Approaches in Psychology - Studies

Question 1

Outline the research conducted by Pavlov for the behaviourist approach.

Answer 1

Pavlov created classical conditioning 
Pavlov revealed that dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell. 
Food - unconditioned stimulus 
Salivation - unconditioned response 
Bell - neutral stimulus 
AFTER CONDITIONING
Bell - conditioned stimulus 
Salivation - conditioned response

Question 2

Outline the research conducted by Skinner for the behaviourist approach.

Answer 2

Operant condition
Positive reinforcement -
Receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed
Negative reinforcement -
Occurs when an animal or a human avoids something unpleasant.
Punishment -
Is an unpleasant consequence of behaviour.
Skinners box -
Skinner would put animals such as rats into a box. Every time the rat (or other animal) pulled a lever within the box it was rewarded with a food pellet. After many repetitions the animal would continue to perform the behaviour. Skinner also showed how rats and pigeons could be conditioned to perform the same behaviour to avoid an unpleasant situation.

Question 3

Outline the research conducted by Bandura (1961) or social learning theory.

Answer 3

Bandura et al. (1961)

• Had children watch adults attack a Bobo doll.
• The adults were then rewarded in front of the children.
• The children were then left in a room with the doll - the children who saw the adult being rewarded for their actions were much more aggressive.
• The children also used the same phrases and aggressive actions of the adults