approaches : behaviourism Flashcards
What is behaviourism?
A way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable and in terms of learning.
What is classical conditioning? (Pavlov)
Learning by association where a stimulus is associated with a response.
What experiments did Pavlov do?
He did experiments with dogs where a neutral stimulus was introduced to produce a conditioned response
What are the consequences of operant conditioning?
- negative reinforcement
- positive reinforcement
- punishment
What is negative reinforcement in operant conditioning?
Carrying out a behaviour to avoid a consequence
What is positive reinforcement in operant conditioning?
Receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed
What experiments did Skinner do in operant conditioning?
He experimented on rats in boxes, when they touched a lever they would get rewarded with food however sometimes they would get an electric shock.
How is behaviourism well-controlled research a strength?
It introduced scientific processes which were influential to the development of psychology as a science. This is as it gives it credibility and status.
How is behaviourism real-life application a strength?
It is applicable to real-life like operant conditioning is used by prisons and psychiatric wards when they use a token economy system and classical conditioning is used to treat phobias.
How is behaviourism’s oversimplification of the learning process a weakness?
It suggests animals are passive and respond in a machine-like manner. However, the social learning theory suggests mental processes occur which have a more active role in learning.
How is behaviourism’s environmental determinism a weakness?
It sees all behaviour as determined by past experiences that are conditioned which ignores any influence free will may have
How are behaviourism’s ethical and practical issues with animal experiments a weakness?
animals were exposed to stressful conditions which may have affected how they reacted
