Behaviourist Approach

• • Behaviours are learned as a consequence of our experiences.
  • Nurture creates our individual differences.
  • We are born a ‘tabula rasa’ – blank slate.
• Watson argued that only observable human behaviours could be studied scientifically and this should be done

  objectively in controlled laboratory conditions. Behaviourists rejected the subjectivity of introspection (Wundt).
• Classical Conditioning

  Learning that occurs as a result of association.

  Operant Conditioning

  Learning that occurs as a result of the consequences of behaviour.
• Classical Conditioning works through the unconditioned, conditioned and neutral stimulus or response.
• Classical Conditioning eg

  Gay Aversion Therapy

  Being aroused by a man is associated with the pain of being shocked. After time this is learnt that being aroused by a man will result in pain.
• Operant Conditioning eg

  Thorndike’s Law of Effect

  Any behaviour that leads to desirable

  consequences is more likely to happen again, whereas any behaviour that leads to undesirable consequences is less likely to be repeated.
• Operant Conditioning

  Positive Reinforcement: a pleasant consequence which increases the probability of behaviour being repeated.

  Negative Reinforcement: the removal of an unpleasant feeling or stimulus which increases the probability of behaviour being repeated.

  Punishment: an unpleasant consequence which decreases the probability of behaviour being repeated.
• Operant Conditioning eg

  Skinners’ Box

  These were sophisticated cages where the rat might press a lever and if this produced a reward (food) the behaviour would quickly become repeated or positively reinforced. In other set-ups, the animal would learn that lever-pressing could turn off the electrified floor, and this behaviour would quickly become repeated or negatively reinforced.