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Notes for the topic of Approaches in AQA Psychology. Designed primarily to be used as a revision aid. Compilation based on online materials, mark schemes, and personal experience.
Includes all of the co...
Outline and Evaluate the Behaviourist approach (16 marks)
Outline
The behaviourist approach assumes that human behaviour can be explained through conditioning and is shaped and learnt
through the environment. Conditioning includes making a learned association between stimuli and response. Behaviourists also
believe our minds are blank when we are born and there is no genetic influence on our behaviour. Behaviourists are only concerned
with behaviour that can be measured and observed. There are two types of conditioning that explain human behaviour, which is
classical and operant conditioning.
Classical conditioning originated through the work of Pavlov and occurs through learning by association. Pavlov was able to show
how the association works in his study on dogs. In his experiment whenever he brought food (UCS) for the dogs they would start
salivating (UCR). Pavlov wondered if he could associate the dog to salivate to another stimulus. In this case a bell, a bell was a
neutral stimulus and by Pavlov’s association it became a conditioned stimulus and the dog would salivate whenever he heard it
(CR).
Another type of conditioning is operant conditioning. The principle of operant conditioning is learning through reinforcement. There
are three main ways behaviour is learnt; positive and negative reinforcement and punishment. Positive reinforcement is being
rewarded whenever a certain behaviour is performed whereas negative reinforcement is avoiding something unpleasant. Skinner
created and explained operant conditioning through his work on rats. He placed a hungry rat inside the “Skinner box, including a
lever which once they activated, a food pellet was released (positive reinforcement). The rat swiftly learnt to go straight to the lever
after a few times of being put in the box. This indicates positive reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behaviour being
repeated. In a variation, the rat was placed in a cage where it was given an electric shock, the lever would switch off the electric
shock (negative reinforcement). The rats quickly learnt to press the lever to stop the shocks. This indicates that negative
reinforcement leads to an increased likelihood of behaviours that avoid a negative consequence. Punishing them in a different
condition where the lever caused electric currents conditioned the rats to stop pressing the lever.
Evaluation
One strength of the behaviourist approach is that it has real-life application.
For example, classical and operant conditioning is often used in prisons and educational settings through the use of token
economy to try and reward good behaviour.
This is important because it shows that the theory has high ecological validity. After all, we can use this in real-life settings.
Therefore, this allows us to predict and control peoples behaviour in everyday settings and situations.
One limitation of the behaviourist approach is that it is deterministic.
For example, the behaviourist approach believes that behaviour is a result of learning through association or learning through
consequences.
This is a limitation as it doesn’t consider other causes of behaviour including our biology, our own free will and the influence from
our role models.
Therefore, the behaviourist approach is a limited explanation of behaviour as it only focuses on one aspect.
One strength of the behaviourist approach is that it has scientific credibility.
For example, the methodology is used to observe behaviours in highly controlled environments like a laboratory where
everything can be precisely measured and controlled. This is evident in Skinner's experiment where he controlled the rats in his
box.
This is important because it allows other psychologists to replicate the study, which increases its reliability.
Therefore, the behaviourist approach meets some of the aims in science.
One limitation of the behaviourist approach is that it has largely come from animal studies.
For example, Skinner’s experiment with rats showed that we can condition them with the behaviourist approach. This is also
evident in Pavlov’s dog's experiment.
This is important because the findings may not be replicated in humans due to issues with extrapolation.
Therefore, we cannot generalise the findings from animals to humans.
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