The Shift from Behaviorism to Cognitive Psychology

Study Notes

In the 1960s, a major shift occurred from behavioristic approaches to the study of language and human behavior to a more generative and cognitive approach.
Noam Chomsky challenged behaviorism's focus on observable stimuli and responses, arguing that language is governed by innate, underlying structures.
Chomsky's approach, termed generative linguistics, aims to uncover the principles that govern the generation of grammatically correct sentences and language, going beyond simple description to explain the underlying rules.
Generative linguistics found its roots in Ferdinand de Saussure's distinction between "parole" (observable speech) and "langue" (deep structure of language).
Cognitive psychology, in alignment with generative linguistics, emphasizes internal mental processes, shifting away from behaviorism's emphasis on stimulus-response connections.
Cognitive psychology seeks to understand how the mind functions, including the principles of organization and processing within the brain, believing that mental processes are fundamental to human learning and behavior.
Both generative linguists and cognitive psychologists utilize logical reasoning, inferences, and extrapolations to uncover the underlying mechanisms and motivations behind human actions, going beyond merely descriptive analysis.
This approach distinguishes them from behaviorists who primarily focus on objective measurements of observable behavior in controlled settings.

While both behavioral psychologists and structural linguists ask "what" questions about human behavior, generative linguists and cognitive psychologists aim to uncover the underlying "why" behind these actions.
They emphasize the importance of exploring the factors that contribute to specific behaviors, such as innate abilities, psychological processes, social interactions, and environmental influences.
By asking "why" questions, we delve deeper into the motivations, thoughts, and emotions driving behavior, gaining a more comprehensive understanding of human actions.
This approach involves analyzing both observable behavior and the underlying psychological processes that influence it, leading to a more nuanced perspective on human behavior.