Crises, Reforms, and Scientific Improvements: Behaviorism in the Last Two Centuries

Abstract

The changes in the society evolve the theories; the changes in the theory affect the research; and, in return, the changes in the theory and research change the society. Pursuing this widely-accepted idea, the aim of this paper is to examine the development of behaviorism by analyzing the historical and socio-political events. The paper emphasizes the philosophical bases of behaviorism namely realism, materialism and reductionism, and also some corner stones of scientific, technological, and socio-political events such as World War I and II. In addition to these, effects of those scientific improvements and crises are investigated in relation to the development of behaviorism and education. Behaviorism is still used in many areas of education such as military education and technology-based education. Lastly, this paper might contribute to the literature by pointing out the rebirth of behaviorism in the near future as a result of socio-political concerns.