Approaches - Behaviourist

Question 1

what is the behaviourist approach

Answer 1

a way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable and in terms of learning

Question 2

what are the assumptions

Answer 2

• studying behaviour that can be observed and measured
• rejects introspection
• relied on lab studies
• classical conditioning
• operant conditioning

Question 3

what is classical conditioning

Answer 3

• learning by association
• two stimuli are paired together

Question 4

what did Pavlov research into classical conditioning

Answer 4

-1927
- showed how dogs could be conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell
- dogs learned to associate the sound of the bell with food
- how a neutral stimulus (bell) can come to have a new learned response (conditioned response)

Question 5

what is operant conditioning

Answer 5

form of learning in which behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences

Question 6

what is positive reinforcement

Answer 6

• receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed
• increase likelihood of behaviour being repeated

Question 7

what is negative reinforcement

Answer 7

• avoid something unpleasant to avoid a punishment
• increases likelihood of behaviour being repeated

Question 8

what is punishment

Answer 8

• unpleasant consequence of behaviour
• decreases the likelihood a behaviour is repeated

Question 9

what did Skinner research

Answer 9

• 1953
• suggested that learning is an active processes whereby humans and animals operate on their environment
• negative reinforcement
• positive reinforcement
• punishment

Question 10

what is Skinners Box

Answer 10

• conducted experiments with rats
• when the rat activated a lever within the box it was rewarded with a food pellet
• rats can also be conditioned to perform the same behaviour to avoid an unpleasant stimulus

Question 11

what are the strengths of the behaviourist approach

Answer 11

Well controlled research
- highly controlled lab settings
- extraneous variables removed
- cause and effect relationships can be established
Real World Application
- operant conditioning is the basis of token economy systems
- widespread application

Question 12

what are the limitations of the behaviourist approach

Answer 12

Oversimplified learning processes
- reductionist - reduce behaviour to simple components
- ignored the influence of human thought
- mental processes have an influence - cognitive approach
- learning is more complex than observable behaviour

Environmental determinism
- sees all behaviour as conditioned by past conditioning experiences
- everything we do is the sum of our reinforcement history
- ignores any influence of free will