behaviourist approach Flashcards
what kind of approach is behaviourist approach
a learning theory
what does behaviourism emphasise
that all behaviour is learnt and behaviour is influenced by environmental factors
behaviourism almost entirely excludes inhertied factors
how do we learn new behaviour
through operant or classical conditioning
what is our mind called when we are born
tabula rasa - blank slate
what do behaviourists believe when it comes to approaching scientific study
that behaviour should be studied scientifically
how should theories be supported
theories should be supported through obtaining empircal data through careful controlled observation and measurement of behaviour
what do behaviourists propose the use of
operationalising variables
what do they believe when it comes to the existance of cognitions and emotions
they believe it exists but that only obseravle behaviour should be objectively studied - it is not possible to study people’s thoguhts and unconscious objectively (reject introspection
what do they believe when it comes to studying animals
they believe that there is no fundamental distinction between human and animal behaviour
so research can be carried out on animals and generalised to humans (comparitive psychology)
what is the relationship between stimulus and response
behaviour is a stimulus-response association
what are the scouts
supporting evidence, opposing theory, testability (pete)
pet opposing theory
p-opposing theory biological approach
e-link to ao1 suggests we need to examine biological structures and processes in the body etc behaviour is shaped by inherited characteristics, neurochemistry and brain structure. be. says behaviour is mainly learned while bi. says behaviour is mainly influenced by biological processes
t- biological approach is better at explaining at how behaviour can have a biological process and outlines discrepencies in be. approach
pet supporting evidence
p-skinner box
e-skinner examined operant conditioning in rats
t-therefore demonstrates how conditioning works with empirical evidence making it reliable, parents can learn how to make children learn positive behaviours
testability pete
p-testability - it is scientific and falsifiable
e-requires empirical data. it carries out reliable, well controlled and standardised research such as pavlov’s research into classical conditiong, focusing on observable behaviour in a highly controlled lab environemnt
t- due to being highly controlled and standardised, bh is reliable and can establish cause and effect relationships between behaviour and stimulus
e- however many studies rely on the use of animals to explain human behaviour. critics argue this data cannot be extrapolated to explain human behaviour as the human brain is more complex and has advanced skills
