The Behaviorist Approach Flashcards
What is the behaviorist approach AO1 ?
They only focus on observable behaviour. It is also based around controlled lab studies and use non-human animals.
What is Pavlov’s research stating (AO1) ?
Pavlov’s research consisted of the definition and understanding of classical conditioning. It means learning through association. His research was based around dogs salivating when a bell was sounded. He first presented the dogs with the bell (NS) which did not gain a response of salivation. He then presented the meat (UCS) which caused them to salivate (UCR). He then repeatedly presented the meat (UCS) with the bell (NS) till the dogs associated the bell with the meat. The dogs now associated the two so when presented with the bell (now a CS) it caused them to salivate (CR).
What was Skinner’s research stating AO1 ?
He stated that operant conditioning was learning as an active process and consequences. Behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences.
How did Skinner find this AO1 ?
He put rats in cages , which he called Skinner Boxes. When a rat activated a lever it was rewarded with a food pellet. A desirable consequence led to behavior being repeated. If pressing a lever meant an animal avoided an electric shock, the behavior would also be repeated.
What is positive reinforcement?
Receiving a reward when behavior is performed. It increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.
What is negative reinforcement ?
Avoiding something unpleasant when a behavior is performed. It increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.
What is punishment ?
An unpleasant consequence of behavior. It decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.
Name one strength of the behaviorist approach AO3?
P - One strength of behaviorism is that it uses well-controlled research.
E - The approach has focused on the measurement of observable behavior within controlled lab settings. Behaviorists have broken behavior down into stimulus-response units and studied casual relationships.
E - This suggests that behaviorist experiments have scientific credibility.
Name another strength of the behaviorist approach AO3 ?
P - One strength is behaviorist laws of learning have real-world application.
E - The principles of conditioning have been applied to real-life situations that consisted of behaviors and problems. Token economy systems reward appropriate behavior with tokens that grant certain privileges, which is operant conditioning. This is used in prisons or psychiatric wards.
E - This increases the value of the behaviorist approach because it has widespread application.
Name one limitation of the behaviorist approach AO3 ?
P - One limitation is behaviorism is a form of environmental determinism.
E - The approach sees any decision made as influenced by our past experiences that we have adapted and conditioned to and ignores any influence that free will has on our behavior. Skinner suggested that free will is just an illusion. Any decision we make we may think we done but in reality it was governed by our past experiences and they shape the outcome.
E - This is an extreme position and ignores the influence of conscious decision-making processes on behavior.
Name another limitation of the behaviorist approach AO3 ?
P - Another limitation of behaviorism is that there are ethical issues.
E - Procedures such as Skinner’s boxes allowed major control over their experimental subjects. However, this raised many ethical issues regarding the animals since they were cramped in small cages and were deprived of food for a inhuman amount of time.
E - Therefore there is a question of benefits versus costs - some would argued that there have been enormous benefits which offsets the harm the animals experienced.
