What does behaviourist mean?
A behaviourist is a practitioner of behaviourism, the psychological school founded by John B. Watson in the early twentieth century and later developed most influentially by B.F. Skinner. Behaviourists hold that psychology should be a science of what can be directly observed — the actions organisms take and the environments they act within — rather than a study of unobservable inner states like consciousness or feeling. On this view, learning is largely a matter of conditioning: associations formed between stimuli, and behaviours shaped by reinforcement or punishment. The word also serves as an adjective, as in "a behaviourist explanation" or "behaviourist principles", describing anything grounded in this framework. Though classical behaviourism has been superseded by cognitive approaches, its vocabulary remains central to discussions of learning, animal training, and the philosophy of mind. The spelling is British; American English uses "behaviorist".
A psychologist or other thinker who subscribes to behaviourism, explaining behaviour in terms of observable responses to environmental stimuli rather than internal mental states.
"Skinner was arguably the most influential behaviourist of the twentieth century."
Chiefly academic register; spelled "behaviorist" in American English.
Relating to, characteristic of, or based on the theories of behaviourism.
"The curriculum took a thoroughly behaviourist approach, rewarding each correct answer immediately."
Regular plural, used only for the noun sense referring to individual practitioners of behaviourism.
"Early behaviourists rejected introspection as a legitimate scientific method."
B.F. Skinner, history's most famous behaviourist, was so confident in conditioning that he raised his own daughter in an air-crib — a box he designed himself.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of behaviourist
The word derives from "behaviour", which traces back through Middle English to the verb "behave", ultimately from Old English roots combined with French influence. It was coined in the early twentieth century alongside Watson's founding of behaviourism, formed from "behaviour" plus the agentive suffix "-ist", denoting an adherent of a doctrine or practice. Cognate forms include "behaviourism" (the doctrine itself), "behavioural" (relating to behaviour generally), and "behave" (the underlying verb).
Related word forms
How behaviourist is actually used
The term is chiefly academic, appearing in psychology, philosophy of mind, and linguistics. In American English it is spelled "behaviorist"; the British spelling "behaviourist" is standard in UK, Australian, Canadian, and Indian publications. When used adjectivally before a noun (e.g., "a behaviourist approach"), it carries no negative connotation; when applied to people, it can occasionally suggest an overly mechanical view of human nature.
Easily confused with behaviourist
"Behaviorist" is simply the American spelling of the same word, with "behaviourist" using British spelling conventions.
"Behavioural" is a general adjective meaning relating to behaviour, whereas "behaviourist" refers specifically to someone who practises behaviourism or to ideas derived from it.