behaviourist approach

Question 1

what is the behaviourist approach?
(AO1)

Answer 1

The behaviourist approach is an approach to explaining behaviour which suggests that
all behaviour is acquired and maintained through classical and operant conditioning.

Question 2

what are behaviourists main assumptions? (AO1)

Answer 2

everything is learnt except basic reflexes through classical and operant conditioning

not concerned with mental processes as they are studied subjectively

rely heavily on lab studies (Hence, only behaviour which can be objectively measured and observed is studied, as demonstrated by Skinner’s Box. This is due to the founders of behaviourism, Watson and Skinner, disagreeing with the subjective nature of Wundt’s introspective methods, and the inability to formulate general laws and universal principles based on his observations.)

humans are no different to animals (From a behaviourist perspective, the basic laws governing learning are the same across both non-humans and humans. Therefore, non-human animals can replace humans in behaviourist experimental research.)

Question 3

what is conditioning? (AO1)

Answer 3

a new learnt behaviour

Question 4

what is classical conditioning? (AO1)

Answer 4

learning a behaviour through association, making an association between 2 stimuli to form a new learnt behaviour

Question 5

How does classical conditioning take place? (AO1)

Answer 5

Before conditioning, the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) produces the unconditioned response (UCR). During conditioning, the neutral stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the UCS, producing an UCR. After conditioning, the neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned stimulus, producing the conditioned response.

Question 6

what did pavlov do? (AO1)

Answer 6

Pavlov demonstrated that dogs could be conditioned to salivate upon hearing a bell

Question 7

How did Pavlov do it? (AO1)

Answer 7

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

Question 8

What is operant conditioning?(Ao1)

Answer 8

Learning to repeat a behaviour or not depending on the consequences

Question 9

What strengthens behaviour?

Answer 9

Reinforcement

Question 10

What decreases likelihood of repeating a behaviour?

Answer 10

Punishment

Question 11

What are the two types of punishment?

Answer 11

Positive:adding a negative consequence
Negative:Removing something positive

Question 12

What are the two types of reinforcement?

Answer 12

Positive:Adding a positive consequence
Negative:Removing something unpleasant

Question 13

What was skinners box?

Answer 13

Skinner demonstrated, using a rat, the mechanisms of positive and negative reinforcement. 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 14

What was little Albert experiment?

Answer 14

Initially, Albert had no fear of the rat, but Watson and Rayner paired the rat’s presence with a loud noise, causing Albert to eventually associate the rat with fear, even in the absence of the noise. This fear also generalized to other white, furry objects. The experiment demonstrated that emotional responses, such as fear, could be learned through association.The Little Albert Experiment demonstrated that classical conditioning could be used to create a phobia.

Question 15

Behaviourist strengths (AO3)

Answer 15

Scientific Rigour = In an attempt to objectively and systematically collect reliable data,
the behaviourist approach makes use of highly scientific research methods, particularly the laboratory experiment. Strictly-controlled conditions reduce and control for the effects of confounding and extraneous variables, increasing the reliability and internal validity of the findings (as these are more likely to be replicated when research is conducted under the same conditions). By focusing on behaviour which is observable and can be measured, the behaviourist approach increases the scientific credibility of psychology.

+ Real-Life Applications = An increased understanding of classical and operant conditioning has led to the development of treatments and therapies for serious mental disorders. For example, token economies have been used as a way of dealing with offending behaviour: inmates who carry out socially-desirable behaviour (such as tidying their cell and avoiding conflicts) receive tokens (secondary reinforcers) which can be traded for privileges (primary reinforcers), such as extra TV-time. Therefore, behaviourist principles have had positive impacts on the lives of many.

Question 16

Behaviourist approach weaknesses (AO3)

Answer 16

— Environmental Determinism = The behaviourist approach sees all behaviour as the product of past reinforcement contingencies, leaving no room for free will or conscious choices. This hard deterministic stance may be a more appropriate explanation for animal behaviour, whereas explanations of human behaviour should also account for emotionsmotivations and reasoning skills (e.g. as social learning theory does). Hence, the behaviourist approach may be a limited explanation for human behaviour.

— Cost-benefit analyses with the use of animals in experimental research = Skinner’s box caused considerable physical harm to the rats, breaching the BPS ethical guideline of protection from harm. Watson and Rayner’s classical conditioning experiments on Little Albert failed to protect him from psychological harm, as well as not offering him the opportunity to withdraw. Therefore, much behaviourist research, at least by modern standards, would be viewed as unethical. However, a cost-benefit analysis may show that the benefit of increased understanding of the different types of learning (classical and operant conditioning) outweigh the ethical costs.