Functionalism vs. Behaviorism — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 7, 2024
Functionalism focuses on the purpose of mental states and their role in behavior, whereas behaviorism strictly analyzes observable behaviors and disregards mental states.
Difference Between Functionalism and Behaviorism
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Functionalism is a psychological philosophy that considers mental states in terms of their function in adaptive behaviors, emphasizing the internal processes and their role in interaction with the environment. Whereas, behaviorism, founded by John B. Watson, rejects the analysis of the mind and focuses purely on observable behaviors as the primary data for psychology.
Functionalism emerged as a response to the limitations of structuralism, aiming to understand the 'why' behind mental processes. On the other hand, behaviorism arose as a reaction to both structuralism and functionalism, advocating for a more scientific approach that is strictly measurable and objective.
In functionalism, cognition, emotions, and other mental states are significant as they relate to functioning in different environments. Behaviorism, however, views these internal states as irrelevant, considering only the external behaviors that can be seen and measured.
Functionalism allows for the study of mental processes in a broad range of organisms, assuming that these processes have evolved to solve problems. Behaviorism restricts its study to observable phenomena, often using animals as subjects to infer laws of human behavior.
While functionalism explores the necessity and adaptability of mental states, behaviorism limits its scope to the conditioning and reinforcement without delving into the underlying mental processes that might influence behavior.
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Comparison Chart
Focus
Internal mental states and their role in adaptation
Observable behavior without reference to mental states
Philosophical Roots
Evolved from structuralism, influenced by Darwinism
Emerged as a reaction to introspective methods
Key Proponents
William James, John Dewey
John B. Watson, B.F. Skinner
Methodology
Emphasizes causal relations and functions
Employs conditioning and reinforcement
Application
Broad, including cognitive processes and emotions
Narrow, primarily in behavior modification
Compare with Definitions
Functionalism
Considers the mind's interaction with the environment to be crucial.
In functionalism, a person’s problem-solving skills are seen as a function of interacting with their environment.
Behaviorism
Based on principles of conditioning and reinforcement.
Behaviorism explains learning through concepts like classical and operant conditioning.
Functionalism
A psychological theory that mental states are identified by what they do rather than by what they are made of.
Functionalism suggests that fearing something is more about the actions one takes when afraid rather than the feeling itself.
Behaviorism
Emphasizes external behaviors as reactions to environmental stimuli.
Behaviorism would examine how and why a rat presses a lever under different conditions of reinforcement.
Functionalism
Views psychological phenomena in terms of their role in adaptive behavior.
Functionalism would study a bird’s fear response to predators as a way to understand how fear functions adaptively.
Behaviorism
Utilizes controlled experiments to study behaviors.
Behaviorists often use lab settings to test theories of learning and adaptation.
Functionalism
Asserts that mental processes have evolutionary purposes.
Functionalism might argue that human anxiety has developed to help anticipate future dangers.
Behaviorism
Rejects introspection as a method of psychological investigation.
Behaviorism does not consider personal feelings or thoughts as valid data for psychological studies.
Functionalism
Focuses on 'why' mental processes occur.
Functionalism looks at why certain thought processes help in making decisions that lead to survival or reproduction.
Behaviorism
A school of psychology that studies behavior independently of mental states.
Behaviorism focuses on how a stimulus triggers an observable response in an organism.
Functionalism
The doctrine that the function of an object should determine its design and materials.
Behaviorism
Behaviorism is a systematic approach to understanding the behavior of humans and other animals. It assumes that behavior is either a reflex evoked by the pairing of certain antecedent stimuli in the environment, or a consequence of that individual's history, including especially reinforcement and punishment contingencies, together with the individual's current motivational state and controlling stimuli.
Functionalism
A doctrine stressing purpose, practicality, and utility.
Behaviorism
A school of psychology that studies observable and quantifiable aspects of behavior and excludes the study of subjective phenomena, such as emotions or motives.
Functionalism
(Philosophy) The doctrine in the philosophy of mind according to which mental states are defined by their causes and effects.
Behaviorism
An approach to psychology focusing on observable behavior which, generally assuming that behavior is determined by the environment and denying any independent significance for mind, largely ignores any pathophysiological processes which may, or may not, underlie subjective, behavioral phenomena.
''Behaviorism is considered by most philosophers of medicine, to be an expression of the weaker, minimalist interpretation of the 'medical model' of clinical psychology because it focuses the study and classification of mental disorders upon a phenomenological, rather than a pathophysiological, approach to the subject.
Functionalism
(architecture) A doctrine, in several fields, that the function of something should be reflected in its design and the materials used in its construction.
Behaviorism
An approach to psychology that emphasizes observable measurable behavior.
Functionalism
(philosophy) The definition of mental states in terms of their causes and effects.
Behaviorism
An approach to psychology that emphasizes observable measurable behavior
Functionalism
(social science) The idea that social and cultural cohesion are a function of the interdependence and interactions of the institutions of a society.
Functionalism
(psychology) A general school of thought that considers psychological phenomena in terms of their role in adaptation to the person's environment.
Functionalism
(linguistics) functional linguistics
Functionalism
A psychology based on the assumption that all mental process are useful to an organism in adapting to the environment.
Functionalism
Any doctrine that stresses utility or purpose.
Functionalism
A psychology based on the assumption that all mental process are useful to an organism in adapting to the environment
Functionalism
Any doctrine that stresses utility or purpose
Common Curiosities
Can functionalism and behaviorism be integrated?
While fundamentally different, some modern psychological approaches integrate aspects of both, particularly in cognitive-behavioral therapy.
What does functionalism say about consciousness?
Functionalism considers consciousness as central, studying how conscious states function to help organisms adapt to their environments.
How does behaviorism explain learning?
Behaviorism explains learning through the mechanisms of conditioning and reinforcement, without regard to mental states.
Who are some key figures in the development of functionalism?
William James and John Dewey are notable proponents of functionalism.
What is the main difference between functionalism and behaviorism?
Functionalism studies mental states and their functional roles, while behaviorism focuses solely on observable behaviors.
How has functionalism influenced modern psychology?
Functionalism has influenced cognitive and evolutionary psychology by underscoring the adaptive purpose of mental processes.
What is an example of how behaviorism might be applied?
Behaviorism is applied in behavior modification techniques such as those used in training animals and treating phobias.
What role do environmental interactions play in functionalism?
In functionalism, environmental interactions are crucial in shaping and understanding mental functions.
What types of research methods are typical in functionalism and behaviorism?
Functionalism uses a variety of methods, including introspective and observational techniques, whereas behaviorism strictly uses experimental and observable methods.
How do behaviorists view emotions?
Behaviorists view emotions as behaviors that are elicited by specific stimuli, not as states to be introspectively analyzed.
Can behaviorism explain personality?
Behaviorism can explain aspects of personality through learned behaviors and responses to environments.
Why did behaviorism reject the study of the mind?
Behaviorism rejected mind studies because they are not observable and measurable, focusing instead on behaviors that can be scientifically analyzed.
What impact did B.F. Skinner have on behaviorism?
B.F. Skinner expanded behaviorism by introducing concepts like operant conditioning, influencing behavior modification techniques widely.
Does functionalism accept the use of animal studies?
Yes, functionalism can use animal studies to understand universal functions of mental states across species.
What criticism does behaviorism face?
Critics argue that behaviorism is too reductionist, ignoring the complexities of mental processes.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
