A03

• Strengths of behaviourist approach

  1. Scientific credibility
  2. Real-life application
• Limitations of behaviourist approach

  1. Mechanistic view
  2. Practical issues with animal research
• Strength = scientific credibility

  • Behaviourists made us of scientific methods to investigate human behaviour
  • Focused on objectivity and replication in controlled lab settings
  • Gives approach greater credibility status
• Strength = CC real-life application

  • Used to explain how phobias are acquired
  • Supporting evidence = Watson and Rayner Little Albert study where conditioned to have a phobia of white rats
• Strength = OC real-life application

  • Formed the basis of token economy systems which have been used successfully in institutions such as prisons and psychiatric wards
• Limitation = mechanistic view

  • Behaviourists view humans as machine-like responders to the environment with little or no conscious thought into their behaviour
  • Do not consider the influence of thought and cognitive processes as they are not observable
  • However other theories (e.g. cognitive approach) have demonstrated the influence of cognitive processes on human behaviour
• Limitation = practical issues with animal research

  • Not appropriate to apply animal findings to humans due to difference in complexities of human and animal behaviour
  • Genetic influences on what different species can and cannot learn reflecting different evolutionary histories
  • e.g. rats can be conditioned to respond to tastes but not smells