Behaviourist Perspective

Question 1

What are the principles of the behaviourist perspective?

Answer 1

-All people are born Tabula Rasa & All behaviours are learned from the environment

-The way in which people learn behaviour from the environment can happen through three main processes.

Question 2

What are the concepts of the behaviourist perspective?

Answer 2

-Classical conditioning
-Operant conditioning
-Social learning theory

Question 3

What are the core studies in the behaviourist perspective?

Answer 3

-Bandura
-Chaney

Question 4

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 4

This is learning by association, as shown in Pavlov’s dogs. Whenever food was Brough to the dogs, a bell was rung. After doing this several times, the dogs began to associate the ringing of the bell with the food being presented. The neutral stimulus now signals that food will be brought and causes salivation, even when the food is not brought.

Question 5

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 5

Involved learning from the consequences of our behaviour.

Positive reinforcement: adding something good to encourage behaviour

Negative reinforcement: taking away something bad to reinforce behaviour

Positive punishment: adding something bad to discourage behaviour

Negative punishment: Taking away something good to discourage behaviour

Question 6

What is social learning theory?

Answer 6

Learning takes place through observing the behaviour of role models and then imitating their behaviour

Question 7

What are the strengths of the behaviourist perspective?

Answer 7

Very useful and can have practical applications for teachers and parents (as well as for treating people with addictions or phobias)

Tends to use lab experiments which are very controlled and scientific

Provides evidence in supply of the nurture side of the nature/nurture debate

Question 8

What are the weaknesses of the behaviourist perspective?

Answer 8

Can be unethical especially when researching punishment (and when research is investigating how children learn or when research involves animals)

Ignores genetics and biology as a cause of behaviour (too simplistic to say that all behaviour is learned - there is a likely complex interaction of nature and nurture)

States that all behaviours is the results of environmental influences and learning- no room for free will