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A* 16 marker on Behaviourist Approach AQA A Level Psychology
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A* 16 marker on Behaviourist Approach AQA A Level Psychology Achieved A* High level terminology and concepts used throughout
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Outline and evaluate the behaviourist approach (16 marks)The behaviourist approach emerged in the 1930s and it focuses on explaining behaviour in terms of
what is observable and measurable and in terms of learning. Unlike cogntive psychologists,
behaviourists are not interested in observing internal mental processes as they were seen as
irrelevant. Early behaviourists such as Watson (1913) rejected introspection as it involved too many
concepts that were vague and difficult to measure. As a result, behaviourists tried to maintain more
control and objectivity within their research and relied on lab studies as the best way to achieve this.
Behaviourists believe that all behaviour is learned, and we are born as a “blank slate” (tabula rasa),
where everything we become is shaped by the process of learning from our environment. Therefore,
behaviourists positioned themselves on the nurture side of the nature-nurture debate. Behaviourists
assume that human behaviour can be explained 2 main forms of learning: classical conditioning and
operant conditioning.
Classical conditioning is learning through association, when two stimuli are repeatedly paired
together, and was first demonstrated by Pavlov in 1927. Pavlov showed how dogs could be
conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell if that sound was repeatedly presented at the same
time as they were given food. Gradually, Pavlov’s dog learned to associate the sound of the bell with
the food and would produce a salvation response every time they heard the bell. Pavlov showed
how a neutral stimulus, in this experiment the bell, can come to elicit a new learned response
(conditioned stimulus) through association. The unconditioned stimulus is paired with the neutral
stimulus then the conditioned stimulus causes the conditioned response.
Operant conditioning was investigated by Skinner who suggested that learning is an active process
whereby humans and animals operate on their environment. Operant conditioning refers to how
learning is maintained eg a phobia and how behaviour is shaped by its consequences. For example,
through positive and negative reinforcement and punishment. Positive reinforcement increases the
likelihood of a behaviour being repeated by receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is
performed. For example, receiving praise from a teacher for answering a question correctly in class.
Negative reinforcement increases the likelihood of the behaviour being repeated by removing an
unpleasant stimulus. For example, a student may hand in their homework in order to not be told off.
Finally, punishment is an unpleasant consequence of behaviour. For example, being shouted at by
the teacher for talking during the lesson. In Skinner’s rats experiment every time a rat activated the
lever with the box it was rewarded with a food pellet, which is an example of positive reinforcement.
The rats therefore learnt through positive reinforcement which led the rats to repeatedly press the
lever as they learnt that this was the desired behaviour.
(Little Albert – Watson and Raynor) – Key case study
One strength of the behaviourist approach is that it is based on well controlled research.
Behaviourists focused on the measurement of observable behaviour within highly controlled lab
settings. The behaviourist approach is environmentally reductionist as it breaks down behaviour into
basic stimulus response units and all other possible extraneous variables are removed, allowing
cause-and-effect relationships to be established. For instance, Skinner (1953) was able to clearly
demonstrate how reinforcement influenced animals' behaviour. This is a strength of the behaviourist
approach as it suggests that behaviourist experiments have scientific credibility.
However, one limitation of this is that behaviourists may have oversimplified the learning process.
By reducing behaviour to such simple components, behaviourists may be ignoring an important
influence on learning - that of human thought. Other approaches, such as the social learning theory
and the cognitive approach have drawn attention to the internal mental processes involved in
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