BEHAVIOURIST

• What does the behaviourist approach focus on?

  observable behaviour
• what studies do behaviourists tend to rely on?

  controlled lab studies to maintain more objectivity and control within research
• what is classical conditioning?

  learning by association
• what is the process of classical conditioning?

  UCS -> UCR

  NS + UCS

  CS -> CR
• How did Pavlov investigate classical conditioning?

  conditioned dogs to salivate when bell rings

  Before conditoning:

  UCS (food) -> UCR (salivation)

  During conditioning:

  NS (bell) + UCS (food)

  After conditioning:

  CS (bell) -> CR (salivating)
• what is operant conditioning?

  where behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences
• how did Skinner research operant conditioning?

  Rats in a skinner box

  when a rat pushed lever when the light was on is was rewarded with food

  the behaviour was repeated due to desirable consequence

  Pressed lever to also avoid electric shock
• what are the 4 behaviour consequences?

  positive reinforcement

  negative reinforcement

  positive punishment

  negative punishment
• what is positive reinforcement?

  receiving a reward when a behaviour is performed so it continues
• what is negative reinforcement?

  when the behaviour removes something unpleasant so it continues
• what is positive punishment?

  Behaviour stops as it causes an unpleasant consequence
• what is negative punishment?

  behaviour stops because it causes something pleasant to be taken away
• Strengths of behaviourism?

  uses well controlled research and scientific methods - focuses on the careful measurement of observable behaviour within controlled lab settings

  real world application - eg phobias are acquired through classical conditioning
• What does the behaviourist approach state?

  All behaviour is learned so it is influenced by our environment.

  The causes of behaviour are observable so we can measure them scientifically
• Limitation of the behaviourist approach

  Research isn’t generalisable - based on animals, implies animals are the exact same as humans when they are not

  form of environmental Determinism - sees all behaviour as determined by past experiences, ignores any influence that Free Will might have. Ignores the influence of conscious decision