Methodological Behaviorism
Methodological behaviorism is the feature that identifies psychology as the science to explore activities of humans and animals with the exclusion of the mental aspect. According to it, beliefs and desires do not influence behavior and should not be considered while explaining the cognitive aspects of being. Methodological behaviorism claims that the reason for certain actions is observable and has external stimuli rather than internal motivation (Araiba, 2020). Although the point of view has a scientific foundation, it might be problematic to apply in modern psychology because humanity today pays significant attention to mental and spiritual conditions. Indeed, an individual’s desires and beliefs can impact their decision-making with the same power as the need for meeting their basic physical needs. Psychology requires a holistic view of human beings, and interpreting their behaviors based only on the external factors misses the valuable aspect of their inner motivation and cannot explain the primary reason why they reacted to stimuli.
Psychological Behaviorism
Psychological behaviorism explains human and animal reactions in a more comprehended manner than the methodological feature because it considers external factors combined with learned responses, physical conditions, and reinforcement. The main aspect of the theory is that any behavior is obtained through interaction with the surrounding environment (Araiba, 2020). Knowledge about the outcomes of specific actions learned from the previous contact with certain external stimuli influences the reactions. Psychological behaviorism is the most broadly explored feature; however, it has problematic aspects that do not align with the modern perception of psychology as a science. For instance, diversifying human behaviors as learned and inherited is necessary for understanding the anthropological aspect of human development, and it cannot be explained by psychological behaviorism.
Analytical Behaviorism
Analytical or logical behaviorism is the feature that identifies the mental state as the main influencer of human behavior. This psychological theory claims that the reaction to external stimuli depends on internal conditions and the mentally formed desired outcome (Araiba, 2020). Consequently, although the environment is crucial to enable any behaviors to occur, they will be determined by internal conditions. Logical behaviorism has a lot in common with modern psychology as science explores the combination of inner motivators and external triggers. However, the problematic aspect is that the feature does not consider the cultural influence on human decision-making and the environments where a specific behavior occurs. People react to external stimuli differently based on their belief system.
Reference
Araiba, S. (2020). Current diversification of behaviorism. Perspectives on Behavior Science, 43(1), 157-175. Web.