Behaviourist approach

• What is the behaviourist Approach?

  way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable and in terms of learning.
• What is classical conditioning?

  Learning by association. Occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired together - an unconditioned stimulus

  (UCS) and a new 'neutral' stimulus (NS). The neutral stimulus eventually produces the same response that was first produced by the unconditioned (unlearned) stimulus alone.
• What is operant conditioning?

  A form of learning in which behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences. Possible consequences of behaviour include reinforcement (positive or negative) and punishment.
• What is reinforcement?

  A consequence of behaviour that increases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated. Can be positive or negative.
• What was Pavlovs research?

  showed how dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell if that sound was repeatedly presented at the same time as they were given food. Gradually, Pavlov's dogs learned to associate the sound of the bell with the food and would produce the salivation response every time they heard the sound. Thus, Pavlov was able to show how a neutral stimulus, in this case a bell, can come to elicit a new learned response (conditioned response) through association
• What was Skinners research?

  suggested that learning is an active process whereby humans and animals operate on their environment. In operant conditioning behaviour is shaped by its consequences

  Positive and negative reinforcement increase the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated. Punishment decreases the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated.
• What is positive reinforcement?

  Positive reinforcement is receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed, for example, praise from a teacher for answering a question correctly in class
• What is negative reinforcement?

  Negative reinforcement occurs when an animal (or human) avoids something unpleasant.The outcome is a positive experience. For example, when a student hands in an essay so as not to be told off, the avoidance of something unpleasant is the negative reinforcement.
• strength of behaviorust approach?

  P- based on well-controlled research.

  E- Behaviourists focused on the measurement of observable behaviour within highly controlled lab settings. By breaking down behaviour into basic stimulus-response units, all other possible extraneous variables were removed, allowing cause-and-effect relationships to be established.

  E- Skinner able to clearly demonstrate how reinforcement influenced an animal's behaviour.

  L- suggests that behaviourist experiments have scientific credibility.
• CA FOR STRENGTH OF BEHAVIOURIST APPROACH

  P- oversimplited the learning process. By reducing behaviour to such simple components, behaviourists may have ignored an important influence on learning - that of human thought.

  E- Other approaches, such as social learning theory and the cognitive approach have drawn attention to the mental processes involved in learning.

  L- suggests that learning is more complex than observable behaviour alone, and that private mental processes are also essential.
• another strength of behaviourist approach?

  P- the principles of conditioning have been applied to real-world behaviours and problems.

  E- For example, operant conditioning is the basis of token economy systems that have been used successfully in institutions, such as prisons and psychiatric wards. These work by rewarding appropriate behaviour with tokens that can be exchanged for privileges.

  L- increases the value of the behaviourist approach because it has widespread application.
• Limitation of behaviourist approach?

  P- sees all behaviour as conditioned by past conditioning experiences.

  E- Skinner suggested that everything we do is the sum total of our reinforcement history. When something happens we may think 1 made the decision to do that but, according to Skinner, our past conditioning history determined the outcome. This ignores any possible influence that free will may have on behaviour

  L- an extreme position and ignores the influence of conscious decision-making processes on behaviour