Behaviourist

• Assumptions

  • All animals and animals are born a blank slate (Tabula Rasa) ->we learn through experiences and our interactions with the environment
  • Not interested in the mental process - only things that can be observed and measured
  • all animals learn this way
  • highlights the importance of control and objectivity -> Uses the scientific approach
  • Two important forms of learning: classical and operant conditioning.
• Classical Conditioning -> Learning through association

  Pavlov's Research

  • We learn to associate a previously neutral stimulus that already produces a response. -> Unconditioned Stimulus
  • Through regular pairing, the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus that produces a new learned response.
• Summary of Pavlov's research:

  Pavlov would ring a bell when presenting food to his dog. He continued to do this multiple times. After a while, the dog would start to salivate at the sound of the bell.

  
  

  Explanation:

  The dog would salivate at the sight of the food (UCS). The bell alone doesn't make the dog salivate (neutral stimulus), at first. Through the investigation, Pavlov was able to make the dog associate the sound of the bell with the food. Now, the bell alone (CS) produces a conditioned response from the dog which is the salivation.
• Operant Conditioning ->Learning through reinforcement and punishment. (Consequences) This can either strengthen or weaken behavior.
• Skinner's research

  Positive reinforcement: strengthening behavior by giving a reward.

  -> In the investigation whenever the rat would pull the lever, it would be rewarded a treat. This causes the rat to pull the lever again as it desires the treat.
• Skinner's Research

  negative reinforcement: The person avoids a negative consequence which strengthens that behaviour

  ->In the investigation, the rat would constantly be electrocuted. To prevent this, it would need to pull the lever to stop the electric shock. Thus strengthening the behavior to pull the lever.
• Skinner's research

  Punishment: Weakening a behavior by giving a negative consequence.

  -> In the investigation, whenever the rat would pull the lever, it would get electrocuted. This leads to the rat avoiding touching the lever as it doesn't want to be electrocuted.
• Evaluation

  Strengths:

  • it uses a very scientific approach which allows us to draw accurate conclusions
  • It provides a real-life application for modifying behaviors. e.g. teaching children positive behaviours.
• Evaluation

  Weakness:

  • Overlooks people's free will. People often demonstrate unique or spontaneous behaviors which cannot be explained by the behaviorist approach.
  • The investigation uses animals. Humans are much more complex and it questions the validity of the research in explaining human behaviors. -> Ethical use of animals is also questionable.