The behaviourist approach

Question 1

When did the behaviourist approach emerge?

Answer 1

Start of the 20th century

Question 2

What philosopher said everyone is born with a blank slate?

Answer 2

John Locke

Question 3

What does the behaviourist approach propose?

Answer 3

All behaviours are learned from interaction with the environment (experiences)

Question 4

Why do behaviourists reject Wundts work?

Answer 4

They are not interested in mental processes, only in things that can be observed and measured

Question 5

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 5

Pavlov - learning through association
Begin to associate a previously neutral stimulus, with a stimulus that produces a response - through regular pairing the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus producing a conditioned response

Question 6

How did Pavlov test classical conditioning with dogs?

Answer 6

Dogs naturally salivate when they see food = unconditional stimulus and unconditional response (biological)
Through regular pairing of a neutral stimulus (a bell) and the food overtime the dog drooled at the sound of bell even when food was not present - turns into a conditioned response

Question 7

What are other important factors in classical conditioning?

Answer 7

• Timing, if the NS cannot be used to predict the UCS then conditioning does not take place (interval cannot be too long)
• Extinction, not permanent - if not regularly paired then CR less likely
• Spontaneous recovery, after extinction, behaviour relearned quicker than if it had never been paired before
• Stimulus generalisation

Question 8

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 8

Learning through consequences
Positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement (removing unpleasant consequence) and punishment

Question 9

What did Skinner’s Box test for?

Answer 9

Whether rats would learn through operant conditioning
If they accidentally pressed the leaver were rewarded with food = overtime learnt to press the lever (positive reinforcement)
Similarly, the other leaver produced electric shocks - rats learnt not to press this leaver (negative reinforcement)

Question 10

what are some strength go the behaviourist approach?

Answer 10

Increased credibility - based on well controlled research
Broke behaviour into basic stimulus response units meaning they could break it down into cause and effect
Real life application - token economy
Classical conditioning has been applied to therapy - systematic desensitisation - effective in treating phobias

Question 11

What are some weaknesses of the behavioural approach?

Answer 11

Oversimplifies the learning process
Limited perspective, ignores other influences on behaviour e.g. cognitive factors or emotional states (Skinner says these internal states are scientifically untestable)
Ignores human thought - animal studies limited and cannot be generalised to humans - humans are more complex, make conscious choices and have free will
HOWEVER, Skinner replied arguing free will is an illusion -actually the product of influences that ‘guide’ our behaviour