Who is primarily associated with behavioral approaches to therapy?

The association of behavioral approaches to therapy primarily with B.F. Skinner and John Watson is rooted in their foundational contributions to behaviorism, a school of thought in psychology that focuses on observable behaviors rather than internal mental states. Skinner is renowned for his work on operant conditioning, which emphasizes the role of reinforcement and punishment in shaping behavior. Watson is considered the father of behaviorism and is best known for his assertion that psychology should be the study of observable behavior, as seen in his famous "Little Albert" experiment.

Both Skinner and Watson laid the groundwork for therapeutic methods that emerged from behaviorism, such as systematic desensitization and operant conditioning techniques. These methods aim to modify maladaptive behaviors through principles of learning, reflecting the core tenets of behaviorism.

In contrast, the other figures mentioned focus on different psychotherapy approaches. Aaron Beck is known for developing cognitive therapy, which emphasizes the role of cognitive processes in emotional and behavioral regulation. Carl Jung, a student of Freud, is established in analytical psychology, exploring the unconscious and archetypes rather than overt behaviors. Albert Ellis is known for Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), which integrates cognitive and behavioral techniques but emphasizes the role of rational thinking in emotional wellbeing, diverging from