The Behaviourist Approach

• Who introduced the behaviourist approach and what year?

  John Watson 1913
• What does tabula rasa mean?

  Blank slate
• Who said we are born as a tabula rasa?


  John Watson
• Who did the classical conditioning study?

  Ivan Pavlov
• Explain classical conditioning?

  Unconditioned Stimulus (Food) > Unconditioned response (Salivation)Unconditioned Response (Food) > Neutral stimulus (Bell) > Unconditioned Response (Salivation)Conditioned Stimulus (Bell) > Conditioned Response
• What is timing (in relation to classical conditioning)?

  If the neutral stimulus occurs after the unconditioned stimulus or the interval between the NS and UNS then the conditioning doesn't happen.
• What is extinction (in relation to classical conditioning)?

  The conditioned response isn't permanent and so if the unconditioned response isn't presented with the neutral stimulus it stops happening
• What is spontaneous recovery (in relation to classical conditioning)?

  Following extinction, if the conditioned stimulus and unconditioned stimulus are paired again the link is made quicker
• What is stimulus generalisation (in relation to classical conditioning)?

  Similar stimuli to the conditioned stimulus will produce the same result
• Name the two psychologists for operant conditioning?

  Edward Thorndike and B.F Skinner
• Who came up with the law of effect?

  Edward Thorndike
• What is the law of effect?

  If the behaviour brings satisfaction it will be repeated, if not it will become extinct
• whose idea was "Reinforcement and punishment are key ideas in the notion of operant conditioning"?

  B.F Skinner
• Skinner coined the term 'reinforcer', what does it mean?

  A stimulus that, when following a response, increases the probability of the response reoccurring.
• What did skinner do his experiments on?

  Rats (In mazes)
• What is a primary reinforcer?

  These give satisfaction themselves e.g. sweets
• What is a secondary reinforcer?

  Valued for what you can do with them, often used to get primary reinforcers
• What is positive reinforcement?

  Provides satisfaction, when given it increases the chance of the behaviour being repeated
• What is negative reinforcement?


  The removal of something unpleasant Increases the chance of the behaviour happening again (not a punishment)
• What are the strengths of behaviourism?


  • It offers simple explanation for human behaviour
  • It uses a scientific approach (can be tested)It offers many therapies
• What are the weaknesses of behaviourism?

  • Ignores internal mental processes (thinking)
  • May over simplify human behaviour
  • Too deterministic
  • assumes humans and animals are the same