Behaviourism-EVAL

Question 1

one strength is that it is SCIENTIFIC

Answer 1

1) This is because it uses the OBJECTIVE measure of observably behaviour meaning it will NOT be open to BIAS, raising scientific CREDIBILITY.

2) Methodology used and experiments were LAB experiments. These have HIGH control over extran variables, stopping them from becoming CONFOUNDING. This raises the I.V, and we can infer CAUSATION.

3) STANDARDISED procedures. Possible to replicate them raising credibility of the studies and behaviourist approach as a whole.

Question 2

Another strength is that it has REAL-LIFE APPLICATION.

Answer 2

1) TOKEN ECONOMY is based on operant conditioning, used in prisons or institutions. e.g. patients given tokens for getting out of bed, tokens exchanged for rewards, leading to a repetition of this behaviour (pos. reinforcement), as SUGGESTED by the behavioural approach.

2) FLOODING and SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION are used to set up a new association in a PHOBIC person between the object of fear and relaxation- based on classical conditioning.

They also prevent them from running away, REMOVING this negative re-inforcement (operant conditioning)

Therefore, these behavioural concepts have lead to these successful therapies, supporting the behavioural approach.

Question 3

One weakness of the behavioural appraoch is that it is ENVIRONMENTALLY REDUCTIONIST

Answer 3

This is because it REDUCES complex issues down to JUST learning from environment.

Weakness as we may MISS other important factors that could be influencing behaviour e.g. thinking or biology.

suggested that the B. approach should take an INTERACTIONIST approach instead, where it;s combined with another approach e.g. COGNITIVE to from a cog. behavioural approach- successful in therapy (CBT)

However, a POSITIVE of it being reductionist is that it reduces it down to ONE factor.

E.g. learning it means it’s easier to measure and show cause and effect, further adding to the scientific credibility of the approach, also making it easier to treat disorders. E.g. phobias.

Question 4

One weakness is that it is ENVIROMENTALLY DETERMINISTIC

Answer 4

This is because it suggests that learning will lead to a behaviour and we have no FREEWILL, so no choice in whether we perform the behaviour or not.

A problem with this is that it can be seen as PESSIMISTIC

However, this can also be seen as a STRENGTH of the approach as determinism is in LINE with science and ADDs to the scientific credibility of the B. approach.

This is because determinism SHOWS cause and effects, and causation is a KEY feature of science.