evaluation

• • One strength of the behaviourist approach is that it has practical applications
  • For example, systematic desensitisation involved extinguishing a learnt fear response to an object by training the sufferer to use relaxation techniques whilst being exposed to the stimuli linked with the phobia.
  • This uses classical conditioning to treat anxiety based disorders (phobias) as it is assumed that a fear response to an object has been learned and that the association can therefore be unlearnt.
  • This means that the behaviourist approach can be used to improve the lives people in the real world.
• • One strength of the behaviourist approach is that it is scientific
  • For example, the Skinner box allowed the manipulation of consequences (food vs electric shock) and an accurate measurement of the rats behaviour following these (frequency of times the lever was pressed).
  • This allowed Skinner to establish a cause and effect relationship between consequences and future behaviours.
  • This means that the behaviourist approach is capable of making valid cause and effect statements about the relationship between consequences and behavioural responses.
• • one weakness of the behaviourist approach is that there are limitations of animal studies.
  • Much of the principles of classical and operant conditioning were developed based on studies done on animals such as rats and dogs.
  • Critics argue that this tells us little about human behaviour, since humans have freewill, our behaviours are not entirely determined by association and reinforcement.
  • This means that the behaviourist approach may be incorrect in proving human behaviour
• • one weakness of the behaviourist approach is that it is deterministic
  • Pavlov and Skinner would argue that our behaviours are a result of conditioning and socialisation. Skinner states that 'freewill is an illusion' and that our choices are determined by experiences and environmental events such as reinforcement and punishment.
  • This means that our behaviours are a result of our environment.