Behaviorism was based on the belief that psychology would advance as a science only if it turned away from the study of mental processes and limited itself to the study of observable behaviors that could be recorded and measured. Skinner studied how behavior is shaped by rewards and punishments.
Q. Which type of psychologist believes that behavior is determined by reward and punishment?
B. F. Skinner was one of the most influential of American psychologists. A behaviorist, he developed the theory of operant conditioning — the idea that behavior is determined by its consequences, be they reinforcements or punishments, which make it more or less likely that the behavior will occur again.
Table of Contents
- Q. Which type of psychologist believes that behavior is determined by reward and punishment?
- Q. Which approach to psychology focuses on rewards and consequences?
- Q. What is the difference between nature and nurture in psychology?
- Q. What is meant by nature in psychology?
- Q. Are we born with our personalities?
- Q. How much of your personality is genetic?
- Q. Are Depressed brains different?
Q. Which approach to psychology focuses on rewards and consequences?
Operant conditioning – upon which most modern behaviorism is based – is defined as the shaping of future acts based on past rewards or punishments, and is largely the context that behavioral psychology places behavior in.
Q. What is the difference between nature and nurture in psychology?
Nature is what we think of as pre-wiring and is influenced by genetic inheritance and other biological factors. Nurture is generally taken as the influence of external factors after conception, e.g., the product of exposure, life experiences and learning on an individual.
Q. What is meant by nature in psychology?
The nature versus nurture debate is one of the oldest philosophical issues within psychology. So what exactly is it all about? Nature refers to all of the genes and hereditary factors that influence who we are—from our physical appearance to our personality characteristics.
Q. Are we born with our personalities?
Most people are born preferring one hand, and all of us are born with a personality type, which has some aspects that we feel more comfortable with than others. However, life rarely allows us to rely solely on the personality traits that come to us naturally.
Q. How much of your personality is genetic?
Scientists estimate that 20 to 60 percent of temperament is determined by genetics. Temperament, however, does not have a clear pattern of inheritance and there are not specific genes that confer specific temperamental traits.
Q. Are Depressed brains different?
When comparing a depressed brain versus a normal brain, scientists have found some subtle but important differences including grey matter abnormalities, brain shrinkage, and a more active amygdala in depressed brains.
