Summarize McDougall’s hormic psychology. Why can his approach to psychology be called behavioristic? What type of behavior did he study, and what did he assume to be the cause of that behavior?
McDougall redefined the entire psychology as the science of behavior. He focused on a different type of behaviorism that is, purposive behaviorism. He defined purposive behaviorism as a spontaneous type of behavior which terminates when the goal is not attained.
He also came out with a novel approach, known as hormic psychology. The term hormic has Greek roots. It is derived from the word ‘horme’ which means ‘urge’. He believed in the fact that one, who does not accept the purposive behavioristic approach, misses the most important aspect.
McDougall believed in methodological behaviorism and came out with a purposive behaviorism. Watson believed in reflexive behaviorism, but McDougall was a firm believer in purposive behaviorism.
These two differ from each other. Purposive behaviorism is a spontaneous one, whose persistence is a bit longer. The goal of this behaviorism is constant, even on encountering any type of obstacle.