The Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
What is the behaviourist approach?
Studying behaviour that can be observed and measured
It does not look at mental processes
Behaviourists rely on lab experiments to maintain more control and objectivity
What is classical conditioning?
Classical conditioning is learning through association.
The experiment is Pavlov’s dog
What is operant conditioning?
Operant conditioning is learning through reinforcement
What are the four types of consequence of behaviour?
Operant
Positive reinforcement - receiving a reward when behaviour is performed with a positive consequence
Negative reinforcement - removing something unpleasant
Positive punishment - behaviour is followed by an unpleasant consequence. the punishment is added to the situation
Negative punishment - behaviour followed by an unpleasant consequence. Something positive is taken away from the situation
What is the Pavlovian diagram?
UCS –> UCR
NS –> no response
UCS + NS –> UCR
CS –> CR
What was Pavlov’s experiment?
To condition a dog to salivate at the sound of a bell
To do this, he repeatedly presented the bell and good together
The dog gradually associated the sound of the bell with the food and would respond by salivating
What was BF Skinners experiment?
He developed a cage called Skinner’s box
He used rats/pigeons
The animal will move around the cage and press a lever and receive a food pellet (primary reinforcer)
The animal learns to press the lever to receive food
This is positive reinforcement
If no food is given or the animal is satiated, the animal will stop
Two strengths of classical conditioning
It has led to the development of treatments for anxiety associated phobias –> it is a strength because it helps people to get better
Classical conditioning is scientific and reliable –> it can be applied to other individuals because it can be replicated
What is the behaviourist approach divided in to?
Operant and classical conditioning
Two limitations of the classical conditioning
Classical conditioning is deterministic, animals and people have no free will –> but humans believe that they do have free will
Classical conditioning is reductionist, it reduces the concept of complex learning to basic components –> it doesn’t take into complex animals
Two strengths of operant conditioning
Skinners reliance on the experimental methods allowed controlled conditions, Skinner established a case and effect relationship between consequences –> we can make predictions of responses
Operant conditioning has practical applications (such as token economy) –> it is shown how behaviourist approach is used in real life
Two limitations of operant conditioning
Skinner used non-human animals rather than humans. Humans have free will and can choose behaviours but Skinner argues it’s an illusion –> we are more developed than rats and pigeons
Laboratories aren’t like real life situations so real behaviour might not be measured
