Behaviourist Approach

Question 1

What is classical conditioning

Answer 1

Learning through association

Question 2

Pablov’s dogs study

UCS = unconditioned stimulus

UCR = unconditioned response

NS = neutral stimulus

NR = neutral response

CS = conditioned stimulus

CR = conditioned response

Answer 2

food = salivate
(UCS). (UCR)

Bell = no response
(NS). (NR)

Bell + food = salivate
(UCS). (UCR)

Bell = salivate
(CS). (CR)

Question 3

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 3

Learning through awards and punishment.

Positive reinforcement = reward (being given)

Negative reinforcement = avoiding something negative (taking away a negative state)

Punishment = unpleasant outcome (decrease behaviour)

Question 4

Skinner’s box

Answer 4

Rat touching a lever to receive food or remove the negative state of an electric shock. Examples of positive and negative reinforcement

Question 5

Evaluation: strength

Answer 5

The approach has more scientific credibility. Highly controlled conditions that use standardised procedures. Less chance of extraneous variables affecting the findings

Question 6

Evaluation: strength

Answer 6

Has good practical applications: classical conditioning devised therapies such as flooding and systematic desensitisation.

Question 7

Evaluation: strength

Answer 7

Support from Watson & Raynor: conditioned little Albert to become afraid of rats through associating them with a loud noise

Question 8

Evaluation: weakness

Answer 8

Based on animal research: human minds are far more complex so not all behaviour can be explained through stimulus-response learning

Question 9

Evaluation: weakness

Answer 9

It is determinist: it implies that people’s behaviour is shaped by the environments they inhabit and therefore have no free will to change their behaviour