behaviourist approach Flashcards
assumptions, classical and operant conditioning
who created the behaviourist assumptions?
Watson
Who looked into classical conditioning?
Pavlov
define classical conditioning
learning by association
what are the steps for classical conditioning?
Unconditioned stimulus -> Unconditioned response
neutral stimulus -> neutral response
unconditioned stimulus + neutral stimulus -> unconditioned response
(and when this is repeated)
conditioned stimulus -> conditioned response
who looked into operant conditioning?
Skinner
define operant conditioning
learning through reinforcement
define reinforcement
a consequence that encourages behaviour to be repeated
define punishment
a consequence that encourages behaviour to stop
give an example of a positive reinforcement
house points given when students answer a question correctly - more likely to answer questions again
give an example of a negative reinforcement
parents grounding you for coming home late - you avoid the grounding by repeatedly coming home on time
give an example of a punishment
parents grounding you for coming home late - you stop coming home late
what are the behaviourist assumptions
animals and humans learn in the same way
lab studies are the best way to find results
babies are born as blank slates (tabula rasa)
rejection of biology
behaviourism AO3 - weakness 1
ignores the concept of free will
in favour of environmental determinism, everything is predetermined by our past experiences
learned through conditioning
behaviourism AO3 - CA 1
following this logic, things can be unlearned through conditioning
lead to the developments of treatments
such as systematic desensitisation
behaviourism AO3 - weakness 2
the use of animal studies as they assume animals and humans learn the same way
Pavlov’s dogs and Skinner’s rats
findings cannot be generalised to humans due to our more complex brains
Skinner’s rat study was particularly unethical
behaviourism AO3 - CA 2
using animals is less time consuming and more cost effective
animals, especially rats, breed faster
behaviourism AO3 - strength 1
use of lab studies
high control over variables, less risk of confounds
behaviourism AO3 - CA 3
lab studies lack ecological validity
limit learning to observable behaviours
this ignores any cognitive processes
