Behaviourist Approach

• What is the main assumption of the behaviourist approach regarding human behaviour?

  Born a blank slate, no genetic influence
• Why do behaviourists only study observable behaviour?

  To maintain objectivity and scientific measurement
• What is the validity of studying animal behaviour according to behaviourists?

  Animals have similar mechanisms to humans
• How is behaviour learned according to the behaviourist approach?

  From the environment
• What are examples of behaviours studied in the behaviourist approach?

  Fear and phobias
• What is classical conditioning?

  Learning through association
• What does UCS stand for in classical conditioning?

  Unconditioned Stimulus
• What does UCR stand for in classical conditioning?

  Unconditioned Response
• What is the process of classical conditioning represented by VCS + NS = UCR?

  Learning occurs through association
• What does CS stand for in classical conditioning?

  Conditioned Stimulus
• What does CR stand for in classical conditioning?

  Conditioned Response
• What is extinction in classical conditioning?

  Loss of conditioned response over time
• Who is associated with the Little Albert experiment?

  John B. Watson
• What does operant conditioning focus on?

  Learning due to consequences of behaviour
• What is positive reinforcement?

  Increases likelihood of behaviour due to pleasurable consequence
• What is negative reinforcement?

  Removal of unpleasant stimulus, increasing likelihood of behaviour
• What is punishment in operant conditioning?

  Unpleasant consequence of behaviour, which decreases likelihood of it occurring again
• How does operant conditioning work in rats?

  Pressing lever for food rewards
• What are schedules of reinforcement?

  Frequency of behaviour rewards, they’re more/less powerful depending on how often person is rewarded (associations need to occur close in time for learning to occur
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the behaviourist approach?

  Strengths:

  • Use of scientific methods
  • Controlled environments
  • Replicable and reliable results
  • Real-life applications (e.g., phobia therapy)

  
  

  Weaknesses:

  • Overly simplistic
  • Ignores complex human nature
  • Neglects factors like parenting and culture
  • Reduces ecological validity
  • Ethical issues regarding harm to humans
• What does determinism imply in the behaviourist approach?

  Behaviour is completely determined by environment
• How is behaviourism nomothetic?

  Seeks to establish universal laws of behaviour
• What is a limitation of highly controlled experimentation?

  Lacks mundane realism
• What type of data is easy to analyze in behaviourism?

  Quantitative data
• What ethical issues arise in behaviourist studies?

  Potential harm to animals, eg dogs underwent surgery on salival glands so saliva could be measured easily
• What is an example of quantitative data in classical conditioning?

  Volume of saliva secreted by dogs