Behaviorism is an approach that focuses on observable behaviors and their relationship to environmental stimuli. It suggests that learning occurs through interactions with the environment. These interactions involve stimuli, which are events or changes in the environment, and responses, which are an organism's reactions to those stimuli. For example, a dog might learn to associate the sound of a bell (stimulus) with food (stimulus) and begin to salivate (response) when the bell rings. Behaviorism emphasizes the importance of studying these observable behaviors and their connections to environmental factors, rather than internal mental states or processes. It proposes that behavior can be understood and modified through principles of learning, such as reinforcement and punishment.