Behavioural approach to Psychology

Question 1

Summary of Behaviourism

Answer 1

• all behaviours are learnt from classical conditioning and operant conditioning
• all behaviours can be learnt and then unlearnt
• adaptable and applicable
• focus on the observable
• mind is a black box ‘tabula rasa’

Question 2

who are the main behavioural psychologists

Answer 2

• Pavlov
• Skinner
• Ellis and Beck
• Watson
• Bandura
• Guay and Love

Question 3

what did Pavlov do

Answer 3

• classical conditioning
• Pavlov’s dogs
• salivation reflex
  associates footsteps / bell with food
• elicits salivation

Question 4

cc explained dogs

Answer 4

unconditioned stimulus = food
neutral stimulus = bell
cc - food and bell = unconditioned response (salivation)
response + neutral stim = conditioned

Question 5

Guay and Love explained

Answer 5

Operant conditioning

Question 6

Operant conditioning explained

Answer 6

reinforcement
- increase behaviour
- positive = appetitive stimulus
- negative (escape - remove noxious stim - post good behaviour)
- negative (active avoidance - behaviour avoids noxious stim)

Question 7

Watson - Little Albert

Answer 7

conditioned to fear white rabbit - associate with loud bang noise
learnt can be unlearnt

Question 8

Skinner - skinners box

Answer 8

animal experimentation
- refute limitations of animal experimentation - believe to be applicable
- blank slate etc.

Question 9

Eval of Behavioural approach bad

Answer 9

• many cause and effect
• consider extraneous variables
• rejects consciousness
• ethical issues (phobias)
• use of animal studies

Question 10

Eval of Behavioural approach good

Answer 10

• somewhat scientific
• observable
• grounded in scientific views - started off during an age where bio was new - limited critique