The behaviourist approach Flashcards
What do behaviourists believe about behaviour and how its measured?
All behaviour is a result of learning (conditioning) and can therefore be measured using observable events as it does not consider thoughts or feelings.
Who conducted research on classical and operant conditioning?
Pavlov’s Dogs - classical
Skinner’s Box - operant
Describe how classical conditioning influences behaviour.
UCS –> UCR
UCS + NS –> UCR (Repeat)
CS –> CR
How did Pavlov investigate classical conditioning?
Conditioned the response of salivation in dogs in response to a bell sound through classical conditioning.
What was an important underlying concept of Skinner’s theory of operant conditioning?
Organisms spontaneously produce different behaviours that produce consequences for the organism, which may be desirable or undesirable - determining whether it is more or less likely to repeat said behaviour.
What is positive reinforcement?
When behaviour produces a desirable consequence, making it more likely to be repeated.
What is negative reinforcement?
When behaviour avoids or removes an unpleasant consequence, restoring/maintaining the organism’s original state. Behaviour more likely to be repeated.
What is punishment?
When behaviour produces an undesirable consequence, making it less likely to be repeated.
Describe the design of Skinner’s box.
Cage with rat. Rat moves around cage producing random behaviours. Electric mesh floor, levers and a food shoot.
Describe scenarios of reinforcement in Skinner’s box.
Positive - lever pressed, food pellet released. Repeats.
Negative - lever pressed, electric shocks from floor stops. Repeats when turned back on.
(AO3) How has classical conditioning been applied in psychology?
Counterconditioning in treatment of phobias. Systematic desensitisation or flooding replaces conditioned response of fear to a stimulus with relaxation one. Has high success rates, suggesting credibility of theory.
(AO3) What is a strength of Skinner’s operating conditioning research?
Use of scientific method. Controlled conditions allowed for manipulation of the IV (consequence of behaviour e.g. food pellet) with observable consequence on DV (rat’s behaviour). Allowed for a causal relationship to be established. High in internal validity.
(AO3) What is a weakness of behaviourist research here?
Over-reliance on animal studies. Critics claim findings do not apply to humans due to free will and the complicity of human behaviour. But Skinner argued free will is an illusion and the ‘choices’ we make are a result of conditioning. Additionally, if all animals are born ‘blank-slates’ animal behaviour must apply to human behaviour in some ways.
(AO3) What is a weakness of behaviourism overall?
Environmental reductionism. Behaviour not as simple as stimulus-response and conditioning. Important influence of genes, hormones, cognitive processes and potentially free will. Behaviours too complex to be explained by such simple processes.
