Explain the behavioural approach to study personality.

The behavioural approach to study personality:

1. The behavioural approach does not give importance to the internal dynamics. It is totally based on data.
2. Behaviourists believe in data, which is considered to be tangible, definable and palpable. Thus, they focus on learning of stimulus-response connections and their reinforcement.
3. Personality can be best understood as the response of an individual to the environment. A person learns new behaviours in response to new enironments and stimuli.
4. The behaviourists hold response as the basic unit of personality. Each response is directed to specify a particular need.For example, children do not like eating many of the vegetables (e.g., spinach, pumpkin, gourds,etc.), but gradually they learn to eat them. According to behavioural approach, slowly and steadily children learn the importance of vegetables.
5. The behaviourists believe that decrease in social and biological needs drive behaviour and form the central tendency to organise behaviour. The decrease in needs is achieved through responses that are reinforced.