of modern psychology. I believe that behaviors can result in a beneficial emotional response which is a reward, therefore is a very prevalent source of psychological study and it should be more widely accepted in the field today. I think that if psychology accepts behaviorism in conjunction with the ideas of other sections of study will be able to create a well-rounded approach to human psychology.

Article: http://www.personalityresearch.org/papers/pizzurro.html

“Can Behaviorism Still Apply in the Face of Overwhelming Opposition?” Can Behaviorism Still Apply? N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2014.