neobehaviourism

Neobehaviorism, a derivative of classical behaviorism, emerged in psychology from the 1930s through the late 1940s. This approach sought to translate behaviorism's general methodology into a detailed, experimentally based theory of adaptive behavior.1

Key figures like Clark L. Hull and B.F. Skinner dominated this era. While classical behaviorism, championed by John B. Watson, focused exclusively on observable actions and rejected inner mental experiences, neobehaviorism allowed for intervening variables and even verbal reports, branching into areas like perception. B.F. Skinner, in particular, demonstrated the power of operant conditioning through reinforcement, often using laboratory animals to study how behavior could be shaped by rewards. This work highlighted how social behavior and emotions could be influenced by manipulating environmental consequences.12