Behaviourist approach

Question 1

What are the key assumptions of the behaviourist approach

Answer 1

All behaviour is learnt through experience (nurture rather than nature) and external forces shape our behaviour (it is determined)

Question 2

What sort of study did behaviourists rely on

Answer 2

Lab studies as they tried to maintain control and objectivity within their research

Question 3

Who discovered classical conditioning and when

Answer 3

Ivan Pavlov in 1927

Question 4

What was Pavlovs experiment

Answer 4

He presented a bell (neutral stimulus) with food ( unconditioned stimulus) to dogs which led to an unconditioned response of salivation. During the acquisition phase the Bell (NS) is presented shortly before the food (UCS) and after many pairings the bell (NS) is able to produce the same response as the food (UCS). The bell (NS) has therefore become a conditioned stimulus

Question 5

What did pavlovs experiment demonstrate

Answer 5

The learning of innate reflex behaviours in animals

Question 6

What was pavlovs other findings

Answer 6

Timing- NS must be used quickly after the UCS. If not then conditioning doesn’t take place.
Extinction- after a few presentations of the CS in the absence of the UCS it loses its ability to produce the conditioned response.
Spontaneous Recovery- when the CS and UCS are paired again it will take less time to make the link
Stimulus Generalisation- sounds related to the CS have the same CR as with the CS

Question 7

What has classical conditioning led to

Answer 7

The development of treatments for the reduction of anxiety associated with various phobias- Systematic desensitisation is a form of therapy on cc that works by eliminating the CR that is associated with the feared object or situation (CS) and replaces it with another learned response, relaxation