The Behaviourist Perspective

Question 1

(The Behaviourist Perspective) What are the principles of the behaviourist perspective?

Answer 1

All people are born ‘tabula rasa’ (blank slates). All behaviours are learnt from the environment.

Question 2

(The Behaviourist Perspective) What are the concepts of the behaviourist perspective?

Answer 2

Classical conditioning, operant conditioning and social learning theory.

Question 3

(The Behaviourist Perspective) What is classical conditioning?

Answer 3

Learning through association, the idea that we learn by associating things in the world (stimuli) with bodily reactions (responses).

Question 4

(The Behaviourist Perspective) What is operant conditioning?

Answer 4

Learning as a result of rewards and punishment.

Question 5

(The Behaviourist Perspective) Describe positive reinforcement (operant conditioning).

Answer 5

Give a person a reward when they show a desired behaviour.

Question 6

(The Behaviourist Perspective) Describe negative reinforcement (operant conditioning).

Answer 6

Taking away something bad to encourage a particular behaviour.

Question 7

(The Behaviourist Perspective) Describe positive punishment (operant conditioning).

Answer 7

Adding something to discourage behaviour.

Question 8

(The Behaviourist Perspective) Describe negative punishment (operant conditioning).

Answer 8

Taking something to discourage behaviour.

Question 9

(The Behaviourist Perspective) What is the social learning theory?

Answer 9

Learning through observing and imitating the behaviour of others

Question 10

(The Behaviourist Perspective) What are 3 strengths of the behaviourist perspective?

Answer 10

• Highlights the role of nurture when learning.
• Can be useful to have practical applications in a range of different settings.
• Focus on studying observable behaviour in a controlled lab experiments gives psychology scientific credibility.

Question 11

(The Behaviourist Perspective) What are 3 weaknesses of the behaviourist perspective?

Answer 11

• Ignores the influence of nature on behaviour, failing to take into account that genetics can place limits on individuals.
• Lessons behaviourism teaches us can be difficult to apply.
• Lab experiments lack ecological validly, fail to resemble behaviours that may be performed in real life.