According to the behavioral perspective, what primarily drives learning?

The behavioral perspective emphasizes that learning is primarily driven by the relationship between stimuli and responses. This approach focuses on observable behaviors rather than internal thoughts or feelings, positing that all behaviors are acquired through conditioning.

In classical conditioning, for instance, a neutral stimulus can become associated with a natural response through repeated pairing with an unconditioned stimulus. In operant conditioning, behaviors are influenced by the consequences that follow them—reinforcements increase the likelihood of a behavior being repeated, while punishments decrease it. This clear link between environmental stimuli and the resulting responses is central to understanding how learning occurs from a behavioral standpoint.

By focusing on measurable behaviors and the ways they can be modified through various forms of reinforcement and punishment, the behavioral perspective provides a concrete framework for analyzing learning processes. This stands in contrast to perspectives that emphasize unconscious desires, cultural influences, or cognitive processes as primary drivers of learning, which are not the focus of the behavioral approach.