behaviourist approach

• what is the behaviourist approach?

  • put forward by watson in 1931
  • studying behaviour that can be observed and measured. it suggest that all behaviour is learnt from our environmen.
• what’s classical conditioning?


  learning by association when two stimuli are repeatedly paired together
• what’s the unconditioned stimulus 


  the stimulus that produces the natural reflex response (food for dog)
• what’s the unconditioned response 


  reflex response to the UCS (salivation)
• what’s the neutral stimulus?

  stimulus that produces no response before conditioning (bell)
• what’s the conditioned stimulus?

  NS is presented with UCS (bell and food)
• what’s the conditioned response

  response that is learnt, dog salivates to the bell
• what’s operant conditioning? 


  learning by consequence, shaped and maintained through consequences
• what’s positive reinforcement 


  receiving rewards for positive behaviour
• what’s negative reinforcement 


  avoidance of something unpleasant to not feel anxious
• what’s punishment 


  unpleasant consequenc of a behaviour
• what’s skinners box?

  • designed to teach rats how to push a lever
  • positive: rat was rewarded with a treat when pressed lever
  • negative: a rat was able to turn off electric shock
• what’s pavlovs research 


  the dog learning through the bell and food being paired together for so long to salivate naturally
• strengths and weaknesses of behaviourism? (evaluation)

  😍- takes on a scientific approach

  😍- real- life application

  😭- takes on nurture side

  😭- animal research has ethical and practical issues