Synonyms

behaviorism

American

[bih-heyv-yuh-riz-uhm] / bɪˈheɪv yəˌrɪz əm /

noun

Psychology.

the theory or doctrine that human or animal psychology can be accurately studied only through the examination and analysis of objectively observable and quantifiable behavioral events, in contrast with subjective mental states.

behaviorism Cultural

A theory that psychology is essentially a study of external human behavior rather than internal consciousness and desires. (See B. F. Skinner)

Other Word Forms

behaviorist noun
behavioristic adjective
behavioristically adverb

Etymology

Origin of behaviorism

First recorded in 1910–15; behavior + -ism

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Social cooling, coined by Tijmen Schep, is behaviorism 101.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 22, 2022

From there, “he segues into an introductory psychology course tackling behaviorism, stereotyping and projection. All the material is enthralling.”

From New York Times • Oct. 7, 2021

Dr. Staats found behaviorism, on its own, inadequate to explain human behavior in all its complexity.

From Washington Post • Jun. 4, 2021

This was the rationale behind behaviorism, a now-dead theory of psychology that took this trend to a perverse extreme.

From Scientific American • Feb. 16, 2020

Much of the focus in psychology at the time was around behaviorism.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023