STRENGTHS

• STRENGTHS OF BEHAVIOURISM?

  • research support
  • real world application
• RESEARCH SUPPORT ARGUMENT?

  • based on well-controlled research (Pavlov/ Skinner)
  • focused on measuring observable behaviour in highly controlled lab settings
  • removed extraneous variables
  • establish cause and effect
  • suggests it has scientific credibility
• COUNTERARGUMENT FOR RESEARCH SUPPORT?

  • behaviourists may have oversimplified
  • ignored influence of human thought on learning
  • learning is more complex than observable behaviour alone
• ARGUMENT FOR REAL WORLD APPLICATION?

  • led to development of treatments (e.g. systematic desensitisation)
  • able to understand phobias are formed by association/ classical conditioning
  • approach is useful