Behaviourist Approach

Question 1

What are the main assumptions of the behaviourist approach?

Answer 1

Behaviour is determined by the environment and the stimulus response principle.

The behaviourist create laws of learning which can be generalised to everyone.

We learn through conditioning; operant and classical

Question 2

Compare the behaviourists to the cognitive approach.

Answer 2

Cognitive disagree with behaviourist as they believe SR is too simplistic and that behaviourist have ignored important internal mental processes that occur between stimulus and response and therefore put forward SOR .

Question 3

Compare the behaviourist to the biological approach.

Answer 3

They believe behaviour is determined by the environment and ignore the role of nature and biological influences.

Question 4

Compare the behaviourist approach to the humanistic approach.

Answer 4

The humanistic approach disagrees with the laws of learning that can be generalised as they believe humans are unique individuals who shouldn’t be generalised.

Question 5

Define operant conditioning.

Answer 5

Operant conditioning believes that reinforcement increases behaviour and punishment decreases behaviour.

Question 6

Describe Skinners experiment.

Answer 6

Skinner believed in operant conditioning where the learner operates in an environment leading to a consequence

He starved a rat and placed him in a box. Through trial and error, the rat pressed a leaver that releases food ( reinforcement). Hence, the lever pressing increased.
He then electrocuted the rat when the leaver was pressed so the leaver pressing decreased.

Question 7

What is positive reinforcement?

Answer 7

It involves a pleasant stimulus.

Question 8

Define negative reinforcement.

Answer 8

Performing a behaviour to avoid something unpleasant.

Question 9

Define punishment.

Answer 9

A behaviour followed by something negative.

Question 10

Compare the behaviourist to Social Learning theory.

Answer 10

Behaviourists believe all learning is linked to the environment whereas the social learning theory state we can learn through observation alone and via role models.

Question 11

What are treatments and applications of operant conditioning?

Answer 11

Token economy which is where tokens are exchanged for desirables.

Language development which is where autistics and rewarded every time they attempt to communicate.

Question 12

Evaluate token economy.

Answer 12

+ it is highly effective with young offenders.

• it is only short term and only works in confined places.

Question 13

Evaluate language development.

Answer 13

+ can be used by parents and therapists

• only works with mild autism.

Question 14

What did Thorndike do?

Answer 14

He investigated the laws of effect which refers to behaviour being stamped in and more likely to be repeated

Question 15

Define classical conditioning.

Answer 15

It involves paired association between stimulus and response.

Question 16

Describe Pavlovs experiment.

Answer 16

He wanted to investigate whether you could train a dog to salivate on demand to any object.

Draw table.

Question 17

Describe watsons experiment.

Answer 17

Watson applied the principles of operant conditioning to a little baby called little Albert.

Draw a table

Question 18

What are applications of classical conditioning?

Answer 18

Aversion therapy- treat substance abuse patients.

Systematic desensitisation - treating phobias where the patient is faced with the feared object in small stages.

Question 19

What reset method is used by behaviourists and evaluate it.

Answer 19

Rigorous, objective, scientific experiments

+ establish cause and effect

• lack of ecological validity

Question 20

Compare the behaviourist to the psychodynamic approach.

Answer 20

The behaviourist believe we should study objective and observable behaviour and as a result gained scientific credibility. However, they disagree with the psychodynamic approach because they reject the unconscious mind as you can’t touch or measure it.