Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
What are the basic assumptions of the Behaviourist Approach?
1- We are born a blank slate
2- All behaviour can be learnt and unlearnt
3- Generalise animal behaviour
Why is it opposite to Wundt?
They said we have a stimulus then a response.
How is behaviour learnt?
Classical conditioning and Operant conditioning
What is classical conditioning?
Learnt by association
What is operant conditioning?
Learning from consequences
What did Pavlov do?
Before conditioning the dog salivated from the food and when the bell was on its own the neutral stimulus the dog didn’t salivate when they were put together and the bell rang every time the dog then salivated which is the conditioned response and the bell was the conditioned stimulus.
Positive reinforcement
Increases likelihood of the behaviour repeating.
Negative reinforcement
Removal of an unpleasant stimulus e.g. avoiding school
Punishment
Makes behaviour less likely to be repeated.
Example of operant conditioning:
Skinner experimented with a rat in a box of negative positive reinforcement and also consequences.
Strengths of behaviourism
1.Focuses of measurable behaviour
2.Practical Application- Token economy used in institutions to get a reward
Systematic Desensitiation- a therapy to learn to be calm and relaxed
Issues with behaviourism
1- reductionist ignores mental processes
2-ignores biology
3- Deterministic view of behaviour
