If you have come this far, you probably have an interest in reading, but not only that. best behavioral psychology books In this article we have made a list of them and will present a brief definition of what they are behavioral psychology in case you are a layman when it comes to this.

Let's go?

What is behavioral psychology

Basically, the behavioral psychology is the psychological study that connects thoughts, emotions, physiological states, and behavior. This theory does not separate the mind from the body, and scholars in the field say that all behaviors are learned, so this learning can be through rewards, punishments, or associations.

From this concept, there is intense analysis about behavioral patterns that come to influence human attitudes.

The forerunners of this area are E. L. Thorndike and J. Watson. behavioral psychology Thus, it is because of this fact that many call behaviorism behavioral psychology of behaviorism.

Besides Thorndike and Watson, another important researcher is B. F. Skinner. Skinner was the founder of a philosophy that underlies radical behaviorism.

After this introduction, we will present the list of best behavioral psychology books .

List of best books on experimental psychology

Have access to best behavioral psychology books This is important because it is through the theories that we can delve deeper into the issues. Furthermore, it is necessary to know that authors approach theory from different points of view. Thus, even the same author can approach different objects of analysis depending on what he wants to expose.

Moreover, the books present different complexities. Thus, there are more didactic books and others that are more complex and require previous knowledge. Besides a personal opinion about the books' approach, we will add in some cases the editorial synopses.

And since there is no possibility of talking about behavioral psychology without talking about Skinner, there is no way to talk about best behavioral psychology books So our list starts with him:

1. behavior analysis, by B. F. Skinner and J. G. Holland

This book can be considered the most interesting of the best books on experimental psychology, since is great to start your studies. This is because he starts from the simplest concepts and then moves on to more complex ones.

This was done intentionally, because Skinner and Holland relied on Edward Thorndike and Arthur Gates. They said that for a better understanding, readers can only read a page after understanding the previous one.

About the content itself, the book follows the following sequence: explaining reflex behavior to then explain more complex concepts, such as operant behavior, exact contingencies, and behavior modeling.

All chapters have short texts, If the reading is followed as indicated in the book, this knowledge is built up little by little.

2. science and human behavior, by B. F. Skinner

This book, Science and Human Behavior, is considered a classic approach.

This is a slightly more complex material, as it requires previous knowledge from the reader to follow.

In addition, in this book, the author also discusses the e pistemology of science However, from the second chapter on, the author focuses on the behavioral science So, from this point on, he talks about the specific aspects of human behavior and gives several examples.

3. the myth of freedom, by B. F. Skinner

This book is one of Skinner's most philosophical books. Here he discusses the determination (fate) and free will (freedom) In this way, it also seeks to relate the individual and society. behavioral psychology can help build a better society.

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4. on behaviorism, by B. F. Skinner

In this book Skinner presents his view of behaviorism. Thus, he lays out the basic concepts and discusses the general implications of the field of knowledge. In addition, he refutes the interpretations that he considers distorted. Considering such an approach, this book is one of the best books on behavioral psychology because of all the access we have to the principles of behaviorism and Skinner's thought.

5. understanding Behaviorism, by William M. Baum

In this book, Baum explains the analytical basis of behavior, and discusses how it can be applied to human problems.

The beginning of the book begins by exploring the problem between behavior being free or determined. He then leads this discussion by comparing behaviorism to pragmatism. In this way, he shows how feelings and thoughts can be treated in a scientific way. So it is clear why this book is a reference for psychological studies.

Handbook of Behavior Modification and Therapy Techniques, organized by Caballo

This book is a bit more complex than the others, and is suitable for those who want to delve deeper into behavioral techniques. This is because we can consider this book as a great summary of the main techniques used by behavioral therapists.

The synopsis of the book "Handbook of therapy and behavior modification techniques" says:

"The present manual presents the the most important therapeutic techniques in the field of therapy and behavior modification and in a practical way , but without losing in depth."

Basic Principles of Behavior Analysis, by Moreira & Medeiros

This is the main Brazilian book about behavioral theory It is richly illustrated and presents a dynamic language providing the reader with a global vision of human behavior. how one can work effectively in the most varied fields of psychology .

Therefore, for this reason, this book helps professionals from the most diverse areas These include sport, organizational, hospital, and school psychology, among others.

8. behavior modification: what is it and how to do it, by G. Martin and J. Pear

We can consider this book very basic and easy to read. It provides guidelines for the application of therapeutic resources.

In addition, at the end of each chapter, exercises and learning questions are presented to help test and fix the knowledge acquired. This helps develop the skills needed to effectively apply behavior modification techniques.

In its synopsis we can read:

"No prior knowledge of the subject is necessary to read and understand this work from beginning to end. [...] Suitable for professionals and students of Psychology and the various care areas, this book is designed to be a user-friendly manual for anyone who wants to learn how to overcome behavioral deficits ."

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Conclusion

We hope this article has helped you to learn more about behavioral psychology In addition, we hope that our list of best behavioral psychology books help you to go deeper into the subject.

Finally, if you want more content beyond the best behavioral psychology books, why not take a course? The human being and his behavior patterns are explored in our EAD Clinical Psychoanalysis course, so if you are interested, this is a good opportunity to deepen what you already know.