Lesson 3: Behaviourist Approach (Operant Conditioning)

Question 1

Operant conditioning

Answer 1

• The basic idea behind Skinner’s theory of operant conditioning (Skinner, 1938) is that organisms spontaneously produce different behaviours and these behaviours produce consequences for that organism. Some of these consequences may be positive and some may be negative. If the consequence of a behaviour is positive then the behaviour is likely to be repeated. If the consequence is negative then the behaviour is much less likely to be repeated.
• Responses are reinforced in operant conditioning but not in classical conditioning. Classical conditioning explains the acquisition of a response (e.g. a phobia) while operant conditioning explains the maintenance of a response.

Question 2

Reinforcement

Answer 2

Something in the environment that strengthens a particular behaviour. There are two types of reinforcement.

Question 3

Positive reinforcement

Answer 3

Occurs when behaviour produces a consequence that is satisfying or pleasant for the organism. For example, praising a child for doing their homework.

Question 4

Negative reinforcement

Answer 4

Occurs when behaviour removes something aversive and returns the organism to the pre-aversive state. For example, turning off the alarm clock allows a person to escape from the unpleasant noise.

Question 5

Positive punishment

Answer 5

This is when something unpleasant is added to a persons life that was not there before. For example, giving a student detention.

Question 6

Negative punishment

Answer 6

When something pleasant is removed from a persons life. For example, confiscating a students mobile phone.

Question 7

Skinner (1953)

Answer 7

• Skinner conducted a study on rats in a device called the Skinner Box- the Skinner box was a cage which had speakers, lights, a lever, a door and a floor which could be electrified.
• One hungry rat at a time would be placed in the Skinner box and allowed to freely run round. The rat might accidentally press the lever and be rewarded by a food pellet which would drop into the Skinner box (positive reinforcement).
• The rat would then continue to press the lever in order to receive a food pellet in the future, as the rat soon learned that pressing the lever led to a reward.
• The rat could also learn that by pressing the lever they could avoid something unpleasant, by pressing the lever the rat could avoid receiving an electric shock (via the electrified floor). This is an example of negative reinforcement.

Question 8

Positives of the behaviourist approach

Answer 8

• Enhanced the scientific status of Psychology by using strict scientific methods, being objective, and producing verifiable findings.
• Has developed laws and principles that have enabled psychologists to predict and control behaviour. However, it also raises ethical concerns because the approach could be used to control people against their wishes.
• Has led to several useful treatments such as systematic desensitisation (classical conditioning).

Question 9

Negatives of the behaviourist approach

Answer 9

• It is environmentally reductionist because it focuses on a lower level of explanation than other approaches. Stimulus-response associations lack meaning when attempting to explain complex human behaviours, such as attachment.
• Is also environmentally deterministic. According to behaviourism, human behaviour is entirely determined by the environment, there is no account taken of a person’s free will to decide how to behave.
• Has been criticised because it uses non-human animals. Critics claim this tells us little about human behaviour because humans have cognitive factors and emotional states that influence their behaviour.