The behavioral approach is based on the concept of explaining behavior through observation, and the belief that our environment is what causes us to behave differently or suffer illness .
Behavioral psychology, also known as behaviorism, is a theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning. Learn more about conditioning, major behaviorists, and important events in this overview of behaviorism.
An example of a currently used behavioral approach to psychology is setting up an incentive system in order to get your child to do chores. They do a chore, they get a token, at the end of a certain amount of time they turn their tokens in for something larger (money, an outing, whatever). Behavioral psychology believes that we LEARN by manipulating (not necessarily in a negative way) the situation to provoke the desired behavior, and if it happens over and over, the person has learned it and ultimately won't need to have the situation manipulated anymore. This sprung from Pavlov's research with dogs (rang the bell, gave them food, later rang the bell and sometimes gave them food, eventually they salivated every time he rang the bell even though he'd stopped giving them food after it).
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