Answer each question in paragraph form. Answer in one to two sentences.
(1) Describe the points of agreement among the neobehaviorists. What are the major differences between the neobehaviorists as a group and Watsonian behaviorism?
(2) Describe what Tolman meant by the name "purposive behaviorism," how it is manifested in his learning theory, and the classic experiment that that supports his theory. What were his intervening variables?
(3) What are the central differences between Watson's classical conditioning and Skinner's operant conditioning? How did Skinner propose using operant conditioning to modify behavior and for the betterment of society?
(4) The Behavioral school of thought has been a powerful one spanning the decades of the 1920's into the 1990's. Although the school of thought is not as organized today, its principles are still a powerful influence on psychological thought and practice. It's main tenet was that the environment is the main, and some thought only, influencer of behavior. This brings to mind the nature/nurture issue as to whether our biological endowment (our genetic structure) or the environment cause us to do what we do. What do you think? We see schools of thought vary on this question and certainly the idea of eugenics was the extreme of the "nature" side of the issue. This is a thought question without a right or wrong answer.