behviourism

Question 2

Define Behaviourism

Answer 2

Behaviourism is a psychological perspective that focuses on observable behaviours rather than internal mental states

Question 3

Define Behaviourism

Answer 3

Behaviourism is a psychological perspective that focuses on observable behaviours rather than internal mental states

Question 4

Rise of behaviourism

Answer 4

John B. Watson’s methodological behaviourism (1923) and Skinner’s radical behaviourism (1974), showed rise of behaviourism according to Powell et al., 2017)

Question 5

Fall of behaviourism

Answer 5

cognitive Revolution Emergence of cognitive psychology highlighted limitations in behaviourisms focus on observable behaviour alone (De Houwer & Hughes, 2018) / shift towards a more holistic veiw of human behaviour

Question 6

Methodological behaviourism

Answer 6

Focuses only on observable behaviours and their environmental causes, dismissing internal processes- seen in his “ little Albert” experiment of conditioning a fear responses (1920. Watson’s (1913) paper, psychology as the behaviourist veiws it, argued that psychology is a branch of natural science which doesn’t include studying internal processes effect on behaviour.

Question 7

Radical behaviourism

Answer 7

Extends Watson’s study to include private events ( internal processes) as behaviours that can be scientifically studied/ argued that private events follow same principles of observable behaviour (1938,1974) / considered all behaviours, private and observable, are influenced by external factors/ radical behaviourism does not dismiss internal processes but includes them in studies as can be seen in his thoery of operant conditioning

Question 8

Modern developments of behaviourism

Answer 8

Relational Frame Thoery/ behavioural therapy’s: challenging the claims of the “cognitive revolution” overtaking behaviourism, behaviourism has hugely influenced modern behavioural psychology techniques, such as, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and Functional Analytical Psychoherapy (FAP)

Question 9

Limitations of behaviourism

Answer 9

Limited study of internal processes/ neglects biological factors influence on behaviour such as biological predispositions and brain structures/ Skinner’s theory lacks scientific support due to its difficulty in validity/ skinner’s theory still shoes limitations in understanding complexity of behaviour

Question 10

Applications of Behaviourism

Answer 10

RFT addresses the limitations of traditional behaviourism by including analysis of cognition and language/ RFT often used in therapies ( Powell et., 2017) / ABA in Autism: uses behavioural techniques to improve communication skills ( Cooper et al., 2017)/ token economy programs/ behaviour modification programs in therapies, CBT , ACT, FAP