LA : The Behaviourist Approach

Cards (13)

  • Behaviourist Approach
    Way of explaining behaviour - what you can observe
  • Classical Conditioning
    Learning by association
    • Two stimuli repeatedly paired together
  • Operant Conditioning
    Behaviour shaped and maintained by its consequence
    • Consequences include positive and negative reinforcement and punishment
  • Reinforcement
    Consequence of behaviour that increases likelihood of that behaviour being repeated. Can be positive or negative
  • How did behaviourists try to maintain more control and objectivity within their research?

    Lab studies
  • How is classical conditioning learned?

    Through association
  • Operant conditioning - What did B.F. Skinner suggest that learning was?

    An active process whereby humans and animals operate on their environment
  • How is behaviour shaped in operant conditioning?

    By consequences
  • What is positive reinforcement?

    Receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed - like receiving praise from a teacher
  • What is negative reinforcement?

    Occurs when we avoid something unpleasant
    • Outcome is positive experience - e.g. when student hands in essay so they wont be told off, avoidance of something unpleasant is the negative reinforcement
  • What is punishment?

    Unpleasant consequence of behaviour
  • What is one strength of the behaviourist approach?

    Based on well controlled research
  • What is a problem with the behaviourist approach?

    Behaviourists may have oversimplified the learning process