The Behaviourist Approach

Question 1

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 1

When a neutral stimulus is consistently paired with a unconditioned stimulus to eventually take on the properties of this stimulus to produce a conditioned response

Question 2

What is a behaviourist?

Answer 2

People who believe that human behaviour can be explained in terms of conditioning without the need to consider thoughts or feelings

Question 3

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 3

Learning through reinforcement or punishment. If your behaviour is followed by a desirable consequence then the behaviour is more likely to occur in the future

Question 4

What is punishment?

Answer 4

Involves the application of an unpleasant consequence following a behaviour with the result that the behaviour is less likely to occur again in the future

Question 5

What is reinforcement and what are the two types?

Answer 5

Reinforcement is a term in psychology to refer to anything that strengthens and increases the likelihood that it will occur again in the future.
Positive reinforcement - behaviour produces a consequence which is satisfying
Negative reinforcement - removing something negative to restore a pre-aversive state

Question 6

What are the strengths of classical conditioning and operant conditioning?

Answer 6

1. Led to the development of treatments

2. Large amount of variables for reliability proved behaviour

Question 7

What are the limitations of classical and operant conditioning?

Answer 7

1. Different species face different challenges so testing animals isn’t reliable in relation to humans
2. Different species have different challenges so learn more/less than others using classical conditioning
3. Cognitive factors and emotional states also have a role in behaviour but is overlooked