Behavioral Psychology: The Mind And Human Behavior

Behavioral psychology, also called behaviorism, is the study of human behavior. This field and its applications have shaped education, parenting, marketing, and more. Although the study of radical behavioral psychology has waned since the 1950s, its basic principles still resonate today.

It should be noted that behavioral psychology and developmental psychology are distinct branches of study. Developmental psychology focuses primarily on how individuals develop throughout their lives, whereas behavioral psychology studies how individuals behave. A behavioral psychologist may help individuals understand and change negative behavior patterns.

The origins of behavioral psychology

The work of Ivan Pavlov is believed to have provided significant contributions to the field of behavioral psychology. Pavlov’s well-known studies, in which he trained dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell, can offer a clear example of classical conditioning. Edward Thorndike is another notable contributor to behavioral psychology. His work included teaching cats to solve puzzle boxes. 

John B. Watson is perhaps the most well-known name associated with behavioral psychology, and much of his work occurred during the early 20th century. At that time, behavioral psychology was usually referred to as behaviorism. Watson decided to focus on observing and controlling behavior because a person’s actions are observable and objective, whereas an individual’s mind cannot be viewed objectively. Watson’s approach is sometimes known as “strict behaviorism” or “methodological behaviorism” because it focuses entirely on behavior without taking thoughts and emotions into account.

B.F. Skinner, another important name in the field, introduced “radical behaviorism.” This approach still placed emphasis on behavior but also recognized that unobserved behaviors like thoughts and emotions existed and were significant. However, they were not believed to cause behavior, and behavior was believed to be the result of various environmental factors.

Behavioral psychology theory

Behavioral theory generally states that one's environment directly shapes their behavior. According to behaviorism—behavior modification psychology in particular—behaviors can be successfully measured and modified by studying and controlling an individual's environment. Proponents of behavioral theory generally believe that if you take a dozen healthy infants and raise them in a specified environment, you can turn them into adults with the behaviors of your choosing.

Key concepts in behavioral psychology

One of the key concepts in behavioral psychology is the difference between external behavior and internal mental processes. Behavioral psychology focuses on analyzing and changing observable behavior (the way a person acts) rather than their internal mental states (thoughts and emotions). 

Through various behavior modification and human learning strategies, behavioral psychologists believe individuals can put an end to undesired behavior and begin to display desired behavior. Some of these behavior modification strategies include the following:

• Positive reinforcement: A rewarding stimulus occurs following desired behavior
• Negative reinforcement: An unpleasant stimulus is removed following desired behavior
• Positive punishment: An unpleasant consequence occurs following undesired behavior
• Negative punishment: A pleasant stimulus is removed following undesired behavior

These forms of reinforcement and punishment can still be used in modern psychology and are frequently used by parents, caregivers, and teachers as well. Today, the field of contextual behavioral science emphasizes a systematic approach to understanding behavior, finding solutions to human problems, and promoting human growth. 

Conditioning

There are two types of conditioning, an important idea in behavioral psychology: operant conditioning and classical conditioning. You may recognize the similarities between these principles and how both teachers and parents instruct children.

Classical conditioning

In classical conditioning, a naturally occurring stimulus (ex: e.g., someone doing an action) is paired with a neutral stimulus (e.g., a sound) to create a response. Eventually, the neutral stimulus will create the response even when the natural stimulus is no longer present. One example of classical conditioning is food aversions. Let’s say you eat a hamburger from a specific fast food restaurant and immediately get sick. The smell of hamburgers from that restaurant may then lead you to feel slightly ill in the future, and you may choose not to eat them.

Operant conditioning

Operant conditioning is perhaps the most frequently used application of behavioral psychology. It is used by parents, teachers, and even employers. With operant conditioning, each behavior has a consequence, and the behavior is either rewarded or punished. Theoretically, if  the consequence is consistently unpleasant, the subject will stop the behavior. If the consequence is pleasant, they may repeat the behavior.

Operant conditioning is also based mostly on associations and changing the psychological nature of a subject. In this case, associations are built on the consequences of behaviors. When a certain behavior is associated with a particular consequence, the behavior will either be reinforced or eliminated. This is very similar to learning theory in behavioral psychology, which describes how information is received and understood throughout the learning process.

