The learning approach: Behaviourism

Question 1

When did the behaviourist approach emerge?

Answer 1

The behaviourist approach emerged at the beginning of the 20th century and became the dominant approach in psychology for half of that century.

Question 2

Was the behaviourist approach significant in the emergence of psychology as a scientific discipline?

Answer 2

The behaviourist approach is credited for being the driving force in the development of psychology as a scientific discipline.

Question 3

What is the behaviourist approach?

Answer 3

The behaviourist approach acts as a way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable and in terms of learning.

Question 4

What type of behaviour is the behaviourist approach interested in studying?

Answer 4

The behaviourist approach is only interested in studying behaviour that can be observed and measured. As a result, it is not concerned with investigating mental processes of the mind.

Question 5

Which well known behaviourist rejected introspection?

Answer 5

John B. Watson (1913) rejected introspection as it involved too many concepts that were vague and difficult to measure. As a result, behaviourists tried to maintain more control and objectivity within their research and relied on lab experiments as the best way to achieve this.

Question 6

How did the work of Darwin influence the behaviourist approach?

Answer 6

Following Darwin, behaviourists suggested that the basic processes that govern learning are the same in all species. This meant that in behaviourist research, animals could replace humans as experimental subjects.

Question 7

How many important forms of learning have been identified by behaviourists?

Answer 7

Two important forms of learning have been identified by behaviourists.

Question 8

Which two important forms of learning have been identified by behaviourists?

Answer 8

Classical conditioning and operant conditioning

Question 9

Which psychologist developed the concept of classical conditioning as a form of learning?

Answer 9

Ivan Pavlov

Question 10

How can classical conditioning be defined?

Answer 10

Classical conditioning refers to learning by association. It occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired together (e.g. an unconditioned stimulus and a neutral stimulus). The neutral stimulus eventually produces the same response that was first produced by the unlearned stimulus alone.

Question 11

How did Pavlov demonstrate his theory of classical conditioning?

Answer 11

Pavlov demonstrated his concept of classical conditioning using the behaviour of dogs. He revealed that dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell if that sound was repeatedly presented at the same time as they were given food. Gradually, Pavlov’s dogs learned to associate the sound of a bell with the food and would produce the salivation response every time they heard the sound. Thus, Pavlov was ablate show how a neutral stimulus, in this case a bell, can come to elicit a new learned response (conditioned response) through association.

Question 12

Before conditioning had taken place, what was the unconditioned stimulus and the unconditioned response?

Answer 12

Unconditioned stimulus: Food

Unconditioned response:
Salivation

Question 13

Before conditioning had taken place, what was the neutral stimulus?

Answer 13

The bell acted as a neutral stimulus

Question 14

After conditioning, what was the conditioned stimulus and the conditioned response?

Answer 14

Conditioned stimulus:
Bell

Conditioned response:
Salivation

Question 15

Which psychologist developed the concept of operant conditioning as a form of learning?

Answer 15

BF Skinner (1953)

Question 16

How can operant conditioning be defined?

Answer 16

Operant conditioning is a form of learning in which behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences.

Question 17

What did Skinner suggest about the process of learning?

Answer 17

Skinner suggested that learning is an active process whereby humans and animals operate on their environment.

Question 18

In operant conditioning, how many consequences of behaviour are there?

Answer 18

There are three consequences of behaviour in operant conditioning.

Question 19

What are the three consequences of behaviour in operant conditioning?

Answer 19

Positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement and punishment.

Question 20

How can ‘reinforcement’ be defined?

Answer 20

Reinforcement is a consequence of behaviour that increases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated. It can be either positive or negative.

Question 21

What is positive reinforcement?

Answer 21

Receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed. For example, praise from a teacher for answering a question correctly in class.

Question 22

What is negative reinforcement?

Answer 22

Negative reinforcement occurs when an animal (or human) avoids something unpleasant. When a student hands in an essay so as not to be told off, the avoidance of something unpleasant is the negative reinforcement. Similarly, a rat may learn through negative reinforcement that pressing a lever leads to avoidance of an electric shock.

Question 23

What is punishment?

Answer 23

Punishment is an unpleasant consequence of behaviour. For example, being shouted at by the teacher for talking during a lesson. Finding a way to avoid this would be negative reinforcement.

Question 24

Which two consequences of behaviour increase the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated?

Answer 24

Positive and negative reinforcement increase the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated.

Question 25

Which consequence of behaviour decreases the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated?

Answer 25

Punishment decreases the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated.

Question 26

How did Skinner demonstrate his concept of operant conditioning?

Answer 26

Skinner conducted the ‘Skinner Box’ experiment in order to demonstrate his concept of operant conditioning. He conducted experiments with rats, and sometimes pigeons, in specially designed cages called Skinner Boxes. Every time the rat activated the lever (or pecked a disk) it was rewarded with a food pellet. From then on the animal would continue to perform the behaviour.