The contemporary form of behaviorism still closely follows the teachings of John Watson . The behaviorist approach emphasizes the importance of environmental determinants in shaping behavior . Behaviorism emphasizes the study of learning and the conditions that dictate when learning occurs. By changing the environment and its associated stimuli, it is possible to profoundly change an organism's behavior .
Behaviorists stress the importance of dealing with behaviors that are directly observable .
They argue that by understanding what the effects of the presence or absence of external stimuli are on instances of behavior, it is possible to completely explain behavior . This means that responses are determined by what events will follow a particular response.