Final answer:
Behaviorism, as a psychological school of thought led by researchers like Pavlov, Watson, and Skinner, focuses on learning as a function of observable behavior change rather than internal mental processes. It comprises classical and operant conditioning, with later adaptations by Tolman and Bandura incorporating cognitive aspects into behaviorist theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Behaviorists and the Study of Learning:
Behaviorism is a school of thought in psychology, attributed to researchers like Ivan Pavlov, John B. Watson, and B. F. Skinner, which posits that learning is essentially a function of change in overt behavior. Behaviorists argue that psychology should be an objective science, one that focuses on external, observable behaviors rather than internal mental processes. For example, Pavlov's work on classical conditioning demonstrated that a natural reflex could be triggered by a previously neutral stimulus after association with an unconditioned stimulus. Watson extended this principle to human behaviors, emphasizing that all behavior, including emotional reactions, could be understood through stimulus-response relationships.
Skinner's contribution to behaviorism, known as radical behaviorism, additionally focused on operant conditioning, suggesting that behaviors are molded by positive and negative reinforcements which encourage or discourage the repetition of that behavior. This theory is rooted in Thorndike's law of effect, where behaviors followed by satisfying outcomes are likely to reoccur, whereas those with unpleasant outcomes are not.
Contrary to strict behaviorism, Edward C. Tolman and Albert Bandura introduced cognitive elements to the theory, proposing that internal mental states and observational learning play significant roles in the learning process.