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Behaviorism Description

What is Behaviorism?

Behaviorism is one of the movements in the history of psychology. The movement started at the beginning of the 20th century when Russian scientist Ivan Pavlov published his experimental results on animals, such as dogs. He studied the connection between a stimulus and the response it incites. Pavlov established many principles of how learning occurred through controlled stimulus-response (S-R) relationships.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and Autism Treatment

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) is the direct application of behaviorism doctrine. It has been widely used to study human and animal behaviors. It attempts to understand, explain, describe and predict behavior. Using ABA as the main methods or techniques to treat children with autsim was firmly established by Dr. Ivar Lovaas and his research group. Althought there is some debate about his research outcomes and some particular practices during his research, there is no doubt that ABA is the most widely adopted approach in various autism treatment programs.

Some of the programs around the country that are adopting ABA in their treatments include:

• Applied Behavior Consultants, Inc (ABC)

• CARD (Center for Autism Related Disorders)

• TEACCH

• Christian Sarkine Autism Treatment Center

Please note: the Burkhart Center for Autism Education and Research does not endorse any philosophy over any other. It has been the experience of the Burkhart Center's directors and staff that, at times, a combination of philosophies is more effective than staying with only one philosophy. Please use caution when choosing a personal philosophy that the individual(s) being served, is/are served well by the philosophy.

2005 Burkhart Center for Autism Education & Research