Behaviourist approach

Question 1

Behaviourist assumptions

Answer 1

All behaviour is learned from an environment
Nothing is innate
Use objective, lab based methods
Only interested in studying observable behaviour
You are born a blank state- Tabula Rasa

Question 2

Classical conditioning definition

Answer 2

Learning through association:
pairing two stimuli together to get a response
eg Pavlov’s dogs, Little Albert

Question 3

Pavlov’s dogs:

before, during and after conditioning

Answer 3

Before conditioning: food= unconditioned stimulus (UCS) salivation: unconditioned response (UCR)
During conditioning: food= unconditioned stimulus (UCS) salivation: unconditioned response (UCR) Bell= neutral stimulus (NS)
After conditioning: bell= conditioned stimulus (CS) salivation= conditioned response (CR)

Question 4

Little albert:

before, during and after conditioning

Answer 4

Should have used counter conditioning- very unethical

Before conditioning: rat= neutral stimulus (NS) hammer= unconditioned stimulus (UCS) fear- unconditioned response (UCR)
During conditioning: rat= neutral stimulus (NS) paired with Hammer= unconditioned stimulus (UCS) means Fear= unconditioned response (UCR)
After conditioning: rat= conditioned response (CR) leads to a conditioned reflex Fear= unconditioned response (UCR)

Question 5

definition and 3 features

Operant conditioning

Answer 5

Learning through rewards and consequences
Positive reinforcement
Negative reinforcement
Punishment

Question 6

Positive reinforcement (behaviourist operant conditioning)

Answer 6

The addition of something strengthens behaviour, eg a merit for good work

Question 7

Negative reinforcement (operant conditioning behaviourist)

Answer 7

The removal of unpleasant stimulus strengthens behaviour (whatever you did to remove the unpleasant stimulus, you do again
Eg., Emma has a headache (pain is unpleasant)
Abbie says take paracetamol which removes the unpleasant pain
Next time, Emma will take paracetamol

Question 8

Punishment (behaviourist approach)

Answer 8

Operant conditioning
extinguishes bad behaviour
Eg., Naughty step- makes them feel like they are missing out

Question 8

Skinner’s box (operant conditioning behaviourist)

Answer 8

Skinner’s Box (problem is, rats and pigeons are not humans and it is unethical to experiment on them)

Took rats and pigeons and tested reinforcement
Boxes had a leaver:
Positive reinforcement- every time they touched a leaver they get food
Negative reinforcement- electrified floor, every time they touched the leaver, the electric floor would turn off

Question 9

Evaluating the behaviourist response

Answer 9

Strengths: The approach has high scientific credibility
It focusses on objective measurement and data
It uses lab settings with high control
The high control in studies allows them to be repeated and therefore findings can be replicated

Limitations: However, lab settings lack ecological validity (lack accuracy to real life). This means we cant generalise the results as the setting is artificial. Furthermore, participants might respond to demand characteristics, so the findings lack accuracy. The do not predict real world behaviour.

Question 10

Behaviourist debates

Answer 10

Nurture- behaviour learned from environment
Deterministic- no free will
Reductionist

Question 11

How is it used in society?

Describe what a token economy is in behaviourism

Answer 11

Desirable behaviours are encouraged by using selective reinforcement. Used in schools and prisons to maintain order in society. Negative as they could be seen as an unethical form of control and they are also only a short term solution.