Behaviourism

• The 'Pavlov's Dogs' study is an example of classical conditioning. The food was the unconditioned stimulus which resulted in an unconditioned response of salivation. Before conditioning, the bell was a neutral stimulus that elicited a neutral response. During conditioning, the bell paired with the food resulted in the unconditioned response. After conditioning, the bell became a conditioned stimulus and resulted in a conditioned response of salivation.
• Skinner's study of rats demonstrated operant conditioning. He placed hungry rats in a box where they had to pull a lever in order to obtain food (a positive reinforcement). They were rewarded every time they went near the lever and soon learned that pressing it meant food. He also did a variation using negative reinforcement where rats had the electrified floor turned off when they pressed the lever.
• The Behaviourist approach assumes that all behaviour is learnt from our environment and nothing is innate. Models can be made to explain all human behaviour.
• Operant conditioning is learning based on the consequences of punishments and reinforcements. ​
• Positive reinforcement is when a desirable consequence is added to a behaviour to motivate it being repeated. The primary reinforcer is the reward itself. A secondary reinforcer is not directly rewarding but is a token that will eventually lead to a primary reinforcer.
• Negative reinforcement is taking away something bad as a consequence to increase the chance of behaviour being repeated.
• Behaviourist psychology has scientific merit as it is falsifiable, there is control over situational variables which leads to high internal validity and it is empirical as all data is quantitative.
• The Behaviourist approach focuses on nurture over nature. This is a strength because is does not blame anyone's innate characteristics and provides a cause for behaviour. This means it can help with treatment such as therapy because individuals can unlearn/relearn things to improve themselves.
• An application of behaviourism is token economy systems. This is where people behave because 1) they want to get a reward and 2) they want to avoid punishment. Tokens are given out as rewards and can be later exchanged for a primary reinforcer. However there are ethical concerns with this as they can be taken advantage of by corrupt leaders.