evaluation

• the approach has scientific research support. EG skinner rats and Pavlov were lab experiments, high control over extraneous variables
• approach has led to real world application- led to systematic desensitisation- useful
• approach can be critiqued for having environmental determinism- fails to consider the role of biology and free will- fear of the dark can be due to evolutionary factors, can be unconditioned, suggests limitation,
• has environmental reductionism- reducing complex behaviour to stimulus-response links made in the environment may mean we overlook important influences. Therefore the behaviourist approach may be a limited account of human behaviour
• scientific- objectively measurable, measurable stimulus-response mechanisms, can establish cause and effect through highly controlled lab experiments, standardised procedures- led to an allowance for the replication of Pavlov and Skinner's work- these large-scale studies improved psychology's scientific status, leading to its recognition as a distinct scientific field
• one limitation- these animal studies from Ivan Pavlov (1890s), and BF Skinner (1948) are not generalisable to the human population/behaviour, and humans possess greater intelligence, so simple stimulus-response mechanisms may not adequately explain human behaviour.
• behaviourist approach has several practical applications- such as effective counter-conditioning treatments, token economy systems in prisons and conditioning techniques used for classroom management. the fact these applications are effective helps reduce maladaptive behaviour and suggests the behaviourist principles they are based on are valid.