behaviourist approach

Question 1

what are the main 4 assumptions?

Answer 1

• behaviour can be explained in terms of learning, e.g. cc and oc
• processes that govern learning are the same in all species so research on animals can be applied to humans
• should only study behaviour if it can be directly observed and objectively measured
• humans are born a blank slate (tabula rasa) so no genetic influence on behaviour

Question 2

what is classical conditioning?

Answer 2

when an exisiting relex is associated with a new stimulus

Question 3

pavlov’s dogs

Answer 3

cc was tested with dogs who learnt to associate a bell with food

• neutral stimulus (bell) -> no response
• uc stimulus (food) -> uc response (salivation)
• uc stimulus (food) + neutral stimulus (bell) -> uc response (salivation
• c stimulus (bell) -> c response (salivation

Question 4

what is operant conditioning?

Answer 4

behaviour is due to learning from our actions
+ve reinforcement = behaviour followed by a reward is more likely to be repeated
-ve reinforcement = behaviour followed by removal of negative consequence is more likely to be repeated
punishment = behaviour followed by bad consequence is less likely to be repeated

Question 5

the skinner box

Answer 5

created skinner box for rats and pigeons. the animal moves in the cage and when it presses the lever it gets a food pellet, the animal learnt via +ve reinforcement that pressing the lever gets them food

Question 6

give a strength of the behaviourist approach
1/3

Answer 6

behaviourists encouraged using animals as test subjects, using them allowed for more control, without demand characteristics or individual differences

Question 7

give a strength of the behaviourist approach
2/3

Answer 7

contributed to recognition of psychology as a science. the emphasis on these scientific methods means ev’s can be controlled, leading to a more valid and reliable understanding of behaviour

Question 8

give a strength of the behaviourist approach
3/3

Answer 8

real life applications in understanding of mental illness. phobias are learnt via unpleasant experiences, which caused systematic desensitisation. gambling can be better understood via oc, and token economy systems can be used for offenders

Question 9

give a limitation of the behaviourist approach
1/4

Answer 9

using animals can be unethical as there’s less concern about protection from harm

Question 10

give a limitation of the behaviourist approach
2/4

Answer 10

findings cant be generalised to humans, so oc theory may not provide an understanding of human behaviour

Question 11

give a limitation of the behaviourist approach
3/4

Answer 11

limited view of origins of behaviour, ignoring alternative levels of explanation like cognition and emotional factors. therefore is reductionist

Question 12

give a limitation of the behaviourist approach
4/4

Answer 12

environmentally deterministic: believe behaviour is controlled by something as simple as stimulus response association, that humans have little choice in our behaviour, suggests little free will