Behviourist Approach

Question 1

Assumptions the behaviourist approach is based upon;

Answer 1

• we are born as a blank slate, a ‘tabula rasa’, what we come is shaped by the process of learning from our environment
• extreme ‘nurture’ side of the nature nurture debate
• in order for psychology to be scientific it should focus on observable behaviour which can be objectively measured, rather than on things like cognitive processes which can only be inferred
• lab experiments are the best way to achieve this

Question 2

Classical conditioning

Answer 2

• learning through association
• first demonstrated by Ivan Pavlov
• dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell (stimulus) as they related the sound to food (stimulus) due to the bell being rung as they were presented their food
• Pavlov was able to show how a neutral stimulus (bell) can cause a new learned response (a conditioned response) through association

Question 3

Classical conditioning process;

Answer 3

Before conditioning ;
Unconditioned stimulus = unconditioned response
(Food) (Dog salivates)

Neutral stimulus = no conditioned response
(Bell)

During conditioning;
Unconditioned stimulus + neutral stimulus = unconditioned response
(Food) (Bell) (Dog salivates)

After conditioning;
Conditional stimulus = conditioned response
(Bell) (Dog salivates)

Question 4

‘Little Albert’ - Watson and Rayer

Answer 4

Neutral Stimulus- white rat
Unconditioned stimulus- steel rod and hammer
Conditioned response- fear of the white rat and similar animals

Question 5

Operant conditioning

Answer 5

• behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences
• possible consequences of behaviour include;
  — positive reinforcement- receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed
  — negative reinforcement- occurs when an animal or human avoids something unpleasant
  — punishment- an unpleasant consequence of behaviour

Question 6

Skinners study;

Answer 6

1. Skinner developed a special cage (called Skinner’s box) in order to investigate operant conditioning
2. The rat moves round the cage, and when he accidentally presses the lever, a food pellet (the reinforcer) falls into the cage
3. In no time at all the hungry rat begins pressing the lever in order to obtain food
4. If food pellets stop being given, the rat presses the lever a few more times and then abandons it (extinction)

Question 7

behaviourist evaluation (+)

Answer 7

• focuses on measurement of observable behaviour in highly controlled lab settings
• by emphasising the importance of objectivity and replication it became influential in the development of psychology as a science
• the principles of conditioning have been applied to a broad range of real world behaviour and problems. — Operant conditioning- is the basis of taken economy system
  — Classical conditioning- has been applied to treatment of phobias

Question 8

behaviourist evaluation (-)

Answer 8

• everything we do is the sum of our reinforcement history. It ignores the possible influence that free will may have on behaviour. Skinner said free will is an illusion. According to Skinner, our past conditioning history determines what happens to us
• the ethics are questionable. The animals were exposed to stressful conditions which could have affected how they responded to the experiment