WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
be•hav•ior•ism /bɪˈheɪvyəˌrɪzəm/USA pronunciation
n. [uncountable]
be•hav•ior•is•tic, adj.: Behavioristic analyses can't tell us much about language ability.
be•hav•ior•is•ti•cal•ly, adv.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- Psychiatry, Psychologythe theory that psychology can be studied only through the examination and analysis of behavioral events that can be observed, and not by trying to examine mental states.
be•hav•ior•is•tic, adj.: Behavioristic analyses can't tell us much about language ability.
be•hav•ior•is•ti•cal•ly, adv.
be•hav•ior•ism
(bi hāv′yə riz′əm),USA pronunciation n. [Psychol.]
be•hav′ior•ist, n., adj.
be•hav′ior•is′tic, adj.
be•hav′ior•is′ti•cal•ly, adv.
- Psychiatry, Psychologythe theory or doctrine that human or animal psychology can be accurately studied only through the examination and analysis of objectively observable and quantifiable behavioral events, in contrast with subjective mental states.
- behavior + -ism 1910–15
be•hav′ior•is′tic, adj.
be•hav′ior•is′ti•cal•ly, adv.
'behaviorist' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):