behaviourist approach Flashcards
Behavioural approach
A way of explaining behaviour in terms of what can be observed and measured relying mostly on lab experiments
what are the assumptions of behaviourist approach?
• Human behaviour is learnt through experience
• Humans are born ‘tabula rasa’ (as a blank slate)
• Only observable behaviour can be studied scientifically
• It is valid to study animals as they share the same principles of learning
What are the two types of conditioning?
classical and operant conditioning
classical conditioning
learning by association
operant conditioning
learning based on the consequences of responding
Pavlov’s research
Pavlov revealed that dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell if that sound was repeatedly presented at the same time as food. Gradually Pavlov’s dogs learned to associate the sound of the bell (a stimulus) with the food (another stimulus).
Skinner’s rats
-rats in electrical box
-pushing button for food (red-electrocuted, green-food)
-learn to press green button and avoid red
Three types of consequences of behaviour
positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment
Positive reinforcement
receiving an award for certain behaviour so more likely to be repeated
Negative reinforcement
behaviour to avoid something unpleasant so more likely to be repeated
Punishment
consequence of behaviour
Strength of behaviourist approach scientific credibility
P: Scientific credibility
E: Behaviourism = made psychology a science (which Wundt failed). Used controlled investigations (lab) to produce patterns for general laws
E: Use of controlled investigations = more valid (EVs) = objective supp results = generalisable principles
L: BA succeeded in combining natural science and psych = more reliable insights = more credible
Limitation of behaviourist approach
P - ethical implications
E - animals were in harsh conditions and kept below their natural weight - always hungry
E - many have questioned the ethics of conducting such investigations
Limitation of behaviourist approach ethical and practical issues in animal experiments
Experimental procedures such as the skinner box enabled behaviours to maintain a high degree of control over their subject many critics have questioned the ethics of conducting such investigations animals were exposed to a stressful and aversive conditions which may have also affected how they react to the experimental situation
