Behaviorism is a highly influential academic branch of psychology that dominated the field between the two world wars. Behaviorism concerns itself with the use of strict experimental procedures to study observable behavior in response to environmental stimuli. It excludes ideas, emotions and inner mental experience in general. According to behaviorist theory, an individual simply responds to stimuli in their environment. These responses are observable and measurable and can therefore be predicted and controlled.

Behaviorism was developed in the early twentieth century by American psychologist John B. Watson. Watson has written: "Behaviorism claims that 'consciousness' is neither a definable nor a usable concept; that it is merely another word for the 'soul' of more ancient times. The old psychology is thus dominated by a subtle kind of religious philosophy" (Behaviorism , 1924). Watson sought to make the study of psychology scientific by using only objective procedures that produced tangible results.

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