The work of Pavlov in establishing the theoretical foundation of behaviorism is of enormous significance though its elaboration was undertaken by three American psychologists, J. B. Watson, E. L. Thorndike, and B. F. Skinner (Coleman, 1986, 34-37). When performing a series of studies on the salivary response of dogs, Pavlov (1960) discovered the phenomenon of the conditioned reflex. He found that stimuli that had been regularly present just before food was presented came to elicit salivation even in the absence of food. This simple method of learning was called conditioning. On the basis of subsequent experimental findings, Pavlov attempted a comprehensive formulation of human psychopathology. This formulation was based on the speculative assumption that the different reaction patterns shown by dogs in response to the conditioned-reflex techniques would also be reflected on the human level in reactions to life stressors.
Respondent of classical conditioning is based upon a recognition that any response is elicited by the stimulus. In operant conditioning the individual makes a response in attempting to achieve a desired goal. Here the response typically precedes the stimulus. Essential to both types of conditioning is reinforcement or the strengthening of a new response by its repeated association with some unconditioned stimulus. Generalization and discrimination occur as reinforcement is repeated. Behaviorists, like B. F. Skinner, argue that modeling, shaping, and learned drives as well as cognitive mediation also play a major role in shaping behavior. Skinner’s behavioristic approach employs a number of behavior-modification techniques which are based upon the learning principles identified in the work of Pavlov and incorporated in his theoretical formulation.
In B. F. Skinner’s view, as with most behaviorists, only the study of directly observable behavior and the stimuli and reinforcing conditions that contro...