Written by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 examโขWritten by the Fiveable Content Team โข Last updated September 2025
Definition
The behavioral approach in psychology focuses on observable behaviors rather than internal events like thinking and emotion. It suggests that all behaviors are learned through interaction with our environment.
This is a learning process where two stimuli are repeatedly paired; a response that was initially elicited by the second stimulus is eventually elicited by the first stimulus alone.
This is another type of learning where behavior is controlled by consequences. Positive outcomes encourage repetition of behavior, while negative outcomes discourage it.