The behaviourist approach Flashcards
Assumptions of the behaviourist approach.
-Believe all behaviour is learnt.
-Believe that babies are born as ‘blank slates’
-Rejected Wundts idea of ‘introspection’.
What are the two forms of learning?
Classical conditioning
Operant conditioning
Define classical conditioning.
Learning by association.
Research support for classical conditioning.
Pavlov showed that dogs can be classically conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell if the sound was repeatedly presented at the same time as food.
The dog will therefore have learnt to associate the bell with food so the sound of the bell triggers salivation. The bell has become the conditioned stimulus and salivation has become the conditioned response.
Outline the process of Pavolv’s pavlovs dog experiment.
Before conditioning:
Food (UCS), Salivation (UCR).
During conditioning:
bell is rung (neutral stimulus) and there is no response.
The bell is rung with food (UCS) and salivation occurs (UCR).
After conditioning:
The bell is rung (conditioned stimulus) and salivation occurs (conditioned response).
Define operant conditioning.
Learning by consequence.
What is positive reinforcement?
Receiving a reward for a certain behaviour.
What is negative reinforcement?
When you avoid something unpleasant (behaviour reinforced)
What is punishment?
Unpleasant consequences (behaviour not reinforced).
Outline research into operant conditioning.
Skinners Box (1953)
-A hungry rat was placed in a cage box.
-Every time he activated the lever, a food pellet fell from the food dispenser (positive reinforcement).
-The rat quickly learnt to go straight to the lever when put in the box suggesting that positive reinforcement increases the likelihood of behaviour being repeated.
-Skinner also did an experiment in which the rat was exposed to an uncomfortable electrical current when placed in a box but when the rat pressed the lever, the electrical current switched off. (Negative reinforcement).
-The rats quickly learnt to go straight to the lever which suggests that negative reinforcement increases the likelihood of behaviour being repeated.
Give a strength of the behaviourist approach.
Behaviourists e.g Pavlov and Skinner conducted their research in lab settings which meant that all extraneous variables were removed and controlled. Behaviour was broken down into basic stimulus-response units. This therefore shows that behaviours have more scientific credibility.
Give a limitation of the behaviourist approach (oversimplified).
Behaviourists may have over simplified the learning process by reducing behaviour to such simple components. Other approaches such as the social learning theory and cognitive approach have drawn more attention to mental process involved in learning.
Give a limitation of the behaviourist approach (does not take free will into account)
The behaviourist approach sees all behaviour as being conditioned by past experiences. E.g Skinner suggested that everything we do is due to the sum total of our reinforcement history. Therefore it does not take into account free will and ignores the idea of conscious decision making.
Give a limitation of the behaviourist approach (ethical issues).
E.g in Skinners box the rats were exposed to harmful electric currents. Animals were kept in harsh and cramped conditions which is an ethical issue associated with the behaviourist approach.
