Behaviourist Approach

Question 1

‘tabula rasa’ theory

Answer 1

• people seen as a blank slate from birth, and experiences from the environment are what influence our behaviour
• role of learning emphasised

Question 2

how behaviour is explained

Answer 2

• explained through what is observable and measured

Question 3

behaviourist experiments

Answer 3

• experiments done on animals for ethical reasons, based on the assumption of behaviourism that all animals, including humans, learn in the same way
• behaviourism is reliant on controlled lab experiments

Question 4

Classical Conditioning diagram - UCR, UCS, etc.

Answer 4

UCS -> UCR
UCS + NS -> UCR
CS (NS) -> CR

Question 5

explanation of classical conditioning

Answer 5

• learning through association
• Pavlov’s dogs - salivated when they heard research footsteps since they were associated with food
• bell experiment producing same response in the dogs
• dogs are conditioning to associate a neutral stimulus, a bell, with food

Question 6

Three types of operant conditioning

Answer 6

• positive reinforcement - behaviour performed, reward given, action repeated
• negative reinforcement- unpleasant thing happening, prevent by a behaviour, behaviour is repeated to avoid unpleasant situation
• punishment - unpleasant consequences for behaviour so action not repeated

Question 7

Operant conditioning - research

Answer 7

• learning through association
• B. F. Skinner
• Skinner box with a rat, in which he demonstrated all three types of operant conditioning

Question 8

(+) EVAL - scientific methods

Answer 8

• use of scientific methods is a strength of this approach
• demonstrated by Pavlov and Skinner in their experiments
• Pavlov’s experiment uses controlled lab environment, not using artificial stimuli, so situational variables would not affect behaviour
• findings from both studies was objective, with little interpretation needed, and empirical methods used
• both studies replicable due to control
• influential in development of psychology as a science

Question 9

(+) EVAL - practical applications

Answer 9

• assumption of learned behaviour and unlearning has practical applications, such as in treatment of phobias
• phobias are said to be developed through classical conditioning and maintained through operant conditioning
• therefore is different association is made between person and phobic stimulus, the phobia can be stopped
• behaviourist treatments such as systematic desensitisation and flooding
• operant conditioning used as basis for token economy systems in prisons and wards

Question 10

(-) EVAL - ecological validity

Answer 10

• research can be deemed to lack ecological validity due to the artificial setting and nature of some studies
• e.g. Skinner box not representing natural setting for rats, so their behaviour may be unnatural as well

Question 11

(-) EVAL - unethical

Answer 11

• unethical treatment of animals, as well as humans
• e.g. case of Little Albert, where a small child was conditioned to be scared of white rabbits
• a high level of anxiety was caused by this conditioning, as well as the fear of white furry things