behaviorism
noun
be·hav·ior·ism
| \ bi-ˈhā-vyə-ˌri-zəm
, bē-\
, bē-\
Definition of behaviorism
: a school of psychology that takes the objective evidence of behavior (such as measured responses to stimuli) as the only concern of its research and the only basis of its theory without reference to conscious experience — compare introspectionism
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Other Words from behaviorism
behavioristic
\ bi-ˌhā-vyə-ˈri-stik
, bē- \
adjective
, bē- \
adjective
Examples of behaviorism in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The academic humanistic psychology movement, launched in 1961 by, among others, psychologist Abraham Maslow, sought to forge an alternative to the two dominant trends in contemporary psychology: Freudian psychoanalysis and behaviorism. — Win Mccormack, The New Republic, "The Human Potential Movement Gone Awry," 12 Apr. 2018 The prevailing schools in psychology and psychiatry—behaviorism and psychoanalysis—adopted models of the mind that were incompatible with the concept. — Naomi Fry, The New Yorker, "How a Young Woman Lost Her Identity," 26 Mar. 2018 The basic assumption of behaviorism was that the human mind is a blank slate at birth, and is shaped through social conditioning throughout life. — Lorraine Boissoneault, Smithsonian, "The True Story of Brainwashing and How It Shaped America," 22 May 2017 In the 20th century’s later years, behaviorism’s influence waned. — Brandon Keim, WIRED, "Aug. 18, 1990: B.F. Skinner Goes in a Box," 18 Aug. 2010 The basic assumption of behaviorism was that the human mind is a blank slate at birth, and is shaped through social conditioning throughout life. — Lorraine Boissoneault, Smithsonian, "The True Story of Brainwashing and How It Shaped America," 22 May 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'behaviorism.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for behaviorism
behaviorism
noun
be·hav·ior·ism
variants:
or chiefly British behaviourism \ bi-ˈhā-vyə-ˌriz-əm
\
\
Medical Definition of behaviorism
: a school of psychology that takes the objective evidence of behavior (as measured responses to stimuli) as the only concern of its research and the only basis of its theory without reference to conscious experience — compare cognitive psychology
Other Words from behaviorism
behavioristic
or chiefly British behaviouristic \ -ˌhā-vyə-ˈris-tik
\
adjective
\
adjective