Thesis about behaviorism

College of Doctoral Studies

PSY-803 Template: Origins of Behaviorism Paper

Origins of Behaviorism

I. Introduction

a. Engage the reader here with an interesting hook.

b. Provide context for the paper by generally discussing behaviorism and the three crucial researchers.

c. Include APA style in-text citations here when appropriate.

d. Provide a clear thesis statement here in a full sentence. In your thesis statement, make sure to integrate your choice of three researchers and how they relate to behaviorism.

II. Development of Behaviorism - Behaviorism as the 2nd major force in psychology

a. Discuss earlier schools of thought

i. Functionalism

1. What significant points does each article make about this subtheme?

ii. Animal psychology

1. What significant points does each article make about this subtheme?

b. Limitations of introspection and study of the consciousness

i. Why is behaviorism a “better” alternative than the first force of psychology (Freudian psychoanalytic theory)?

c. Beginnings of the study of behavior

i. Pavlov

1. Briefly discuss Pavlov’s contributions to the study of behavior.

2. Cite material from assigned articles for this researcher.

ii. Watson

1. Briefly discuss Watson’s contributions to the study of behavior.

2. Cite material from assigned articles for this researcher.

d. Emergence of Behaviorism

e. Distinguishing of Behaviorism from other schools of thought

III. Researcher #1 (Important Note: Pavlov, Watson, and Skinner may not be used as a topics in this section.)

a. What did Researcher #1 study?

b. What were this researcher’s key contributions to behaviorism?

i. Cite at least three different articles during your discussion of this first researcher.

c. How did this researcher’s contributions shape the emerging school of behaviorism?

d. What lasting effect did this person/research have on psychology?

IV. Researcher #2 (Important Note: Pavlov, Watson, and Skinner may not be used as a topics in this section.)

a. What did Researcher #2 study?

b. What were this researcher’s key contributions to behaviorism?

i. Cite at least three different articles during your discussion of this second researcher.

c. How did this researcher’s contributions shape the emerging school of behaviorism?

d. What lasting effect did this person/research have on psychology?

V. Researcher #3 (Important Note: Pavlov, Watson, and Skinner may not be used as a topics in this section.)

a. What did Researcher #3 study?

b. What were this researcher’s key contributions to behaviorism?

i. Cite at least three different articles during your discussion on this third researcher.

c. How did this researcher’s contributions shape the emerging school of behaviorism?

d. What lasting effect did this person/research have on psychology?

VI. Conclusion

a. Summarize key take-aways from each of the three researchers

i. Use APA style in-text citations.

b. Restate the thesis statement in a novel way to bring the paper full circle and tie it back to the introduction.

c. Draw conclusions considering the current literature as a single unit.

i. What is the overall message of the research/literature at hand?

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