Behaviourism

• Behaviourist key assumptions

  -All complex behaviours have been learned from the environment

  -Only observable & measurable behaviour should be studied (speculation about internal mental processes should be eliminated)

  -All basic processes that govern learning are in the same species (so animals could be used as experimental subjects)
• What does "Tabula rasa" mean?

  "blank slate" this is what Locke believes we are born with and we therefore use experience to gain knowledge.
• Why did John B. Watson reject introspection?

  -Too vague & difficult to measure
• What type of experiments did Watson use?

  Laboratory experiments that involved objectivity & control
• Classical conditioning...
• Who came up with classical conditioning?

  Pavlov
• What is classical conditioning?


  Learning through association. Occurs when 2 stimuli are repeatedly paired together (unconditioned and neutral stimulus to produce a conditioned response)
• What is the unconditioned stimulus in Pavlovs research?

  Food (the reflex response)
• What is the neutral stimulus?

  Bell (does not produce a response)
• What is the unconditioned response?


  A reflex behaviour that an organism produces when exposed to an unconditioned stimulus (salivating from food)
• What is a conditioned response?

  A learned reflex behaviour that an organism produces when exposed to a conditioned stimulus (salivated from bell)
• What is a conditioned stimulus?

  An event that produces a learned response (bell)
• Pavlov dog experiment

  
• Operant conditioning...
• Define operant conditioning


  a type of learning in which behaviour is shaped/maintained by its consequences
• What are the three types of consequences?

  -Positive reinforcement

  -Negative reinforcement

  -Punishment
• What is positive reinforcement?

  Receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed eg praise from a teacher
• What is negative reinforcement?


  To avoid something unpleasant to have a positive experience eg putting on suncream to avoid sunburn
• What is punishment?


  Unpleasant consequence of behaviour eg detention
• Who did the experiment of operant conditioning with rats?

  Skinner
• How did Skinners boxes work?

  Every time the rat touched the lever, it was rewarded with food. In other experiments, the lever would be used to stop the constant electric shock.
• What were the positive and negative reinforcement in Skinners boxes?

  +ve= gaining food

  -ve= avoiding the unpleasant stimulus of the shock
• Evaluation of the behaviourist approach...
• Positives of Behaviourist approach

  +Scientific credibility (influenced psych development as a science)

  +Real life application (eg token system in prisons & classical conditioning can treat phobias)
• Negatives of Behaviourist approach

  -Mechanist view of behaviour (suggests animals are passive, but others approaches suggest mental processes occur through learning and have a more active role)

  
  

  -Environmental determinism (suggests all behaviour is determined by past experiences that have been conditioned & ignores influences of free will)

  
  

  -Ethical & practical issues (exposed to stressful conditions which may affect behaviour, dog had been cut to put tubes in salivary glands, rats shocked)
• What is the impact of Pavlov's work

  -Behavioural therapy cna help people with anxiety or phobias eg stage fright, anxiety of needles, how harah