Behaviourist approach

Question 1

Key assumptions of the behaviourist approach

Answer 1

*Everyone is born as a blank slate
*Everything is learnt through classical and operant conditioning
*Human behaviour is a result of learning through experiences
*should only study observable and measurable behaviour (ignores mental processing)
*attempt to maintain control and objectivity through lab experiments

Question 2

Classical conditioning- Pavlov (1927)

Answer 2

-learning through association
-Pavlov showed how a neutral stimulus e.g a bell, can lead to a new learned response (conditioned response) through association
-showed how dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of the bell if that sound was repeatedly presented at the same time as they were given food

Question 3

Unconditioned response

Answer 3

An automatic and naturally occurring response to a stimulus

Question 4

Conditioned response

Answer 4

An automatic response triggered by a conditioned stimulus

Question 5

Conditioned stimulus

Answer 5

A stimulus that can trigger a conditioned response

Question 6

Neutral stimulus

Answer 6

A stimulus which at first triggers no response

Question 7

Operant conditioning - Skinner (1953)

Answer 7

-learning through reinforcement
-positive reinforcement- receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is shown e.g receiving praise points when participating in lesson
-negative reinforcement- avoiding doing a certain action/behaviour to gain a positive outcome e.g getting to school on time to avoid getting a detention
-punishment- an unpleasant consequence of behaviour