Bijou’s empirical behaviorism: its proposals and characteristics

A review of this type of behaviorism developed by Sidney W. Bijou, developmental psychologist.

There are many paradigms and theoretical currents that have existed in psychology throughout history, all of them focused on the study of the psyche and human (and animal) behavior from very different approaches. Among these currents, probably the most prominent and popularly known are the cognitivist, behavioral, psychoanalytic and psychodynamic currents (as well as others such as systemic theory, gestalt and humanistic and integrative currents).

But within each of these paradigms we can find different theories, which allow us to differentiate between subtypes of the theoretical current in question. As far as behaviorism is concerned, one of its variants, although continuing with the ideas of operant behaviorism, is empirical behaviorism and Bijou's developmental behavioral analysis.

Behaviorism: what is it?

Before going into what we call empirical behaviorism, it is necessary to make a small recapitulation regarding what behaviorism is at a general level and what are its main characteristics.

Behaviorism is one of the main currents or paradigms of psychology.It emerged as a reaction to the then predominant psychoanalysis.

This current is based on the premise that the only verifiable and demonstrable element of our psyche, the only thing we can really see without any doubt, is the behavior or behavior performed. In this sense, behaviorism emerged as a discipline that sought to be as scientific and objective as possible, with a mechanistic vision in which all behavior occurs on the basis of specific laws.

The basic element to explain the realization of behaviors is the capacity of association or linking of stimuli. However, the subject is a passive entity in this process, considering aspects such as will or cognition to be less important and sometimes even non-existent.

Within behaviorism multiple perspectives have arisen that attempt to offer an explanation of the reason for behavior.The latter explanation is often conceptualized as conditioning processes in which two stimuli are associated in such a way that one of them, neutral, acquires the properties of another that is appetitive or aversive on the basis of the repetition of their association (classical conditioning), or in which this relationship occurs between the performance of the behavior and its appetitive or aversive consequences (operant conditioning).

One of these perspectives is empirical behaviorism, defended among other authors by Bijou.

Bijou's empirical behaviorism

The concept of empirical behaviorism refers to one of the branches of behaviorism, which considers that psychology should be devoted to the study of observable and manifest behavior. In the case of the one defended by Sidney W. Bijou, part of the procedures and bases of operant conditioning of B. F. Skinner and the philosophy and concept of development and the need for application in the field of Kantor. and Kantor's philosophy and concept of development and the need for application in the field.

Bijou's empirical behaviorism is particularly characterized by its focus on the process of human development and the acquisition of learning throughout growth, and is in fact a pioneer in attempting to bring the theory of behaviorism closer to human evolution. to approximate the theory of behaviorism to human evolution and the educational process during the early and the educational process during the early stages of life.

It is an orthodox model and to some extent quite continuous with the procedures and theory of Skinner's behaviorism, in which the main factor in explaining behavior is reinforcement and the consequences for the subject of the emission or non-emission of the behavior.

The author proposed a model based on behavioral analysis in which the child will be modeled by what happens in the environment but can also model this environment with his or her actions, receiving different responses from the environment according to his or her behaviors.

According to this model, learning and development imply associations made during the evolution and growth of the person.. Development itself is considered as the accumulation of associations, which are made continuously and always under the same rules and laws.

Change during development is explained by analyzing both the antecedents and the consequences of the child's behavior, and it is possible to control the stimuli presented to him/her in the learning situation.

The three empirical stages of development

Bijou and other exponents of empirical behaviorism and behavioral analysis of development elaborate from their theory, from a point of view that they consider totally empirical, the existence of a total of three major phases of development.

1. Foundation stage

Bijou and other authors identified this first period with the one that goes from birth to language learning.

Behavior at this stage is fundamentally explained by biology, genetics and innate reflexes, and is generally the same or very similar among all subjects. Gradually, conditioning will emerge as the child experiences and makes associations over time. It will be these that will allow him to learn to master his own body, move, walk and talk.

2. Basic stage

Comprised between the onset of language and adolescence, this period shows an increasing importance of the associations made through experience when interacting with the environment.

Behavior is increasingly governed by its appetitive and aversive consequences, which will cause the child to increase or decrease the behavior in question. Acquired skills are refined with use, and play behavior is added.The acquired skills are refined with use, and play behavior is added as a rehearsal of the behavior.

3. Social stage

This last stage appears during adolescence and lasts for the rest of the subject's life.In this stage, the social responses of the environment emerge and become increasingly important as the main cause and determinant of behavior.

It is here where more or less regular habits and behavioral styles emerge, derived from operant conditioning in which the main reinforcer is social. It also includes old age, in which behavior changes in order to make up for the difficulties arising from aging and deterioration of the organism.

Application in the educational field

Bijou's empirical behaviorism focuses broadly on the evolutionary process and human development, which has been especially linked to childhood and has found applicability in the educational field. In fact, Bijou's own work was largely based on the use of behaviorist methods and conditioning in order to to favor the learning of children in schools, both in cases where they were able to learn and in cases where they were not.Bijou's work was based to a large extent on the use of behaviorist methods and conditioning to promote the learning of children in schools, both in cases where they were able to follow ordinary schooling and in those who had difficulties in doing so.

The starting point was the idea that it is necessary to monitor the performance and development of learning on a continuous basis, as well as the idea of the importance of the teacher as a transmitter of knowledge and the need to decide what, how and when to apply it (remember that for most of behaviorism the subject is passive in the generation of the association).

Likewise, the following should be taken into account the antecedents and the consequences of the subject's behavior and to try to control the stimuli in order to direct the learning of behaviors. It is also proposed to work with parents in order to encourage them to provide educational guidelines and enriching environments for the child.

Although this vision does not take into account the existence of cognitive and volitional aspects, or the role of motivation and the search for a meaning to what is learned, and as a theory it has been surpassed by other currents that do take them into account, the truth is that Bijou's empirical behaviorism has contributed to generate one of the first educational models based on what was considered a learning methodology based on the scientific study of human behavior.

Bibliographical references:

• Mills, J. A. (2000). Control: A History of Behavioral Psychology. New York University Press.