Lecture 6: Behavioural perspectives

Question 1

Important figues in behaviourism

Answer 1

• John B Watson (1878-1958) ‘father’ of behaviourism
• Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936) – classical conditioning
• BF Skinner (1904-1990) – operant conditioning
• Albert Bandura
  (1925-) Social learning
  Theory

Question 2

Key Features

Answer 2

• Human beings can be understood objectively by observing behaviour
• Focus on behavior rather than thoughts or feelings
• All behavior is caused by environmental stimuli
• No such thing as free choice = behavior determined by
  environment – another form of freedom?
• No real difference between animals and humans = we can use animals to study human behaviour
• Rejects diagnostic systems = environment causes problems not underlying disease

Question 3

Main ways of producing behaviour

Answer 3

1) Classical conditioning
2) Operant conditioning
3) Social Learning

Question 4

Classical conditioning

Answer 4

• Pairing of an automatically elicited stimulus with another neutral stimulus to create a learned response

Question 5

How do phobias develop?

Answer 5

• “Little Albert” (Watson)
• White rat (CS), loud noise (UCS) = crying and crawled away (CR)
• Led to response generalization e.g. other furry animals

Question 6

Aversion therapy (clinical interventions using CC)

Answer 6

• Alcoholism treated with medication (Antabuse) that reacts with alcohol to
  produce nausea
• Taste of alcohol + medication = nausea
• After a while the medication is withdrawn and the taste of alcohol (CS) on its
  own induces nausea (CR)

Question 7

Systematic densensitization (Joseph Wolpe) (clinical interventions using CC)

Answer 7

• Counter-conditioning in which a feared stimulus is paired with relaxation until the
  stimuli no longer produces fear.
• Steps in systematic desensitization:
  1. Relaxation training
  2. Creation of a fear hierarchy
  3. Graded exposure paired with relaxation

Question 8

Operant conditioning (BF Skinner)

Answer 8

• Positive reinforcement - increase in occurence of behaviour due to satisfying consequence
• Negative reinforcement = increase in occurrence of behaviour due to removal of a negative stimulus
• Punishment = decrease in occurrence of behaviour due to removal of a negative stimulus
• Extinction = decrease in behaviour by removing reinforcer

Question 9

Token reinforcement system (star charts) (Clinical interventions) (OC)

Answer 9

• Clear specification of desired behavior
• Tokens for rewards (e.g. stars)
• Give immediate rewards (more effective than delayed)
• Build up to agreed longer term reward

Question 10

Behaviour Assessment and Intervention

Answer 10

• Functional analysis

= Antecedents - Behaviour - Consequences (ABC)

Question 11

Social Learning Theory

Answer 11

• Bandura - Can learn by observing others
• Whitaker & Bushman (2009):
  = Violent video games can result in an increase in aggressive behavior where:
  = The child tends to be aggressive to start with
  = The violent characters are rewarded or glamorized
  = It is likely that the child will identify with the violent character

Question 12

Clinical interventions using theory

Answer 12

Role models, assertiveness, social skills training

Question 13

Strengths of Behavioursim

Answer 13

• Can be studied scientifically
• No judgement of ‘the
  person
• Good evidence it works on changing clearly
  specified behaviours
• Widely used in work with behavioural problems
  (children), intellectual disability, social skill
  training, autism, anxiety (phobia), and depression
  integrated into many CBT interventions

Question 14

Weaknesses of Behaviourism

Answer 14

- Excluding everything not observable – thoughts, 
emotions, values, beliefs, spirituality
 - Reductionist
 - Incomplete explanation
 - Treats the symptom not the ‘cause’