For operant conditioning to work, it’s usually said that the consequence must be the same or extremely similar each time the target behavior is presented.

After a behavior is learned, partial reinforcement can be applied. For example, you might reward your child every time they do the dishes when you are building the habit, but after the habit is built, you might only reward the child every week. Partial reinforcement should generally not be used during the beginning stages of operant conditioning.

Common applications

Although the study of behavioral psychology has declined since the 1950s, some applications are still used today.

Therapy

Aspects of behavioral psychology can still be used to treat mental health challenges, including mental health disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), substance use disorders, and eating disorders. In some cases, certain modalities using behavioral psychology may be used to help individuals with developmental delays or autism spectrum disorder. 

Modalities like exposure therapy, specifically exposure and response prevention (ERP), are often used in clinical practice to treat OCD and phobias. Similarly, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can be used to treat borderline personality disorder (BPD). While these disorders involve cognitive processes, they can often be addressed through behavioral interventions.

Aspects of behavior therapy and cognitive therapy are combined in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), one of the most studied therapeutic modalities. CBT takes both mental processes and behavior into account.

Human services and education

Behavioral psychology can also play a role in human services and education. Professionals in the human services field typically aim to address wide-reaching concerns like homelessness, child welfare, food insecurity, and more. Meanwhile, teachers and authority figures in schools may frequently use aspects of behavioral psychology to promote desired behavior in students. Individuals conducting research (particularly behavioral research) typically employ principles of behavioral psychology as well.

Building and breaking habits

Adults may benefit from behavioral psychology applications. It is often behavioral psychology that shapes how people break bad habits or create new ones. For example, many books, articles, and tips about making and breaking habits are based on behavioral psychology. Healthy habits are typically formed through classical conditioning, while harmful habits are frequently broken through operant conditioning.

Public school systems often use principles of behavioral psychology. Children tend to be rewarded for learning, and associations can be developed to help them learn things like:

• New skills
• Information
• Behaviors

Parents may use operant conditioning to teach their children right from wrong and to teach them household and societal expectations.

One of the strengths of behavioral psychology is that behavior is observable and measurable. Unlike emotions, thoughts, and moods, behavior can be seen and measured, so it is clear when a desired behavior has been achieved. This can make behavioral psychology easier to research than other aspects of psychology. This approach has also contributed to drive theory, which can be an effective approach to understanding different psychological drives. These implications have led to behaviorism’s major impact on the development of several types of therapy.

Other psychologists, including some cognitive psychologists (those who focus on thought processes), agree that behavioral psychology is a one-sided perspective of behavior. It typically doesn't account for internal processes like moods, thoughts, and feelings, which can also play a significant role in human behavior. Some psychologists also argue that behaviorism doesn't consider the concept of free will. Other types of learning do not involve reinforcement or punishment, and behavioral psychology often ignores these methods. People can also adapt their behavior based on mental processes like learning new information, even if that information was not presented through conditioning or goes against a previously conditioned response.

Working with a behavioral psychologist

A behavioral psychologist or behavior analyst may work in a variety of environments, such as:

• Colleges or universities
• Research settings
• Their own practice
• Social work or counseling offices
• Business consulting settings
• Government agencies or correctional centers

If you are looking to connect with a behavioral psychologist, you will most likely meet with them in a counseling office or via an online therapy platform. They will generally help you identify and analyze undesired behaviors and replace them with desired behaviors using practical strategies.

If you are struggling with substance use, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) to receive support and resources. Support is available 24/7.

If you are working through behaviors that you’d like to change and want support, consider contacting a mental health professional. Online therapy platforms like BetterHelp can connect you with a suitable therapist, which may be helpful in situations where in-person care is not available or convenient. 

Most often, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is the approach used to address unwanted thoughts and behaviors. One form of CBT is systematic desensitization, which can be used to reduce symptoms of anxiety disorders, stress, and avoidant behaviors by gradually exposing the individual to the source of their distress. A 2017 study found online CBT to be as effective as in-person therapy when treating symptoms of depression, phobias, OCD, and a variety of other behavioral and mood disorders.

Online therapy can also be more affordable than in-person sessions, as online therapists often have lower overhead costs. Furthermore, online therapy may be more readily available for people with busy schedules, as sessions can be booked outside of traditional business hours.