behaviourist approach

Question 1

which approaches are learning approaches?

Answer 1

behaviourist
social learning theory

Question 2

what is the behaviourist approach?

Answer 2

a learning approach which suggests behaviour is learned through experiences and interactions with the environment

Question 3

name 2 significant behavioural psychologists

Answer 3

Pavlov (classical conditioning)
Skinner (operant conditioning)

Question 4

assumptions of the behaviourist approach

Answer 4

• behaviour is a result of stimulus-response
• the mind is a ‘black box’ - rejection of internal mental processes
• all behaviour is learnt from the environment through operant or classical conditioning - when born our mind is a blank slate
• behaviourism focuses on observable behaviour
• psychology is a science - behaviour must be measured in a controlled environment to establish cause and effect
• little difference between learning in humans and animals

Question 5

what is classical conditioning?

Answer 5

when an unconditioned response can be triggered by a neutral stimulus through repeated pairing and eventually the neutral stimulus alone produces the conditioned response

ASSOCIATION

Question 6

research into classical conditioning

Answer 6

Pavlov’s dogs
Before conditioning, the unconditioned stimulus (food) produced an unconditioned response (salivation).
During conditioning, the unconditioned stimulus was repeatedly paired with a neutral stimulus (a bell), to produce the same unconditioned response of salivation.
An association was made between the unconditioned stimulus and the neutral stimulus.
After conditioning, the neutral stimulus became the conditioned stimulus, producing the conditioned response of salivation.

Question 7

case study - classical conditioning

Answer 7

Watson and Rayner (1920) - Little Albert
Researchers tried to create a conditioned response to different objects. When a fluffy object was shown (UCS) Albert would interact with it (UCR). When a gong is struck (NS) repeatedly paired with the UCS, after some time the NS will become the CS which produces a CR which would be Albert crying.

Question 8

what is operant conditioning?

Answer 8

when a creature performs voluntary responses, it learns from the consequences of its actions
consequences that reward/reinforce behaviour are performed more frequently
consequences that punish behaviour are performed less

REINFORCEMENT

Question 9

research into operant conditioning

Answer 9

Skinner’s box
positive reinforcement was shown when the rats pressed down on a lever to receive food as a reward and subsequently learnt to repeat this action to increase their rewards. Negative reinforcement was shown when the rat learnt to press down on the lever to avoid the unpleasant consequence of an electric shock

Question 10

positive reinforcement

Answer 10

adding a pleasant stimulus to encourage a desired behaviour

Question 11

negative reinforcement

Answer 11

removing an unpleasant stimulus to encourage behaviour

Question 12

positive punishment

Answer 12

adding an unpleasant stimulus after displaying an undesired behaviour

Question 13

negative punishment

Answer 13

removing a pleasant stimulus after displaying an undesired behaviour

Question 14

extinction

Answer 14

if the reinforcing consequences stop, then the person or animal will stop performing the behaviour

Question 15

behaviour shaping

Answer 15

it is possible to train animals to perform complex behaviours through operant conditioning
first simple behaviours are rewards then behaviours closer to desired behaviour are rewarded

Question 16

difference between classical and operant conditioning

Answer 16

classical - involuntary response e.g. dogs naturally drool to food, association between NS and UCS is automatic
operant - voluntary response e.g. child may clean their room to get praise (positive reinforcement)

classical - explains acquisition of phobias e.g. phobias gaining due to associating phobic object with a stimuli that naturally causes a fear response
operant - explains maintenance of phobias e.g. avoiding a phobia leads to reduction in anxiety which is pleasant (negative reinforcement)

Question 17

strengths of the behaviourist approach

Answer 17

+ highly scientific because it studies objectively observable and measurable stimulus-response mechanisms - establishes cause-effect relationships through highly controlled lab experiments that manipulate variables systematically
+ standardised procedures allows for easy replication and the large-scale studies improved psychology’s scientific status as its own field
+ practical applications e.g. token economy systems in prisons, classroom management etc - these methods are effective in reducing maladaptive behaviour and suggests the behaviourist principles these are based on are valid

Question 18

weaknesses of the behaviourist approach

Answer 18

• findings may not be generalisable to human behaviour as complex social and cultural forces influence human behaviour as well as humans having higher intelligence than rats and dogs so stimulus-response mechanisms may be to simplistic to explain human behaviour
• unethical - potential harm to rats
• unethical when applied to humans e.g. can be used by gambling companies to encourage compulsive behaviour
• overly reductionist - human behaviour is too complex to be described in this way
• environmentally reductionist as it ignores other explanations for behaviour such as social learning, unconscious mind, role of biology