Behaviourist Approach

• Who are often considered the first truly scientific psychologists?

  The behaviorists
• Why do behaviorists focus on observable phenomena?

  Because they can only study what can be observed objectively
• What is the relationship between stimulus and response in behaviorism?

  A stimulus leads to a response from the creature
• What is a significant limitation of the behaviorist approach?

  It ignores internal mental processes
• What is the term used to describe the mind in behaviorism?

  A black box
• What are the defining features of the behaviorist approach?

  • Focus on observable behavior
  • Study of stimulus-response mechanisms
  • Belief that behavior is learned through interaction with the environment
• Who developed the theory of classical conditioning?

  Ivan Pavlov
• What is classical conditioning also known as?

  Learning by association
• In Pavlov's experiment, what was the unconditioned response?

  Drooling to food
• How does a neutral stimulus become a conditioned stimulus in classical conditioning?

  By being paired with an unconditioned stimulus
• How can classical conditioning explain the development of a phobia of bees?

  A bee becomes a conditioned stimulus after being paired with the pain of a sting
• Who is known for the development of operant conditioning?

  1. F. Skinner
• What is operant conditioning based on?

  Learning from the consequences of voluntary actions
• What happens when a rat presses a lever in a Skinner box?

  A food pellet is released as a reward
• What is the difference between positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement?

  Positive reinforcement adds a pleasant stimulus, while negative reinforcement removes an unpleasant stimulus
• What is punishment in operant conditioning?

  The reduction of behavior through consequences
• How can positive punishment be illustrated in a parenting scenario?

  By adding an unpleasant task when a child swears
• What is extinction in the context of operant conditioning?

  The process where behavior stops when consequences cease
• What is behavior shaping?

  A process of rewarding simple behaviors to teach complex behaviors
• What are the key differences between classical and operant conditioning?

  • Classical conditioning: Involuntary responses, learning through association
  • Operant conditioning: Voluntary responses, learning through consequences
• How does classical conditioning explain the acquisition of phobias?

  By associating a phobic object with a stimulus that causes fear
• What are the strengths of the behaviorist approach?

  • Focus on objective observation
  • Ability to demonstrate cause and effect relationships
  • High replicability of research methods
• Why do behaviorists primarily use animal participants in their research?

  To fully control the environment and conduct experiments not possible with humans
• What is a limitation of generalizing behaviorist findings to humans?

  Humans have more complex social lives and intelligence
• What are some real-life applications of behaviorism?

  • Counter conditioning treatments
  • Token economies in prisons
  • Classroom management techniques
• What ethical concerns arise from behaviorism's application to human behavior?

  It can be seen as manipulative
• What is a criticism of behaviorism regarding its reductionist approach?

  It oversimplifies complex human behaviors to stimulus-response links
• What alternative explanations for behavior does behaviorism overlook?

  Social learning, the unconscious mind, and biological factors
• What are the implications of behaviorism in modern society?

  • Effective behavior modification techniques
  • Ethical concerns regarding manipulation
  • Applications in technology and marketing