4.2.1 The Behaviourist Approach

Question 1

Give a brief overview of the emergence of the behaviourist approach

Answer 1

-emerged in the beginning of the 20th century
-became the dominant approach in psychology for half oof that century
-credited as the driving force in the development of psychology as a scientific discipline
-J.B Watson rejected introspection as it is subjective, so can’t be measured or checked
-behaviourists tried to maintain objectivity and relied on lab experiments
-explain human behaviour as learning through association or consequences.

Question 2

Give the key assumptions of the behaviourists?

Answer 2

-only concerned with observable behaviour, as it can be objectively and scientifically measured as it can be seen
-believed that behaviour must be measured in controlled environments to establish cause and effect
-when born our mind is a ‘blank slate’, so they are not interested in the biological influence on behaviour
-it is valid to generalise learning and behaviour in animals and humans
-behaviour is the result of a stimulus, and produces a response
-reinforcement strengthens a behaviour and punishment stops it
-all behaviour is learned from the environment; classical or operant conditioning
-people do not have free will as environment determines behaviour.

Question 3

Who explored classical conditioning and what was his theory?

Answer 3

-Ivan Pavlov
-developed the theory that an existing unconscious involuntary reflex could be associated with a new stimulus

Question 4

Define classical conditioning

Answer 4

When genetic reflexes are conditioned to be associated with a new stimulus

Question 5

Define unconditioned stimulus

Answer 5

A stimulus that generates an unlearned, automatic and biological response eg. Dog’s food

Question 6

Define unconditioned response

Answer 6

A response to the ucs that is unlearned, automatic and biological eg. Salivation.

Question 7

Define neutral stimulus

Answer 7

A new stimulus that generates no response eg. A bell

Question 8

Define conditioned stimulus

Answer 8

A stimulus that is now associated with an unconscious response, due to classical conditioning

Question 9

Define conditioned response

Answer 9

The learned response to the conditioned stimulus

Question 10

What is association?

Answer 10

Learning due to the association of a neutral stimulus with and unconditioned reflex response

Question 11

What is extinction?

Answer 11

When a conditioned response is gradually eliminated

Question 12

What is stimulus generalisation?

Answer 12

When the conditioned response to a stimulus is also associated to any similar stimuli.

Question 13

Describe the little Albert example of classical conditioning

Answer 13

-conducted by Watson and Raynor
-conducted a laboratory experiment to examine whether a fear response could be learned through classical conditioning in humans
-Little Albert previously showed no response to a white rat
-they struck a metal bar behind his head when he reached for the rat
-Albert associated white and fluffy objects to the loud noise
-he then cried at the sight of the rat or similar objects
-the rat had become a conditioned stimulus, and the crying became a conditioned response

Question 14

Define operant conditioning

Answer 14

A form of learning in which behaviour is learnt through the consequences of our actions

Question 15

3 key points about Skinner’s ideas

Answer 15

-he developed his ideas based on Ivan Pavlov’s earlier research
-behaviours we display are likely to be repeated if they are reinforced, and not repeated if we are punished
-he developed this into the theory of operant conditioning (humans and animals operate based on their environment and behaviour is shaped through consequences)

Question 16

What is positive reinforcement?

Answer 16

Receiving a rewarding consequence for the performance of a certain behaviour, so that we are likely to repeat this behaviour

Question 17

What is negative reinforcement?

Answer 17

The avoidance of something unpleasant due to the performance of a certain behaviour, so we are likely to repeat it

Question 18

What is positive punishment?

Answer 18

Receiving an unpleasant consequence for the performance of a behaviour, so we are less likely to repeat it.

Question 19

What is negative punishment?

Answer 19

Taking away or removing something pleasant due to the performance of a behaviour, so we are less likely to repeat it.

Question 20

What is a primary reinforcer?

Answer 20

A positive reinforcer that satisfies a basic biological need eg. Food or water

Question 21

What is a secondary reinforcer?

Answer 21

A positive reinforcer that has no survival value, but is associated with a primary reinforcer eg. Credit card

Question 22

What did skinner create to show the principles of operant conditioning?

Answer 22

He invented the Skinner box through extensive research using arts and pigeons in controlled laboratory experiments

Question 23

How did the Skinner box work?

Answer 23

-Skinner box had a food dispenser, a lever and an electric grid on the floor
-he taught hungry rats to press the lever to obtain food - first given food when near to the lever, then when physical contact is made with the lever
-eventually the rat only received food when it pressed the lever
-this process was known as behaviour shaping
-the rat had many responses at first, but only the response that was rewarded continued
-all other responses became extinct

Question 24

What is behaviour shaping?

Answer 24

Learning by being rewarded in stages for behaviour that gradually gets nearer to the desired behaviour.

Question 25

What are schedules of reinforcement?

Answer 25

The precise rules that are used to present or remove reinforcers or punishments, following a specific operant behaviour.
(The time or number of responses required to present or remove a reinforcer or punisher)

Question 26

What is continuous reinforcement?

Answer 26

Desired behaviour is reinforced every time it occurs (quickly becomes extinct if the reinforcer is removed).

Question 27

What are ratio schedules?

Answer 27

Require a certain number of operant responses to produce the next reinforcer

Question 28

What is a fixed ratio schedule?

Answer 28

Required number of responses is fixed from one reinforcer to the next (produces rapid responses, but extinction is quick when the reinforcer is removed)

Question 29

What is a variable ratio schedule?

Answer 29

Reinforcement that varies from one reinforcer to the next, where there is a different number of responses between each reinforcement (produces a steady rate of response that is resistant to extinction)

Question 30

What is an interval schedule?

Answer 30

Require a minimum amount of time that must pass between successive reinforced responses.

Question 31

What is a fixed interval schedule?

Answer 31

When the response is reinforced after a certain time period that is fixed (produces a good rate of response, until the time periods are learned).

Question 32

What are variable interval schedules?

Answer 32

When the response is reinforced after a varying time period (produces a steady rate of response and is resistant to extinction).

Question 33

Which reinforcement schedule has been the most successful at producing responses?

Answer 33

Variable ratio schedule

Question 34

Describe how systematic desensitisation uses classical conditioning to treat disorders?

Answer 34

-person with phobia is encouraged to learn to associate relaxation to the phobia rather than the phobic stimulus of anxiety
-clients are taught relaxation techniques, and are gradually exposed to their phobic stimulus
-treatment is successful when clients remain calm in high anxiety inducing situations

Question 35

Describe how token economics for offending behaviour uses operant conditioning

Answer 35

-systems in prisons that use rewards and punishments
-reward (positively reinforce) desirable behaviour with tokens (secondary reinforcer)
-punish (negatively punish) poor behaviour by taking away tokens.
-tokens can be exchanged for benefits eg. Gym time or a phone call home

Question 36

What is meant by deterministic perspective?

Answer 36

The idea that behaviour is pre-determined and we do not have any choice over our actions.

Question 37

What is meant by a nomothetic approach?

Answer 37

Explanations which seek to establish general and universal laws of behaviour, that can be applied to large groups.

Question 38

What is meant by reductionism?

Answer 38

Explanations that focus narrowly on specific aspects of behaviour, reducing it down to its component parts.