Behaviourism

• Behaviourism= the theory of learning that focuses on observable behaviours, that are caused due to interactions with the environment
• Behaviourism is a theoretical perspective in psychology that emphasizes the role of learning and observable behaviours in understanding human and animal actions
• The behaviourist approach was developed by John B Watson who believed that all behaviour could be explained through conditioning (classical or operant)
• Operant Conditioning- Skinner Boxes
• Classical Conditioning- Pavlov's Dogs
• Classical Conditioning- Pavlov's Dogs experiment where dogs were trained to associate food with a bell ringing
• Pavlov's dogs were used to investigate classical conditioning, where an unconditioned stimulus (food) would cause an automatic response (salivation), but when paired with a neutral stimulus (bell ringing) it became a conditioned stimulus which also resulted in salivation.
• Behaviourism movement began in the 1920s
• John B Watson is known as the father of behaviourism
• The Little Albert experiment aimed to provide experimental evidence for classical conditioning of emotional responses in infants
• Little Albert was exposed to a white rat, which he initially showed no fear towards. However, when a loud noise was introduced at the same time, he developed a phobia of rats.
• Watson believed that all human behavior could be explained by learning from experience through association between environmental events and our own actions or reactions.
• Operant conditioning involves reinforcing desired behaviors and punishing undesirable ones.
• Operant conditioning= learning behaviours through positive and negative reinforcement
• Classical conditioning= learning behaviours through association of stimuli and responses
• Positive reinforcement = giving something pleasant as a consequence of behaviour e.g. praise, money, sweets
• Negative reinforcement = removing unpleasant consequences of behaviour e.g. stopping someone being shouted at if they do what's asked
• Unconditioned stimulus= something that produces an automatic response without previous learning or conditioning
• Extinction occurs when a previously rewarded behaviour no longer produces a reward so it gradually stops happening
• Conditioned response= learned response triggered by conditioned stimulus
• Unconditioned stimulus= a stimulus that is not learned to be associated with a response
• Behaviourism believes behaviour is learnt through interactions with the environment
• Strengths of behaviourism are=

  • Objective measurement, which can be replicated and peer-reviewed.
  • Real-life applications (e.g., behavior therapies).
  • Clear predictions that can be scientifically tested.
  • Increased our understanding of the causes of phobias and attachment.
  • Precision in observing, recording, and measuring behaviour.
• Disadvantages of behaviourism are=

  • Neglects mental processes, such as thoughts, emotions, and feelings.
  • Lack of individuality, as the behaviorist approach heavily relies on generalizations.
  • Ignores biological factors.
  • Ethical concerns are major cons of behaviourism.
  • Over-emphasizes observable behaviour, putting too much stress on actions that can be watched, not considering unseen aspects like motivation.
• The real world applications of classical conditioning are=

  • taste aversion – using derivations of classical conditioning, it is possible to explain how people develop aversions to particular foods
  • learned emotions – such as love for parents, were explained as paired associations with the stimulation they provide
  • advertising – we readily associate attractive images with the products they are selling
  • phobias – classical conditioning is seen as the mechanism by which – we acquire many of these irrational fears.
• The real world application for behaviourism=

  • Therapy= abnormal behaviour and mental illness stem from faulty learning processes rather than internal conflict so instead use systematic desensitization which helps phobia patients gradually confront feared objects.
  • Education= behavioural perspective is a method of learning, it has many applications within an educational setting.
  • Marketing Marketing campaigns also use behaviourism to create a stronger connection with the company’s audience.
  • Workplace culture Similarly, workplaces apply behaviourism through reward systems.
  • Self-improvement
• Similarities between social learning theory and behaviourism=

  • both believe behaviour is learnt
  • both believe reinforcement and punishment impact behaviour
• Differences between social learning theory and behaviourism=

  • SLT considers how learning can be learned indirectly
• behaviourism only focuses on direct experience
• Comparing the cognitive approach and behaviourism=

  While behaviourism focuses on external behaviours shaped by environmental factors, cognitive psychology emphasizes the internal processes underlying those behaviours.
• Comparing behaviourism to biopsychology=

  Behaviourism explains behaviour as a result of external environmental influences through learning and conditioning, while biopsychology focuses on the internal biological mechanisms that govern behaviour. (behaviourism=nurture)(biopsychology=nature)
• Key concepts of behaviourism=

  • Classical conditioning
  • Operant conditioning
  • Observable behaviour
• Key figures of behaviourism=

  • John Watson
  • B.F. Skinner
  • Ivan Pavlov
• View of behaviour in behaviourism=

  • Behaviour is the result of learned associations between stimuli and responses
  • Emphasizes nurture over nature, with a focus on environmental influences
  • Example; A child avoid touching a hot stove after being burned (learned through punishment)
• Methods of behaviourism=

  • Relies on controlled experiments with measurable behaviour as the primary data (reaction time, number of responses ect..)
  • Often uses animal studies, such as Pavlov's classical conditioning or Skinner's operant conditioning experiments
  • Avoids studying internal mental or biological processes
• Focus of behaviourism=

  • Emphasizes observable behaviours and their relationship with environmental stimuli
  • Focuses on how external reinforcement, punishment, and conditioning shape behaviour
  • Assumes behaviour is primarily learned rather that innate
• Criticism of behaviourism=

  • Oversimplifies behaviour by ignoring internal processes and biological influences
  • Struggles to explain innate behaviours or behaviours not influenced by conditioning (for example language acquisition)