the behaviourist approach

Question 1

what is the behaviourist approach

Answer 1

the idea that all behaviour is learned through the environment through observation, association or consequences and is only concerned with learning through environmental stimuli

Question 2

what is the behaviourist approach

Answer 2

the idea that all behaviour is learned through the environment through observation, association or consequences and is only concerned with learning through environmental stimuli

Question 3

what are the basic assumptions of the behaviourist approach

Answer 3

• behavior is learned from the environment
• we learn behavior through classical or operant conditioning
• everyone is born with their mind as a blank slate
• there is no difference between human and animal behaviour
• behavior is a result of stimuli-responce

Question 4

outline operant conditioning

Answer 4

learning through consequence

Question 5

outline research into operant conditioning

Answer 5

• use of the skinner box
• a device that would record an animals behavior ina compressed time frame
• the animal can either be rewarded or punished for engaging in certain behaviours such as pressing a lever
• he noticed that rewarding behaviors increased the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated and that punishing the behavior decreases the likelihood of it being repeated

Question 6

outline the difference between positive and negative reinforcement

Answer 6

1) increases the likelihood of a behavior by providing a rewarding consequence
2) increases the likelihood of a behavior through the termination of an unpleasant state

Question 7

outline punishment

Answer 7

a consequence which is likely to decrease a behavior occurring again by either applying an unpleasant stimulus or removing a potentially rewarding one

Question 8

outline classical conditioning

Answer 8

learning through association

Question 9

outline research into classical conditioning

Answer 9

1) Pavlov dogs - he noticed they salivated whenever they saw food
2) the unconditioned stimulus was food and the unconditioned response was salivation
3) when he paired a neutral stimulus of a bell with the unconditioned stimulus it led to the unconditioned response
4) after paring the NS with the UCS several times the NS began to cause the UCR without the UCS
5) the neutral stimulus of the bell has now become the conditioned stimulus causing the conditioned response of salivation

Question 10

what are the consequences of classical conditioning

Answer 10

1) extinction- the gradual weakening of the CR by breaking the association between the conditioned and unconditioned stimuli such as if the bell rang and no food was presented
2) spontaneous recovery- the return of the CR after a period of time following extinction if paired with the UCS again, the association forms fatser
3) generalization- the tendency to respond in the same way to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus

Question 11

evaluate the learning theory

Answer 11

1) research support- Little Albert case study
2) opposing support- social learning theory/ biological approach
3) issue and debate- nature vs nurture
4) research methods- Use of a case study, lack of ecological validity
5) practical applications - treatment of phobias via systematic desensitistaion