Behaviourist approach

• what are the assumptions of the behaviourist approach?

  • interested in behaviour that can be observed and measured
  • all behaviour is learnt
  • the mind is a blank slate at birth (tabula rasa)
  • processes that govern learning are the same in all species
• what is classical conditioning?

  learning through association
• what was Pavlov's study on classical conditioning?

  Demonstrated how dogs can be conditioned salivate to the sound of a bell
• what did Pavlov find?

  dogs learnt to associate the sound of a bell (NS) with food (UCS)
• what is operant conditioning?

  Learning through consequences
• what is Skinner's box?

  when rat pressed lever they were rewarded with food, so repeat their behaviour. rat presses lever to avoid an electric shock so repeat their behaviour
• what is positive reinforcement?


  Rewarding a behaviour to increase the likelihood of it being repeated
• what is negative reinforcement?

  doing a behaviour to avoid a negative consequence, so increases likelihood of repeating behaviour
• what are the strengths of the behaviourist approach?

  • has scientific credibility
  • real-life application
• what are the limitations of the behaviourist approach?

  • environmental determinism
  • reductionist
• how does the behaviourist approach have scientific credibility? (AO3)

  • based on well-controlled research
  • measured observable behaviour in controlled lab settings
  • eliminated extraneous variables
  • so have scientific credibility based on empirical methods
• how does the behaviourist approach have real-life application (AO3)?

  • conditioning principles applied to real-life behaviour
  • operant conditioning used in token reward systems in prisons
  • classical conditioning used in treatment of phobias
  • extremely suitable for patients and in rehabilitation
• how does the behaviourist approach have environmental determinism (AO3)?

  • see all behaviour as determined by past experiences
  • ignores any possible effect of free-will
  • Skinner claims free will is an illusion
  • ignores any other influencing factors on behaviour
• how is behaviourism a reductionist approach (AO3)?

  • oversimplified learning process
  • reduces behaviour into simple components, ignoring mental processes
  • suggesting, learning is more complex than observable behaviour alone