Behaviourist approach

Question 1

What is the behaviourist approach?

Answer 1

-Behaviourism was pioneered by Watson
-emerged at the beginning of the 20th century
- rejected wundts introspection- too vague/unmeasurable
- created with developing pyschology as a scientific discipline

Question 2

What are the assumptions?

Answer 2

-All animals are born with a blank slate, and all behaviors are learned from interactions with the environment (experiences).
-Not interested in mental processes, only things that can be observed and measured.
-Rejects Wundts research.
-Importance of control and objectivity
-Use of animals to replace humans in research
-Use lab studies
-Classical conditioning
-Operant conditioning

Question 3

What is classical conditioning ?

Answer 3

• Classical Conditioning (CC) (learning via association) is one of the core assumptions of the behaviourist approach
• CC occurs when a neutral stimulus is substituted for the original unconditioned stimulus to produce a conditioned response

Question 4

Outline Pavlov’s dogs

Answer 4

-Pavlov noticed that the dogs began to salivate before they saw or smelt their food - in fact they began to salivate when they heard the footsteps of the lab assistants approaching (the dogs had learned that these footsteps = food!)
Pavlov was astounded by this discovery: the dogs should only salivate when presented with the unconditioned stimulus - food - rather than a neutral stimulus (footsteps)
-In order to test what he had just stumbled upon he set up the following procedure:
-The dog is given food as usual (unconditioned stimulus)
-The dog salivates when it sees and smells the food (unconditioned response)
-A bell is sounded (neutral stimulus) every time the dog is given food (unconditioned stimulus)
-A bell is sounded every time the food is presented (the pairing of neutral and unconditioned stimuli)
-After repeated pairings of the dog salivates when it hears the bell
-The bell has become the conditioned stimulus

Question 5

What is operant conditioning ?

Answer 5

Operant conditioning (OC) (learning via consequence) and is one of the core assumptions of the behaviourist approach

Question 6

What are the types of operant conditioning ?

Answer 6

• Positive reinforcement: performing a behaviour to experience the positive consequences e.g. completing homework in order to gain praise from the teacher
  -Negative reinforcement: discontinuing a behaviour to avoid unpleasant consequences e.g. completing homework to prevent being given a detention
  -Punishment: a type of deterrent which can be positive (i.e. direct) e.g. a detention, or negative (indirect) e.g. not being allowed to attend a party

Question 7

Explains skinners rats

Answer 7

• Research using animals (particularly rats and pigeons) by Skinner demonstrates the principles and mechanisms of OC:
  -A rat is placed in a specially designed box (known as a ‘Skinner box’)
• The box contains a lever which the rat can press
• When the rat presses the lever a food pellet (the reward) is dispensed

Question 8

Evaluation of Behaviourist approach
(strength/counterpoint)

Answer 8

• Strength - it increases scientific credibility.
• The behaviorist approach is based on well controlled research.
• Focused on observable behavior within highly controlled lab settings.
• All other possible extraneous variables were removed allowing cause and effect to be established
• Could really demonstrates how reinforcement influenced animal behavior.
• Counterpoint:
• Simplify learning processes such as human thoughts.
• Social learning theory and cognitive approach draw attention to mental processes and their important still learning.
• Learning is more complex than observable behaviors alone and should account for mental processes, which are also an essential part of the picture.

Question 9

REAL EWORLDDDD

Evaluation of Behaviourist approach
(strength/weakness)

Answer 9

-Strength - real world application
- Token economy systems - often used in institutions as positive reinforcement
- Phobias - due to learning experiences through classical conditioning
- This increases value as it has wide-spread application.
- Weaknesses
- Animal studies
- more control over indiviual differences avoid demand charctersistics.
- Using animals are unethical as there is less concern about protection
- dont generalise to human behaviour
- Skinners , operant conditioning may provide an understanding of rat behaviour and humans

Question 10

Evaluation of Behaviourism
(link to issues and debates )

Answer 10

• Both forms of conditioning (and behaviourism generally) are highly deterministic as they assume that a specific reponse will follow a specific stimulus (CC) or that only behaviours which bring rewards are likely to be repeated (OC). There is little room for free will in conditioning; the assumption is that people are controlled by environmental forces and have little autonomy over their own destiny.
• Both forms of conditioning (and behaviourism generally) are reductionist as they do not consider the role of other significant influences on behaviour such as genes, personality, culture.