Behaviourist

• What does the behaviourist approach focus on?

  Observable behaviour
• What studies do behaviourists tend to rely on?

  Controlled lab studies to maintain more objectivity and control within research
• What is classical conditioning?

  learning by association
• What is the process of classical conditioning?

  • UCS -> UCR
  • NS + UCS
  • CS -> CR
• How did Pavlov investigate classical conditioning?

  Conditioned dogs to salivate when bell rings

  
  

  Before conditioning:

  • UCS (food) -> UCR (salivation)

  During conditioning:

  • NS (bell) + UCS (food)

  After conditioning:

  • CS (bell) -> CR (salivating)
• What is operant conditioning?

  Where behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences
• How did Skinner research operant conditioning?

  • Rats in a skinner box
  • When a rat pushed lever when the light was on is was rewarded with food
  • The behaviour was repeated due to desirable consequence
  • Pressed lever to also avoid electric shock
• What are the 4 behaviour consequences?

  • Positive reinforcement
  • Negative reinforcement
  • Positive punishment
  • Negative punishment
• What is positive reinforcement?

  Receiving a reward when a behaviour is performed so it continues
• What is negative reinforcement?

  When the behaviour removes something unpleasant so it continues
• What is positive punishment?

  Behaviour stops as it causes an unpleasant consequence
• What is negative punishment?

  Behaviour stops because it causes something pleasant to be taken away
• Strengths of behaviourism?

  • Uses well controlled research and scientific methods - focuses on the careful measurement of observable behaviour within controlled lab settings
  • Real world application - e.g. phobias are acquired through classical conditioning
• What does the behaviourist approach state?

  All behaviour is learned so it is influenced by our environment. The causes of behaviour are observable so we can measure them scientifically
• Limitation of the behaviourist approach:

  • Research isn’t generalisable - based on animals, implies animals are the exact same as humans when they are not
  • Form of environmental Determinism - sees all behaviour as determined by past experiences, ignores any influence that Free Will might have. Ignores the influence of conscious decision