Origins of Behavioral Psychology
Behavioral psychology has a long history in philosophy and the works of the ancients Greeks. Formally, behavioral psychology started to develop with Sigmund Freud’s work with the insane. Freud worked with those who had mania seeking to work through their inner raw desires (Segal, 2018). Such as with Cäcilie M, where Freud using psychoanalysis attempted to help work through her mania to change behaviors to allow her to function within society (Freud, 2018; Sandler, 2018; Segal, 2018). Under the name behaviorism, behavioral psychology became a formal discipline within psychology starting with the work of Ivan Pavlov and John Watson (McLeod, 2007). These two founders of behaviorism worked on what was named classic conditioning. Both conducted experiments which demonstrated behavioral responses to stimuli could be conditioned.
Using negative association Watson conditioned a young child to exhibit the desired response to stimuli. Watson took a baby in the hospital in which he worked who was not initially scared by a white lab mice and using a loud noise when the mouse appeared conditioned the child to associate the mouse with the loud noise and therefore became uncomfortable or scared when the mouse appeared (Griggs, 2015). This experiment along with Pavlov’s ability to have his dogs salivate when no food was present proved the mind is not in complete control of behavior and it is possible to condition or train a subject’s response to a specific stimuli.
As behaviorism took the main stage B.F. Skinner who became the most well-known psychologist of his time developed what he called radical behaviorism (Lee, 2018). Radical behaviorism is similar to Watson’s classic conditioning except instead of using negative reinforcement radical behaviorism focuses on positive reinforcement. Skinner’s approach was to avoid punishment by rewarding good behavior (Moore, 2011). Radical behaviorism has become the cornerstone of 20th century child raising books and a societal move considering disciplining children as abuse (Virués-Ortega, 2006). Deci and Flaste’s (1995) work in the realm of self-determination theory has started to challenge radical behaviorism and suggests rewards may have a major negative impact on a subject’s satisfaction.
Development of Applied Behavior Analysis
It could be said applied behavior analysis started with Freud’s psychoanalysis and his work to understand, treat and change the outward actions of his manic patients (Freud, 2018; Sandler, 2018). However, applied behavior analysis more formally started more recently with Pavlov and Watson’s work with classic conditioning (McLeod, 2007) and it was B.F. Skinner’s dissertation which served as the first publication of applied behavior analysis (Morris, Altus, & Smith, 2013).
Applied behavior analysis consists of three main areas; behaviorism, experimental analysis of behavior and applied behavior analysis (Fisher, Piazza, & Roane, 2011). It is also, Skinner’s future publications which serve as the formation and foundation of applied behavior analysis (Fisher, Piazza, & Roane, 2011). B.F. Skinner became the trusted expert on behavior and child raising in the 1970s and 1980s shaping generations of American children.
It was Skinner’s positive rewards approach which lead to a transition from discipline to encouragement in parenting practices within the United States. It is interesting a man who publicly stated he did not know or care what behavior was (Giorgi, 2001) would become the leading behaviorist to date and arguably the most influential psychologist within all behavior focused disciplines.
Development of Organizational Behavior Management
Organizational behavior management is the application of behaviorism within the world of business and employment (Wilder, Austin, & Casella, 2009). The main areas of study and application with organizational behavior management are; performance management, systems analysis, and behavior-based safety (Wilder, Austin, & Casella, 2009). Both performance management and behavior-based safety are descendants of behaviorism as the application of the study of applied behavior analysis. These two main areas seek to understand employee behavior and modify it to the desired behavior to achieve higher performance or to decrease safety related incidences.
Unlike applied behavior analysis, organizational behavior management has attracted attention and influence from the outside of psychology and behaviorism. Fredrick Taylor pushed for the use of the scientific method within employee and business studies (Wilder, Austin, & Casella, 2009). While Aubrey Daniels started the first journal focused on organizational behavior management (Wilder, Austin, & Casella, 2009). Still today, Daniels continues to be a significant influencer within the discipline (Wilder, Austin, & Casella, 2009).
Organizational behavior management has become a significant industry where many books and articles have been published such as Work psychology and organizational behaviour: Managing the individual at work by Hollway (1991) to assist organizational leaders in managing employees to accomplish the organization’s desired goals. The trend in recent years is to use positivity to achieve desired effects (Luthans, & Youssef, 2007). Through this movement of utilizing positivity to achieve desired behaviors we can see Skinner’s influence on the discipline or organizational behavior management.
Conclusion
In conclusion, behavioral psychology descended from the work of psychology with the desired effect of conditioning a subject’s behavior to a desired behavior. We can see this practice start with Freud’s work with the manic. We then see it with Pavlov’s work with his dogs and Watson’s work with the baby which has been named Little Albert. Watson formalized the psychological study of behavior as behaviorism. Quickly followed by B.F. Skinner who inverted much of what Watson has focused on. Moving from negative reinforcement to positive rewards.
With the work of these giants of psychology applied behavior analysis was born. Focused on studying, understanding and modifying behavior. During his lifetime, B.F. Skinner became the most well-known psychologist and used his work in applied behavior analysis to promote his method of raising children achieving the desired behavior through positive rewards.
Organizational behavioral management emerged as a specialization and application of applied behavior analysis. Although not always under the same name the work of organizational behavioral management is strong today. For example, Dr. Deci’s work with self-determination theory is the practice of understanding subject’s actions and how to motivate the subject to achieve the desired behaviors (Deci, & Flaste, 1995).
More than 100 years of the formal science of psychology there is still much about the psyche and behavior to be studied, understood and conditioned. Freud, Pavlov, Watson and Skinner started the conversation and set a strong foundation for many generations to come continuing the work of the various disciplines of psychology.References
References
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