Behaviourist approach

• Behaviourism


  An approach to explaining behaviour which suggests that all behaviour is acquired and maintained through classical and operant conditioning
• From a behaviourist perspective, the basic laws governing learning are the same across both non-humans and humans. Therefore, non-human animals can replace humans in behaviourist experimental research
• Classical conditioning


  A type of learning which occurs through associations made between the unconditioned stimulus and the neutral stimulus
• Classical conditioning


  1. Before conditioning, the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) produces the unconditioned response (UCR)

  2. During conditioning, the neutral stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the UCS, producing an UCR

  3. After conditioning, the neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned stimulus, producing the conditioned response

  
• Pavlov's classical conditioning experiment

  • Unconditioned stimulus = food
  • Unconditioned response = salivation
  • Neutral stimulus = bell
  • Conditioned stimulus = bell
  • Conditioned response = salivation

  
• Extinction


  When the conditioned stimulus is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus, so the conditioned response becomes extinct/disappears
• Spontaneous recovery


  When the individual carries out the conditioned response some time after extinction has occurred
• Generalisation


  When slight changes in the conditioned stimulus still produces the same conditioned response
• Operant conditioning


  A type of learning where behaviour is acquired and maintained based on its consequences
• Types of reinforcement


  • Positive reinforcement
  • Negative reinforcement
• Skinner's Box experiment


  • Positive reinforcement = Rat pressing lever to receive food reward
  • Negative reinforcement = Rat pressing lever to avoid electric shock
• An understanding of the role of classical conditioning in the acquisition and maintenance of a phobia of white rats in Little Albert (Watson and Rayner, 1920) would be particularly useful

  
• Being able to differentiate between classical and operant conditioning would be useful
• Behaviourist approach


  • Makes use of highly scientific research methods, particularly the laboratory experiment
  • Strictly-controlled conditions reduce and control for the effects of confounding and extraneous variables, increasing the reliability and internal validity of the findings
• Token economies


  A way of dealing with offending behaviour: inmates who carry out socially-desirable behaviour receive tokens which can be traded for privileges
• The behaviourist approach sees all behaviour as the product of past reinforcement contingencies, leaving no room for free will or conscious choices
• Much behaviourist research, at least by modern standards, would be viewed as unethical due to causing physical and psychological harm to participants