Behaviourism

From Geography

Behaviourism is a theory based on the way animals and human beings can learn. The most famous practitioner of the behaviour approach is Ivan Petrovich Pavlov (1849-1936). He became famous with his discouvery of 'classical conditioning', where he studies the refelxes of a dog (H. Ernste, personal communication 02-2010).

Explanation of 'classical conditioning

In de beginning there is a stimuli (for example food) and a response (the dog slobs), this is unconditioned behaviour. But the stimuli food can slowly be replaced by another stimuli (for example ringing a bell). And after a while the dog slobs when hearing the bell, even before he's seeing te food. [1]

Like the example of Pavlov showed, a refex is a simple cause (stimulus) and effect (response) relation. So the behaviour approach doesn't take consiousness into account. The so called 'black box' stays undiscovered. Behaviorism only focus on open behaviour instead of closed behaviour like thinking and different interpretations. This is also the biggest critique on this approach and the reason why behaviourism isn't used very often by geographers. Behaviouralism on the other hand focus on consiousness and what is happening inside the black-box. This approach is used much more often in geography (Golledge, 2006, p. 75).

Sources: Ernste, H. introduction behaviourism (powerpoint) personal communication 02-2010 Golledge, G. R. Philosophical Bases of Behavioural Research in Geography in Approaches to Human Geography (2006) p. 75-85. Sage. Londen.