Approaches- Behaviourist approach Flashcards
Behaviourist approach assumptions
- we’re born as ‘tabula rasa’ (blank slate) and that we learn all our behaviours from the environment
- they look at observable behaviours and mainly use lab experiments
- they experiment on animals as they believe animals and humans behave in the same way
PAVLOV- classical conditioning (learning by association)
-assumes learning’s passive and is based on reflex behaviours
UCS (classical conditioning)
something that naturally causes a response
it’s unlearnt, it automatically occurs
UCR (classical conditioning)
the natural reaction to a stimulus
NS (classical conditioning)
a stimulus that doesn’t initially cause the target response
it always becomes the CS
CS (classical conditioning)
when NS becomes same response as UCS
SKINNER- operant conditioning (learning through consequences)
assumes learning’s an active process and that we repeat behaviours based on the consequences of it
positive reinforcement (operant conditioning)
receiving an award
negative reinforcement (operant conditioning)
when performing an action stops something negative happening
unpleasant consequence
a punishment
disadvantages of the behaviourist approach
- reductionist–> ignore influence of cognition and biological factors
- neglects influence of free will–> say behaviour’s result of previous conditioning, skinner argues that free will’s an illusion
- humans have different social norms and moral values so we’ll behave differently than animals and we’re different cognitively and physiologically
- the reliability on labs lack ecological validity
advantages of the behaviourist approach
- scientific rigour–> uses scientific methods which increases reliability and internal validity
- useful applications–> increased understanding of classical and operant conditioning has led to development of treatments and therapies for mental disorders
