Question

Explain why Tolman’s brand of behaviorism was considered ‘purposive’ in nature?

Answer 1

Tolman challenged the basic behavioristic assumptions that individual are passive, and that they by the stimuli- response and its consequence. He thought that an individual is active and have their own beliefs and attitude which make them work toward a goal. Tolman rejected the stimulus response theory and thought that learning was cognitively driven. Tolman came up with the concept of cognitive map, which is an internal representation of environment. This cognitive map an individual could know where it is in the environment and reach the goal.