Common Behavioral Theories – Behavioral sciences explore the cognitive processes within organisms and the behavioral interactions between organisms in the natural world. It involves the systematic analysis and investigation of human and animal behavior through the study of the past, controlled and naturalistic observation of the present and disciplined scientific experimentation and modeling.
It attempts to accomplish legitimate, objective conclusions through rigorous formulations and observation. Generally, behavior science deals primarily with human action and often seeks to generalize about human behavior as it relates to society.
Common Behavioral Theories
Skinner’s Behavior Modification Theory of Motivation (The Machine Model) (also known as Operant Conditioning)
This theory was developed out of the research by B-F Skinner. According to this theory, people behave the way they do because in the past circumstances they have learned that certain behaviors are associated with unpleasant outcomes. Because people generally prefer pleasant outcomes, they are likely to repeat behavior they have learnt on repetition of behavior that will have pleasant consequences.
For example, people in an organization are likely to obey a managers instructions because they have learnt at home and at school that obedience to authority leads to praise and disobedience leads to punishment. Thus, the frequency of various kinds of behavior in the organization can be seen as contingent on the immediate consequences of these behaviors.
The consequence that increases the frequency of a behavior are positive reinforcement (e.g. praise or monetary reward) or negative reinforcement (i.e. escape from some adverse situation). The consequences that decrease the frequency of a behavior are extinction (i.e. ignoring the behavior) and punishment (reprimand, fine, etc).
Pavlov believed that classical conditioning is the only principle by which all behavior including motivation works. EL Thorndike explains behavior in terms of reward and punishment. BF Skinner’s operant conditioning or instrumental conditioning also explains behavior in terms of reinforcement. When you teach a child sitting, dancing, etc. correct responses are reinforced with food or reward and incorrect responses are ignored or punished.
Social learning theorists have developed procedures whereby people can control their own behavior by self-reinforcement or self-punishment. Successful methods have been developed to control abuse of alcohol or overeating by making individuals reward themselves with an activity they find pleasurable when they stick to certain regimen of eating or drinking.
Skinner’s theory has been criticized on two grounds. First, it over emphasizes the importance of external rewards and ignores the fact that people are better motivated by intrinsic rewards. Second, it is argued that the theory is unethical because no authority has a right to manipulate and control employee’s behavior.
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