Behaviourist

• Key assumptions of the behaviourist approach:

  • Tabula Rasa - all are born a blank slate - nothing is innate
  • Environmental determinism - all knowledge is gained from environmental consequences
  • Only interested in observable behaviour
  • Study S-R links
• conditioning types:

  classical - association

  operant - re-enforcement
• Outline Pavlov's experiment:

  Aim: investigate salivation

  Methodology: Lab experiment

  results: Bell rung and dog salivated.

  Classical conditioning is learned through association.
• Outline Skinner's experiment:

  Positive: Rat pushed lever and given food

  Negative: Rat pushed lever and removal of electric shock

  Methodology: Lab experiment