Learning theory- behaviourism

• What method did behaviourists reject for being too vague?

  Introspection
• Why did behaviourists focus on lab experiments?

  To measure observable behaviour scientifically
• What do behaviourists believe about human behaviour at birth?

  We are all born a blank slate
• What are the two types of conditioning that behaviourists focus on?

  Classical and operant conditioning
• Who discovered classical conditioning?

  Pavlov
• What is the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) in Pavlov's experiment?


  Food
• What is the conditioned response (CR) in Pavlov's experiment?

  Salivation
• Who discovered operant conditioning?

  Skinner
• What is positive reinforcement?

  Being rewarded to encourage a desirable behaviour
• What is negative reinforcement?

  Behaving in a desirable way to avoid something unpleasant
• What is punishment in the context of operant conditioning?

  Receiving an unpleasant consequence to prevent undesirable behaviour
• What are the applications of behaviourist theories in treatments?

  • Classical conditioning helps with phobias through counter-conditioning.
  • Operant conditioning leads to token economy programmes for positive reinforcement.
• What is a strength of behaviourist theories?

  They have led to useful applications in treatments
• What is a weakness of behaviourist theories regarding generalizability?

  They may oversimplify human behaviour by testing on animals
• Why are behaviourists criticized for being environmentally deterministic?

  They ignore the role of free will in behaviour
• How do behaviourists explain anti-social behaviour?

  It has been reinforced through conditioning
• What is the implication of behaviourists removing responsibility for actions?

  It suggests behaviour is solely a product of conditioning
• What are the criticisms of behaviourist approaches?

  • Oversimplification of human behaviour
  • Lack of generalizability from animal studies
  • Environmental determinism ignoring free will
• What does the bell represent after conditioning in Pavlov's experiment?


  Conditioned stimulus