Behavourist

• An assumption behaviourist approach is that it is only interested in studying behaviour that can be observed and measured.
• An assumption of the behaviourist approach is that behaviour is acquired through learning experiences (conditioning).
• An assumption of behaviourists is to study behaviour under controlled lab conditions using standardised methods.
• A assumption of the behaviourist approach is that basic processes that govern learning in humans are similar to those in animals.
• Pavlov and Watson both did research into ‘classical conditioning'
• Negative reinforcement occurs when something unpleasant is taken away, such as no homework=detention.
• Positive reinforcement is when something desirable is obtained to make behaviour happen again, such as £5 for washing the car.
• Punishment is when behaviour will reduce if it causes an unpleasant situation, such as a parent shouting at a child for crossing the street without looking.
• The term 'Tabula Rasa' refers to the mind in its hypothetical primary blank or empty state before receiving outside impressions.
• There are two types of learning/conditioning: classical and operant
• Variable ratios in rewards, as introduced by Skinner, involve rewarding in intervals to increase/ prolong repetition of a behaviour.
• A strength of the behaviourist approach is that it has scientific credibility as it focuses on the objective and scientific measurement of observable behaviour within highly controlled lab settings to get valid and replicable data.
• A strength of the behaviourist approach is its real life application as operant conditioning has been used in the basis of economy token systems in prisons and psychiatric wards. While classical conditioning has been used to treat phobias.
• Ivan Pavlov's experiment is an example of classical conditioning.
• An assumption of behaviourist approach is that it studied behaviour in the form of stimulus-response.
• Pavlov investigated classical conditioning by showing that a dog can be conditioned to associate the sound of a bell with food, causing the dog to salivate at the sound of the bell

  
• Watson and Rayner investigated classical conditioning by conditioning Little Albert to fear white rat (ultimately anything with white fur). This is because he associated anything with white fur with the loud noise which frightened him. 

  
• A weakness of the behaviourist approach is its machine reductionism as animals/humans are seen as passive machines like responders to the environment with little conscious insight into their behaviour.
• A weakness of the behaviourist approach is its environmental determinism as it sees all behaviour as determined by past experiences that have been conditioned - ignores free will.
• A weakness of Skinner’s study is that there are ethical issues as it is unethical to cause animals distress in research.
• A weakness of the behavourist approach is that it has low ecological validity as all lab experiments under controlled conditions so can’t replicate behaviour in real world.
• Skinner investigated operant conditioning using his Skinner box where a rat would first explore the box, then accidentally press a lever that delivered food several times before associating the act of pressing a lever with food (positive reinforcement).