Behavioral Psychology

The psychologists who model our behavior to behave well!

Have you ever questioned why someone behaves the way they do? Or perhaps how you are influenced to behave a certain way?

Description

Behavioral psychology, or behaviorism, is a branch of psychology that makes use of scientific and systematic measures to study behavior. Two key theories put forth by behavioral psychologists are:

A behavior is a response to a stimulus from the environment.
All behaviors are learned, either through association, conditioning, or more.

Behaviourism, a field established since the 1910s, interprets behavior to better understand the psychology of humans and animals. By identifying beneficial behaviors, these psychologists are also able to identify maladaptive behaviors that an individual may be engaging in.

Application

Just like other sciences, psychological research can help behavioral psychologists make predictions and control for many behaviors. By understanding the stimuli that trigger a responsive behavior, psychologists can use therapy to guide a client’s intervention. For instance, one popular therapeutic technique called CBT uses the theories of behaviorism to bring about a change in the client’s behavior.

Duration of courses and degrees

The requirements of becoming a behavioral psychologist include

Bachelor’s degree in psychology (3 years)
Masters in Clinical Psychology (2 years)
Pursue a Licensed Professional Clinical Counsellor Certification after that.