the behaviourist approach

Question 1

what are the key assumptions for behaviourism?

Answer 1

• all behaviour is learnt
• born a blank slate (tabula rasa)
• environment (nurture) shapes our behaviour
• human behaviour should be studied scientifically

Question 2

what does the behaviourist approach say about animal studies?

Answer 2

animals and humans learn the same way, so animal studies can be done and generalised to humans

Question 3

what are the 2 main processes in the behaviourist approach?

Answer 3

• classical conditioning
• operant conditioning

Question 4

who proposed classical conditioning?

Answer 4

Pavlov

Question 5

what is the main assumption of CC?

Answer 5

behaviour is learnt through stimulus-response associations

Question 6

how did Pavlov research CC?

Answer 6

researched salivation in dogs and found that dogs started to salivate before being fed

Question 7

outline the process of CC in dogs

Answer 7

before conditioning: food (UCS) -> salivation (UCR)

during conditioning: food (UCS) + bell (NS) -> salivation (UCR)

after conditioning: bell (CS) -> salivation (CR)

Question 8

what did Pavolv find about stimulus use in CC?

Answer 8

• generalisation: a similar stimulus to the original CS, produces the CR
• discrimination: when similar stimuli to the original CS doesn’t produce CR, its because the stimulus is too different

Question 9

who researched Little Albert?

Answer 9

Watson and Rayner

Question 10

what was the aim of Watson and Rayner’s study?

Answer 10

to investigate whether you can learn fear through CC

Question 11

outline Little Albert research

Answer 11

• 9 month old boy called Albert
• developed a fear of rats due to CC
  noise (UCS) -> fear (UCR)
  noise (UCS) + rat (NS) -> fear (UCR)
  rat (CS) -> fear (CR)
• Albert associated loud noises with animals (rats) and learnt to fear them

Question 12

who proposed operant conditioning?

Answer 12

Skinner

Question 13

what are the main assumptions of OC?

Answer 13

• we learn through rewards and punishment (reinforcement)
• the consequence is important as it shapes whether behaviour is repeated

Question 14

what is positive reinforcement?

Answer 14

presenting something the organism likes
- strengthens behaviour

Question 15

what is negative reinforcement?

Answer 15

removing something the organism doesn’t like
- strengthens behaviour

Question 16

what is punishment?

Answer 16

presenting something the organism doesn’t like
- weakens behaviour

Question 17

how did Skinner study OC?

Answer 17

through Skinner’s box - studying rats

Question 18

outline Skinner’s research into rats

Answer 18

1. rat pressed leaver in box, and rewarded with a pellet (pos reinforcement)
   - leads to repetition of behaviour
2. floor becomes electrified (punishment)
   - results in rat stopping pressing leaver
3. floor is un-electrified (neg reinforcement)
   - rat begins pressing leaver again

Question 19

what were the conclusions of Skinner’s research?

Answer 19

• positive and negative reinforcement increases likelihood of behaviour being repeated
• punishment decreases the likelihood of behaviour being repeated

Question 20

S: real-life applications + ELAB: therapies

Answer 20

ID: a strength of the behaviourist approach is that it has real-life applications
Q: an increased understanding of classical and operant conditioning has led to the development of treatments and therapies for serious mental disorders
EX: for example, Allyon and Azrin researched token economies have been used as a way of dealing with offending behaviour: inmates who carry out socially-desirable behaviour (such as tidying their cell and avoiding conflicts) receive tokens (secondary reinforcers) which can be traded for privileges (primary reinforcers), such as extra TV-time.
AN: therefore, behaviourist principles have had positive impacts on the lives of many.
ELAB: furthermore, behaviourism increased our understanding of the cause of phobias and attachment.
this has also led to the development of successful therapies such as systematic desensitisation and flooding. therefore, the behaviourist approach can be valued for increasing understanding in the development of treatments.

Question 21

S: empirical scientific methods

Answer 21

ID: a strength of the behaviourist approach is that it uses empirical scientific methods
Q: in an attempt to objectively and systematically collect reliable data,
the behaviourist approach makes use of highly scientific research methods, particularly the lab experiment
EX: for example, strictly-controlled conditions reduce and control for the
effects of confounding and extraneous variables, increasing the reliability and internal validity of the findings (as these are more likely to be replicated when research is
conducted under the same conditions). furthermore, it focuses on observable behaviours allowing researchers to support or refute findings.
AN: therefore, this is a strength as by focusing on behaviour which is observable and can be measured, the behaviourist approach increases the scientific credibility of
psychology, as well as being able to establish laws and principles

Question 22

W: animal research

Answer 22

ID: however, a limitation of the behaviourist approach is the use of animals in experimental research
Q: this means that a cost-benefit analysis must be done
EX: for example, Skinner’s box
caused considerable physical harm to the rats, breaching the BPS ethical guideline of protection from harm. Watson and Rayner’s classical conditioning experiments on Little
Albert failed to protect him from psychological harm, as well as not offering him the opportunity to withdraw.
AN: therefore, much behaviourist research, at least by modern standards, would be viewed as unethical. however, a cost-benefit analysis may show that the benefit of increased understanding of the different types of learning outweigh the ethical costs.

Question 23

W: reductionist

Answer 23

ID: despite this, the behaviourist approach can be criticised for being reductionist.
Q: this means that the behaviourist approach sees all behaviour as the product of past reinforcement contingencies, leaving no room for free will or conscious
choices.
EX: for example, this hard environmental deterministic stance may be a more appropriate explanation for animal
behaviour, whereas explanations of human behaviour should also account for emotions,
motivations and reasoning skills. AN: therefore, the behaviourist approach may be a limited explanation for human behaviour.