Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
What are the key assumptions of the behaviourist approach?
- We are a blank slate
- We are like animals
- We learn through conditioning
What is generalisation?
Testing on animals and applying the results to humans
Who were the two main psychologists of the behaviourist approach?
- Ivan Pavlov - dogs - classical conditioning
- BF Skinner - pigeons, rats - operant conditioning
What is classical conditioning?
Learning through association
What is operant conditioning?
Learning by reinforcement. When a creature performs a voluntary response, it learns from the consequences of those actions
What is negative reinforcement?
Removing an unpleasant stimulus to encourage behaviour
What is positive punishment?
Adding an unpleasant stimulus following a bad behaviour
What is positive reinforcement?
Adding a pleasant stimulus to encourage behaviour
What is negative reinforcement?
Removing an unpleasant stimulus to encourage behaviour
What are the strengths of the behaviourist approach?
- The principles of conditioning have been applied to a wide range of real life behaviours
- Able to bring the language and methods of natural science into psychology
What are the weaknesses of the behaviourist approach?
- It is too simplistic
- Ignores the idea of free will
