Behaviourism

Question 1

What does the behaviourist approach say we are born with?

Answer 1

A tabulla rasa

Question 2

All behaviour is…

Answer 2

Learnt and not innate

Question 3

What is the approach not interested in?

Answer 3

Cognition and rejects introspection as it is not scientific enough

Question 4

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 4

Learning through rewards to strengthen the behaviour
Consequences- to extinguish the behaviour

Question 5

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 5

Learning through associion
2 stimuli- associate with eachother and generate a response

Question 6

What is a weakness of animal research?

Answer 6

It cannot be generalised to humans- humans have higher cognition/emotions- humans are more complex

Question 7

Pavlovs experiment before conditioning?

Answer 7

Food = UCS
Salivation = UCR

Question 8

Pavlovs expeirment during conditioning?

Answer 8

Bell = NS
Food = UCS
Salivation = UCR

Question 9

Pavlovs expeirment after conditioning?

Answer 9

Bell = CS
Salivation = CR

Question 10

Little Albert?

Answer 10

Rat (NS) -> NR
Rat (NS) + loud noises (UCS) -> fear (UCR)
Albert was left with a fear of anything fluffy and white

Question 11

What is the practical application?

Answer 11

Token economies- create a list of desired behaviours, every time they are performed, a token is rewarded

Question 12

What can the tokens be traded for?

Answer 12

Something you want

Question 13

What are the strengths of token economies?

Answer 13

We know it works- used in prisons and schools- gives credibility to the approach

Question 14

Weaknesses of token economies: short term?

Answer 14

Short term effective e.g. in prisons, it is an easy way to control inmates

Question 15

Weaknesses of token economies: recidivism rates?

Answer 15

Recidivism rates in the UK are high- no token economies once they are out

Question 16

Weaknesses of token economies: ethical?

Answer 16

Not ethical- stripping back things that people want just for them to earn them back

Question 17

Skinners box: negative reinforcement?

Answer 17

Removes an unpleasant stimulus
Puts an electric current through the floor
Press the lever to turn off the current- strengthens the behaviour of pressing the lever

Question 18

Skinners box: positive reinforcement?

Answer 18

The lever gives a food pellet when pressed

Question 19

Strengths of skinners box: scientific?

Answer 19

Scientific study- high control of extraneous variables

Question 20

Strengths of skinners box: cause and effect relationships?

Answer 20

Helps to establish cause and effect relationships

Question 21

Strengths of skinners box: replication?

Answer 21

Can be easily replicated- increases the reliability- makes the research more credible

Question 22

Weaknesses of Skinners box: lab?

Answer 22

Lab based methods- artificial environment- demand characteristics may develop

Question 23

Weaknesses of Skinners box: ecological validity?

Answer 23

Lacks ecological validity- lacks accuracy to the real world environment

Question 24

Weaknesses of Skinners box: cognition?

Answer 24

Ignores cognition

Question 25

Weaknesses of Skinners box: free will?

Answer 25

Ignores the idea of choice/free will

Question 26

Problems with the experiment?

Answer 26

Unethical
Animal based- humans are more complex than rats