Behaviourist Approach

Question 1

What are the assumptions of the behaviourist approach?

Answer 1

Everyone is born with a blank slate and all behaviours are learned through interaction with environment
• importance of control and objectivity
• two forms of learning (classical and operant)
• animals and humans learn in the same way

Question 2

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 2

Learning to associate a previously NS with a stimulus that already produces a response. Through regular pairing the NS becomes a CS and produces a learned response

Question 3

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 3

Learning through consequences ( positive negative and punishment).
• learning is an active process
• behaviour that is reinforced will be repeated, behaviour that is punished will die out

Question 4

What did Ivan Pavlov do

Answer 4

Bell - NS
Food - US
Salivation - UR

constantly pairing the NS with CS produces the CR of salivation

Question 5

What did RF Skinner do?

Answer 5

• rats placed in box with neutral stimulants (produced neither reinforcement) and a level that dispensed food
• in some boxes punishments were administered with the lever - electrical shock (negative reinforcement and punishment

Question 6

Strengths of the behaviourist approach?

Answer 6

+ Scientific credibility
•based on well controlled research
• extraneous variables removed - can establish cause and effect
+ Real life application
• forms basis of token economy systems
• contributions to understanding mental illness - systematic desensitisation (counterconditioning)

Question 7

Limitations of the behaviourist approach?

Answer 7

• Oversimplified process
  • ignored important influences - human thought
  • SLT and cognitive approach drawn attention to mental processes (limited explanation)
• Animal studies
  • unethical - no protection from harm
  • not generalisable
  • shows little about HUMAN behaviour