the behaviourist approach

Question 1

what are some key assumptions of the behaviourist approach?

Answer 1

primarily concerned with observable behaviour, which can be objectively and scientifically measured

behaviour must be measured in highly controlled environments

research can take place on animals or humans

behaviour is the result of stimulus

all behaviour is learnt from the environment

Question 2

what is meant by classical conditioning?

Answer 2

learning by association between stimulus and response

Question 3

how does classical conditioning occur?

Answer 3

ucs = ucr
ns + ucs = ucr
*ns can become cs after conditioning
cs = cr

Question 4

what is meant by generalisation?

Answer 4

when stimuli similar to the cs produces the cr

Question 5

what is meant by discrimination?

Answer 5

when stimuli similar to the cs does not produce the cr

Question 6

what is meant by extinction?

Answer 6

when cr isnt’t produced as a result of the cs

Question 7

what is meant by spontaneous recovery?

Answer 7

when an extinct cr is produced in response to a cs

Question 8

who researched into classical conditioning?

Answer 8

pavlov (1927)

Question 9

what did pavlov first outline?

Answer 9

that meat caused the dog to salivate
ucs (food) = ucr (saliva)

Question 10

what was the neutral stimulus pavlov introduced?

Answer 10

a bell tone

Question 11

how did pavlov condition the dog?

Answer 11

presented food with bell tone. dog salivating in response to food ucs (food) + ns (bell) = ucr (saliva)

Question 12

what happened after several pairings of classical conditioning?

Answer 12

dog salivated to bell alone
cs (bell) = cr (saliva)

Question 13

what is meant by operant conditioning?

Answer 13

learning through the use of consequences, in order to modify or shape behaviour

Question 14

what is meant by positive reinforcement?

Answer 14

receiving a reward to increase the likelihood of repeating a behaviour

Question 15

what is meant by negative reinforcement?

Answer 15

removing something to increase the likelihood of repeating a behaviour

Question 16

what is meant by positive punishment?

Answer 16

being given something to reduce a behaviour

Question 17

what is meant by negative punishment?

Answer 17

taking away something to reduce a behaviour

Question 18

who researched into operant conditioning?

Answer 18

skinner (1953)

Question 19

describe the equipment skinner used in his study

Answer 19

the skinner box - a small box designed to hold a rat, contained a lever, an electric floor, sound system, signal lights and a pellet dispenser

Question 20

how did skinner show positive reinforcement?

Answer 20

skinner placed a hungry rat in the box and it would soon discover pushing the lever released a food pellet. soon it realised the connection and would repeat the behaviour

Question 21

how did skinner show negative reinforcement?

Answer 21

played a loud unpleasant noise in the box which would stop when the rat pressed the lever, again the rat learnt the connection quickly and repeated the behaviour

Question 22

how did skinner show punishment?

Answer 22

when the rat pressed the lever it would receive an electric shock, it soon learn the connection and stopped pushing the lever

Question 23

strengths of behaviourism

Answer 23

real world applications - token economy systems successfully used in prisons - increases value of approach

well controlled research - careful measurement of observable behaviour in a lab setting. broken down behaviour into SR units and studied relationships - suggests scientific credibility

clear use of experimental method

Question 24

limitations of behaviourism

Answer 24

not always easy to establish link between unconditioned and conditioned stimuli

research not on humans - cannot generalise easily

artificial conditions used so cannot be sure this theory represents real life behaviour

nature concept neglecting the idea of being born with innate behaviour