Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
Behaviourist approach
an approach explaining behaviour and suggests that all behaviour is acquired and maintained through classical and operant conditioning
Behaviourist
Believes that human behaviour can be explained in terms of conditioning, without the need to consider thoughts or feelings.
Who researched into classical conditioning
Russian physiologist, Ivan Pavlov in (1927)
What was Pavlov aim of the study?
To investigate the salivary reflex in dogs when he noticed that animals not only salivate when theres food but when the stimuli was joined with the presention of food.
Classical conditioning
Combination of UCS and UCR. Pairing a NS with the UCS turns the NS into a CS and the UCR into a CR.
Key features of forming an association:
Timing
Extinction
Spontaneous recovery
Stimulus generalisation
Key features of forming an association:
Timing
NS needs to predict the UCS (order/interval)
Key features of forming an association:
Extinction
Without the NS the CR is lost
Key features of forming an association:
Spontaneous recovery
Spontaneous recovery – Re-pairing brings back the association
Key features of forming an association:
Stimulus generation
similar to CS
Draw the diagram of Pavlov’s research during and after conditioning.
UCS → UCR
Food Salivation
UCS + NS → UCR
Food + Bell Salivation
CS → CR
Bell Salivation
Operant conditioning
Learning through reinforcement or punishment. if a behaviour is followed by a desirable consequence then that behaviour is more likely to occur again.
Skinner 1938
interested in behaviours that are freely made rather than those that are reflex/reflexive. Created the ‘skinner box/ in order to investigate operant conditioning in rats.
Positive reinforcement (Adding)
A behaviour is followed by giving a rewarding stimulus e.g. a merit or sweets
Negative reinforcement (Taking away)
A behaviour is followed by taking away something unpleasant e.g. skipping the queue
Reinforcement (Strengthing)
Anything that strengths a response and increases the likelihood of it occuring again in the future
Positive punishment (Adding/giving)
A behaviour is followed by giving an unpleasant stimulus e.g. being shouted at
Negative punishment (Taking away)
A behaviour is followed by taking away a pleasant stimulus e.g. confiscating your phone
Punishment (Weakens)
Involves the application of an unpleasant consequence with the result that the behaviour is less likely to occur again in the future
Strengths of the behaviourist approach
Systematic desensitation
It has successfully applied classical and operant conditioning to its theories. Systematic desensitisation is based on classical conditioning and is useful for treating phobias.
Strengths of the behaviourist approach 2
Scientific methods
Uses scientific methods of research because the experiments are objective, measurable and observable. eg. Bandura’s bobo doll study of aggression. (able to control variables).
Limitations of the behaviourist approach
Focus on nurture side
Focuses too much on the ‘nurture’ side of the nature/nurture debate. It suggests that all behaviour is learned but cognitive and biological elements have been proved to affect behaviour.
Limitations of the behaviourist approach 2
Ethical issues raised by using animals in experiments
As animals can not consent to take part and are unable to withdraw. Eg.behaviourist animal study is Pavlov’s dogs which led to classical conditioning principles being developed.
What and advantage of using scientific methods?
Able to discover a possible casual relationship between varables
Evaluation AO3
(e.g. family: one member has a mental illness another family member gets one this could be down to environment or because of the illness running through family)
- Looks at environment which appears to have a strong effect on mental illnesses.
- but it could also be down to biological reasons Is not clear cut which one it is down to (either biological/behaviourism)
Strengths of the behaviourist approach 3
Easy predictions
- provides simple, easily testable predictions about behaviour. eg. the effect of reinforcement on behaviour can be easily quantified.
