the learning approach: behaviourism

behaviourist approach

behaviour is learned through interactions with the environment

focuses on classical and operant conditioning which explains how behaviour can be acquired and maintained

only study observable and measurable behaviour - more scientific approach

believed psychology should identify general laws of behaviour that could be objectively tested and replicated

assume same basic learning principles apply to both animals and humans - animals can be used in behaviourist research to investigate learning and behaviour

classical conditioning

learned through association

1. before conditioning: UCS produces UCR

2. during conditioning: NS repeatedly paired with UCS to produce an UCR

3. after conditioning: NS become CS which produces CR

Pavlov (1927) classical conditioning

1. before conditioning: UCS of food naturally produced a UCR of salivation - bell was an NS because it didn’t naturally produce salivation

2. during conditioning: NS (bell) was repeatedly paired with the UCS (food) causing salivation (UCR)

3. through repeated parking the dogs made a connection between the bell and food

4. after conditioning: bell became CS and produced salivation (CR) even when food wasn’t present

features of classical conditioning

extinction: occurs when CS if repeatedly pressed with UCS causing CR to gradually disappear

spontaneous recovery: occurs when an extinguished CR returns after a period of rest

generalisation: occurs when stimuli similar to CS also produce conditioned response - eg. dog conditioned to salivate to one beer may also salivate to other bells of different pitches

operant conditioning

learning through consequences of behaviour

reinforcement increases likelihood of behaviour being repeated

punishment decreases likelihood of behaviour being repeated

types of reinforcement

1. positive reinforcement

2. negative reinforcement

both increase behaviour

positive reinforcement

adds something pleasant after a behaviour

increase likelihood of behaviour being repeated

eg. completing homework = receiving praise

skinner’s box (1938) - positive reinforcement

investigated positive reinforcement using a skinner box

1. placed rats in a skinner box with a lever and food dispenser

2. when a rat accidentally pressed the lever food was released

3. over time rats learned to press lever more often because their behaviour was positively reinforced with food

demonstrated positive reinforcement - addition of food increased likelihood of rat pressing lever again

negative reinforcement

removes/avoids something unpleasant after a behaviour

increases likelihood of behaviour being repeated

eg. completing homework = avoids detention

skinner’s box (1938) - negative reinforcement

investigated negative reinforcement using a Skinner box

1. rats placed in box where they receive an electric shock

2. when rat pressed lever the electric shock stopped

3. over time rats learnt to press lever more frequently as it meant the unpleasant stimulus would be removed

demonstrated negative reinforcement - removal of electric shock = increased likelihood of rat pressing lever again

skinner (1948) - pigeon study

1. placed pigeons in a Skinner box and used food as positive reinforcement

2. gradually reinforced behaviours that became closer to desired behaviour (eg. turning in circles, pecking a disc) using successive approximation to shape pigeons behaviour

3. pigeons could be trained to perform complex behaviours - behaviour can be shaped through reinforcement

behaviourist approach strength - highly controlled & objective research methods

behaviourists often use lab experiments - extraneous variables = carefully controlled so its easier to establish cause and effect relationships

standardised procedures - studies can be replicated to check if same findings are obtained again which increases reliability of evidence

behaviour is directly observable and measurable - reduces risk of subjective interoperation by researches

overall: behaviourist approach has strong scientific credibility which increases validity of its explanation of behaviour

behaviourist approach strength - led to effective treatments

eg. systematic desensitisation uses classical conditioning to gradually replace association with phobia stimulus and fear with a more positive response

repeatedly exposing person to phonic stimulus when relaxed the original fear response is gradually extinguished - helps manage phobias and allows people to return to everyday lives (eg. work)

overall: behaviourist approach has practical usefulness as its principles can be successfully sued to change behaviour and improve people’s lives

behaviourist approach weakness - environmentally deterministic

oversimplification - same behaviour can have other causes

eg. phobias can be explained using classical conditioning but biological approach suggests some people may have a genetic predisposition to developing fears (genes may make them more vulnerable to developing a phobia)

focusing only on environmental learning may overlook other important influences on behaviour

overall: behaviourist approach may provide an incomplete explanation of human behaviour

behaviourist approach weakness - evidence comes from non-human animals

eg. pavlov studied dogs in research into classical conditioning, skinner used rats and pigeons to investigate operant conditioning

evidence that conditioning can influence behaviour but difficult to generalise findings to humans as they have more complex cognitive processes and social influences

overall: research mainly based on animals has limited generalisability which reduces validity of behaviourism as explanation of human behaviour