behaviorism

Etymology

It is formed from English behavior + -ism,^[2][3][4][5] and was coined by the American psychologist John B. Watson (1878–1958) in 1913.^[3][4] The Shorter Oxford forms it from the adjective behavioural.^[6] The base noun goes back to behave, with its ending from Middle English havour (“possession”), from Old French aveir (“to have”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

A theory and method of psychological investigation based on the study of behavior: 1913, by J. B. Watson in the Psychological Review, “I feel that behaviorism is the only consistent and logical functionalism”.^[2] Merriam-Webster Unabridged and Etymonline give the same year,^[7][3] and Dictionary.com has 1910–15.^[5]

Semantic evolution

The term named a psychological doctrine that accepts only objectively observed stimuli and responses as evidence,^[6][8] and behaviorist arose at the same time.^[3] Merriam-Webster Unabridged sets it against introspectionism and mentalism,^[7] and records its spread to the application of behavioral science to industry, personality evaluation, the arts and literary criticism.^[7] Collins adds a broader sense, the doctrine that statements about the mind can be analysed into statements about behavior.^[8]

Timeline

• 1913 – a theory and method of psychological investigation based on the study of behavior.^[2][7][3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A school of psychology that takes observable behavior as its only proper data, often analysed in terms of stimulus and response.^[8][7][2][6]
2. The doctrine that the mind has no separate existence, and that statements about mental states can be analysed into statements about actual and potential behavior.^[8]
3. The application of behavioral science to other fields, such as industry, the arts or literary criticism.^[7]

Word family

• behaviorist
• behavioristic
• behavioristically

Related words

• behavior
• behave
• -ism
• behavioral

Usage notes

The British spelling is behaviourism.^[7][8][2]

References

1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b Klein, Ernest. A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 2 vols. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1966–1967.
5. ^ a b Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
6. ^ a b c Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
7. ^ a b c d e f g Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
8. ^ a b c d e Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins