What is behaviorism?

• A. A method of measuring brain activity
• B. A study of social interactions
• C. A form of therapy
• D. Study of observable behavior

Answer: (D)

Behaviorism is the study of observable behavior. It treats psychology as the science of actions that can be seen and measured, rather than focusing on unobservable thoughts or feelings. The core idea is that behavior is learned and shaped by environmental stimuli and consequences, captured in processes like classical conditioning (associations between events) and operant conditioning (learning from rewards and punishments). This framework emphasizes how external factors control what we do, rather than inner mental states. There are therapies based on this approach, but the label itself refers to a way of understanding psychology, not a specific treatment.