The Behaviourist Approach

Question 1

What does the behaviourist approach argue?

Answer 1

That all human behaviour can be explained in terms of learning through the environment.

Question 2

What kind of behaviour does the approach focus on?

Answer 2

Observable and measurable behaviour in controlled laboratory conditions.

Question 3

What is stimulus-response learning?

Answer 3

The idea that the same basic form of stimulus-response learning operates in shaping behaviour.

Question 4

What two main forms of learning id investigated by behaviourists?

Answer 4

• Classical conditioning.

- Operant conditioning.

Question 5

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 5

Learning by association.

Question 6

Who conducted research into classical conditioning?

Answer 6

Ivan Pavlov (1927).

Question 7

What did Pavlov achieve?

Answer 7

He conditioned dogs to salivate without the presence of food by using a bell.

Question 8

What was the unconditioned stimulus in Pavlov’s study?

Answer 8

Food.

Question 9

What was the unconditioned response in Pavlov’s study?

Answer 9

Salivation.

Question 10

What was the neutral stimulus in Pavlov’s study?

Answer 10

The bell.

Question 11

After teaching the dog to associate the bell with the food, what became the conditioned stimulus?

Answer 11

The bell.

Question 12

After conditioning, what became the conditioned response?

Answer 12

Salivation.

Question 13

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 13

Learning by reinforcement.

Question 14

Who conducted research into operant conditioning?

Answer 14

B.F. Skinner (1953).

Question 15

What did Skinner study?

Answer 15

He studied the consequences of behaviour on rats and pigeons.

Question 16

What are the two consequences of behaviour in operant conditioning?

Answer 16

• Positive reinforcement.

- Negative reinforcement.

Question 17

How did Skinner study positive reinforcement?

Answer 17

Every time a rat pressed a lever, it was rewarded with a food pellet, therefore the rat continued the behaviour. Once the pellets stopped, it would press the lever a few more times before abandoning it (extinction).

Question 18

How did Skinner study negative reinforcement?

Answer 18

A rat would be conditioned to perform the same behaviour to avoid a mild but uncomfortable electric current beneath their feet.

Question 19

What do both types of reinforcement do?

Answer 19

Increase the likelihood of behaviour being repeated.

Question 20

What are the five evaluation points for the behaviourist approach?

Answer 20

\+ Scientific.
\+ Practical applications.
- Largely based on animal studies.
- Reductionist.
- Determinist.