Which two individuals are credited with Behaviorism?

• A. Pavlov and Bandura
• B. Watson and Skinner
• C. Freud and Jung
• D. Piaget and Vygotsky

Answer: (B)

Behaviorism centers on learning as a change in observable behavior resulting from environmental stimuli and reinforcement, rather than focusing on internal thoughts or feelings. The two figures most closely linked to this approach are John B. Watson, who helped establish behaviorism by arguing psychology should study observable behavior and ignore consciousness, and B. F. Skinner, who expanded the theory with operant conditioning, showing how reinforcement and punishment shape behavior over time.

Pavlov is associated with classical conditioning—pairing a neutral stimulus with a meaningful one to elicit a response—which is foundational but not the umbrella label of behaviorism. Bandura developed social learning theory and emphasized observational learning, which broadens behaviorist ideas but isn’t the same as traditional behaviorism. Freud and Jung belong to psychoanalysis, focusing on unconscious processes, while Piaget and Vygotsky focus on cognitive development and thinking processes.