Approaches (AS): Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
How do behaviourists study?
in the stimulus-response form to study behaviour under controlled lab conditions
What is the main belief of the behaviourist approach?
that all behaviour is acquired and maintained through classical and operant conditioning. Hence, behaviour can only be objectively measured and observed under heavily controlled conditions.
What did Watson and Skinner disagree with?
the subjective nature of Wundt’s introspective methods, and the inability to formulate general laws from his observations.
What did Skinner believe about free will?
That free will is an illusion and that all human action was the direct result of conditioning.
Why can animals replace humans in behaviourist experimental research?
the basic laws regarding learning are the same across both non-humans and humans
What is classical conditioning?
learning which occurs through associations made between the unconditioned stimulus and the neutral stimulus.
What are the advantages of Pavlov’s study? (4)
Controlled methods: giving the study credibility and reliability
Insight into the development of phobias: Pavlov’s research of learning via stimulus-response has been successfully applies to humans (Little Albert Study)
High Credibility: Elements of Pavlov’s research have been supported in Watson & Rayner’s research
Valuable contribution to society: Pavlov’s research provides powerful explanations for the development of a variety of behaviours including psychological disorders
Outline Pavlov’s study (4)
- Before conditioning, the unconditioned stimulus (food) produces an unconditioned response (salivation).
- During conditioning, the unconditioned stimulus was repeatedly paired with a neutral stimulus (a bell), to produce the same unconditioned response of salivation.
- Association made between the unconditioned stimulus and the neutral stimulus after repeated
- After conditioning, the neutral stimulus became the conditioned stimulus, producing the conditioned response of salivation
What are the disadvantages of Pavlov’s study?
The use of animals is a criticism of Pavlov’s research: human behaviour is driven by complex emotions and thought processes. Therefore, generalisations between humans and animals must be made with caution.
Much human behaviour is voluntary and therefore cannot be explained by Classical Conditioning. There must be other learning processes involved.
Classical conditioning ignores the role of cognitive and biological factors which have also been shown to play a role in learning
Give a summary of the Little Albert Study
A white laboratory rat was placed near Albert, and he was allowed to play with it. At this point, Watson and Rayner made a loud sound behind Albert’s back by striking a suspended steel bar with a hammer each time the baby touched the rat. Albert responded to the noise by crying and showing fear. He then associated fear with the white rat and any objects similar to it.
What are the advantages of the Little Albert Study?
The case of Little Albert was carefully documented.
Witnesses helped record the data and there were strict controls.
Only one variable was changed at a time.
It is evidence that classical conditioning can occur in humans.
Useful to understand how to acquire phobias.
What are the disadvantages of the Little Albert Study?
The study was unethical. He was clearly distressed, and although they let him rest between tests, they continued even though he was clearly unhappy and frightened.
The setting and tasks were artificial, so it lacks ecological validity.
The setting of a lab setting may have made Little Albert initially anxious and distressed.
What is operant conditioning?
a type of learning in which a new voluntary behaviour is associated with a consequence - reinforcement makes the behaviour more likely to occur, while punishment makes it less likely to occur.
How was positive reinforcement shown with the Skinner box?
when the rats pressed down on a lever to receive food as a reward, and subsequently learnt to repeat this action to increase their rewards.
How was negative reinforcement shown with the Skinner Box?
when the rat learnt to press down on the lever to avoid the unpleasant consequence of an electric shock.
What are the strengths of the Skinner Box?
Controlled conditions of the experiment
Results from experiment was repeatable
What are the disadvantages of the Skinner Box?
Generalising and applying the findings of rats to humans is problematic given that cognitions are ignored
What is variable ratio?
Giving rewards occasionally in intervals to prolong repetition of behaviour
What does tabula rasa?
The mind in its hypothetical primary blank or empty state before receiving outside impressions
What are the overall strengths of the behaviourist approach?
Experimentally tested with controlled methods
Real life Application: For example, the token system within prison
Focuses on the present not the past: behaviourists focus on the ‘here and now’ rather than rooting into the past
What are the overall weaknesses of the behaviourist approach?
The behaviourist approach is a reductionist; explains all behaviours in terms of conditioning and reduces abnormal behaviour down to the most basic level, when it is complex.
Suggests that humans are simple mechanisms at the mercy of an environmental stimuli, this also ignores the impact that biology can have on our behaviour.
Conditioning theories for phobias cannot explain why many people are not able to identify something in their life which led to a traumatic conditioning or recall any contact with the feared object.
What are the strengths of the biological approach?
Scanning research techniques are useful for investigating the functions of the brain: an organ with obvious involvement in our behaviour that would otherwise be unobservable.
The approach presents the strong nature viewpoint of the nature-nurture debate.
The experimental methods used (gathering empirical [i.e. observable] evidence) make this approach very scientific.
What are the weaknesses of the biological approach?
The approach is considered reductionist; complex behaviour, thoughts and emotions are all equally explained by low-level biological mechanisms such as biochemicals and nerve impulses.
Biology alone has been unable to explain the phenomenon of consciousness.
An extreme biological approach does not account for the wide base of evidence that points to the influence of our environment (e.g. culture and society).
