Behaviourist approach (advancement from introspection)

• 1. Before the classical conditioning:

  Food (unconditioned stimuli) → Salivation (unconditioned response)

  
  

  Tone (neutral stimuli) —-> No response
• 2) During the classical conditioning:

  Dog is presented with the food along with tone but not salivating due to voice 

  Neutral stimuli (Tone) + Unconditioned stimuli (food) —> unconditioned response (salivation)
• 3) After the classical conditioning:

  After several pairings with the tone and food, the tone and saliva both become conditioned so the dog salivates at the sound of the owner’s voice: 

  Conditioned stimulus (tone) —> Conditioned response (Salivation)
• Who proposed the two types of reinforcement?

  Skinner (rat guy)
• What is positive reinforcement?

  Positive reinforcement is a technique used to increase the likelihood of a desired behavior by providing a reward or positive consequence after the behavior occurs.
• What is negative reinforcement?

  It is increasing the likelihood of a behaviour happening by removing or avoiding an unpleasant stimulus
• What did Skinner do to demonstrate positive reinforcement?

  Skinner made the 'Skinner box' with a lever that provided a food pellet every time so the behaviour increased due to reward
• What did Skinner do to demonstrate negative reinforcement?


  Skinner made an electric shock happen everytime but the rat eventually learned to pull the lever, so the behaviour increase due to consequences.
• What is one positive evaluation of the behaviourist approach?

  • It has real life applications
  • For example CC led to systematic densensitisation
  • It proceeds to replace the fear with a new association of a conditioned response(relaxation)
  • It has an effectiveness of 75% for simple phobias
  • Therefore, it has real life implications
• What is one positive evaluation of the behaviourist approach?

  • Operant conditioning (reward) has real life implications
  • Led to development of token economy
  • In prisons, certain actions are repeated in exchange for privileges
• What is a positive regarding the nature of the behaviourist approach?

  • Behaviourism was influential in using lab experiments and observable behaviour in controlled conditions.
  • This allows a causal relationship to be formed.
  • Therefore, they are falsifiable and produce empirical data.
• What is a negative of the behaviourist approach regarding animals?

  • Most research is based on animals
  • This is a problem because humans have higher level of cognitive functioning
  • However, animals may provide useful pointers for research but have to still be careful with the research
• What is a negative of the behaviourist approach regarding simplicity?

  • It is reductionist
  • It reduces human behaviour down to learning through association and reward
  • For example, cognitive approach suggests that the brain has much more complicated internal processes
  • Therefore, the behaviourist approach oversimplifies behaviour.