Behaviourism

• Who was a key figure of behaviourism?

  John Watson
• What do behaviourists believe?

  All behaviour is learned
• What do behaviourists study?

  Behaviour that can be observed and measured
• Why did Watson reject introspection?

  Too vague and difficult to measure
• How do behaviourists describe a baby's mind?


  Tabula rasa (blank slate) written on by experience
• Why do behaviourists use animals in their studies?

  Following Darwin, they think learning is the same in all species
• What is classical conditioning?


  Learning through association
• Who first demonstrated classical conditioning?

  Ivan Pavlov
• What did Pavlov do in his study?


  He rang a bell when presenting food to a dog to condition salivation to a bell without food
• What is the process of classical conditioning with reference to Pavlov?

  • Unconditioned Stimulus (Food) > Unconditioned Response (Salivation)
  • Unconditioned Stimulus (Food) + Neutral Stimulus (Bell) >
  • Unconditioned Response (Salivation)Conditioned Stimulus (Bell) > Conditioned Response (Salivation)
• Who did the study on Little Albert (1920)?


  Watson and Rayner
• How old was Little Albert?

  9 months
• What were Watson and Rayner the first to do?

  Apply classical conditioning to human behaviour
• What did Watson and Rayner set out to do in their study?

  They set out to give Little Albert a phobia of white rats
• What was Little Albert's response to the white rat before the study?

  He tried to play with it and pick it up
• What happened during the Little Albert study?

  A metal rod was hit creating a loud bang every time the white rat was presented multiple times
• What was Little Alberts response to the white rat after the experiment?

  When the rat was presented alone he was afraid of it as he associated it with the fear response from the loud bang
• What is operant conditioning?


  Learning through consequences
• Who demonstrated operant conditioning?

  B.F. Skinner (1953)
• What did Skinner suggest?

  Learning is an active process whereby humans and animals operate in their environment
• How does operant conditioning say our behaviour is shaped?

  By reinforcement and punishment
• What is reinforcment?

  Increases the likelihood behaviour will be repeated
• What is punishment?

  decreases the likelihood behaviour will be repeated
• What is positive reinforcement?

  Something is added to increase the likelihood of behaviour
• What is negative reinforcement?

  something is removed to increase the likelihood of a behaviour
• What is positive punishment?

  Something is added to decrease the likelihood of a behaviour
• What is negative punishment?

  Something is removed to decrease the likelihood of a behaviour
• What are the strengths of the behaviourist approach?

  Real world application Based on well controlled research
• Why is "real world application" a strength of the behaviourist approach?

  • Prisons and psychiatric wards use rewards system based on operant conditioning
  • Good behaviour is rewarded with privileges, positive reinforcement
  • Behaviourism can be seen working
• Why is "based on well controlled research" a strength of the behaviourist approach?

  • Skinner clearly demonstrated reinforcement with his Skinner box
  • Use of scientific methods allows for the removal of extraneous variables Shows scientific credibility
• What are the limitations of the behaviourist approach?


  • Oversimplified
  • Deterministic
• Why is "oversimplified" a limitation of the behaviourist approach?

  • Ignores the influence of human thought Cognitive approach and SLT draw attention to the importance of mental processes
  • Learning is more complex than observable behaviour
• Why is "deterministic" a limitation of the behaviourist approach?

  Says behaviour is based on past reinforcement and conditioningIgnores the effect of free will on behaviour Ignores cognitive processes for decision making