4 - Behaviourist Approach

Question 1

Assumptions

Answer 1

The behaviourist approach is only interested in studying behaviour that can be observed and measured. Early behaviourists rejected introspection because it involved too many vague concepts that were difficult to measure

Question 2

More assumptions

Answer 2

Behaviourists suggested that the way every species learn things is the same. This meant that in research animals could replace humans

Question 3

Classical conditioning

Answer 3

Classical conditioning is learning through association and was first demonstrated by Pavlov. He showed that dogs could be conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell if the bell was repeatedly presented at the same time as food

Question 4

Classical conditioning

Answer 4

Unconditioned stimulus - UCS
Neutral stimulus - NS
Conditioned stimulus - CS
Unconditioned response - UCR
No conditioned response - NCR
Conditioned response - CR

Question 5

Pavlov’s dogs

Answer 5

Food (US) ➡️ salivation (UCR)
Bell (NS) ➡️ no salivation (NCR)
Bell + food ➡️ salvation (UCR)
Bell (CS) ➡️ salvation (CR)

Question 6

Operant conditioning

Answer 6

Skinner suggested that leaning is an active process where people learn behaviour through punishment and reinforcement

Question 7

Positive reinforcement

Answer 7

Receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed

For example getting praise from a teacher for answering a question correctly

Question 8

Negative reinforcement

Answer 8

Performing a behaviour to avoid something unpleasant

For example handing homework in so you don’t get told off

Question 9

Punishment

Answer 9

An unpleasant consequence of a behaviour

For example being shouted at for not handing in homework

Question 10

Skinner

Answer 10

He conducted experiments with rats and pigeons in cages called Skinner Boxes. Every time the animal pressed a lever they were rewarded with some food. This is positive reinforcement as the animals repeat the behaviour because they received a reward. Skinner also showed how the animals could be conditioned to perform a behaviour to avoid an unpleasant stimulus (negative reinforcement) by giving them an electric shock for not doing the behaviour.

Question 11

A03 - strength

Answer 11

Scientific credibility
Behaviourism focuses on measuring observable behaviour in highly controlled lab settings. This means it uses scientific processes like replication which has been important in the development of psychology as a scientific study

Question 12

A03 - weakness

Answer 12

Mechanistic view of behaviour
From a behaviourist point of view animals and humans are seen as machine like responders to their environment. Other approaches like social learning theory and the cognitive approach emphasise the importance of conscious processes in learning