Behaviourist approach

Behaviourism believes that behaviour is the result of learning through what?

The environment

How does learning within the environment occur?

Through stimulus-response links

What term, meaning controlled, does behaviourism suffer from in that it believes behaviours are controlled by the environment?

Environmental determinism

What are the two types of conditioning that behaviourism is based on?

Classical conditioning & operant conditioning

What is the difference between classical & operant conditioning?

• Classical conditioning: learning through associations

• Operant conditioning: learning through consequences

How does classical conditioning work?

Through the repeated pairings of a unconditioned stimulus (UCS) with an neutral stimulus (NS) until the neutral stimulus (NS) becomes a conditioned stimulus (CS) producing a conditioned response (CR)

Who studied classical conditioning?

Ivan Pavlov

According to operant conditioning, what are the consequences through which behaviours can be learned?

Positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement & punishment

Who studied operant conditioning?

B.F. Skinner

According to operant conditioning, behaviours can be shaped with the law of effect. What is the law of effect?

Those behaviours which receive reinforcement will continue whilst those that do not will become extinct

Behaviourism adopts an approach that states that general laws can be created that can be generalised to groups of people. What is this known as?

A nomothetic approach

Behaviourism also believes that behaviour should be studied objectively with only that which can be observed being measurable, what types of processes does it therefore ignore?

Internal mental processes

Outline and evaluate the behaviourist approach (16 marks)

Write your AO1 paragraph

• The behaviourist approach proposes that behaviours are learned through the environment, meaning it takes a hard stance on nurture in the nature-nurture debate. It also assumes that human behaviour should be studied scientifically using a nomothetic, experimental approach. There are two underlying assumptions within this approach: classical & operant conditioning.

• Firstly, classical conditioning (proposed by Pavlov) refers to learning through association. Behaviours are learned through the repeated pairing of a neutral stimulus (NS) with a unconditioned stimulus (UCS), eventually leading to the NS becoming a conditioned stimulus (CS), producing a conditioned response (CR).

• Secondly, operant conditioning (proposed by Skinner) refers to learning through consequences. This occurs either through positive reinforcement (adding a reward to increase behaviour), negative reinforcement (removing something unpleasant to increase behaviour) or punishment (applying a consequence to reduce behaviour).

Outline and evaluate the behaviourist approach (16 marks)

Write your strength AO3 PEEL (real world applications)

• Point: One strength of the behaviourist approach is that it has real world applications.

• Evidence: For example, Pavlov’s theory of classical conditioning has been successfully used in the treatment of phobias (e.g. systematic desensitisation & flooding), as if phobias can be learned, they can also be unlearned.

• Explain: Additionally, Skinner’s theory of positive reinforcement has been used within prison environments through the token economy system to maintain order & prevent recidivism.

• Link: Overall, this suggests that the behaviourist approach not only has high theoretical value, but also high practical value, as it helps us appreciate how behaviours can be shaped.

Outline and evaluate the behaviourist approach (16 marks)

Write your limitation AO3 PEEL (Bandura)

• Point: One limitation of the behaviourist approach is it is overly mechanistic, as it assumes that behaviours are solely learned through stimulus-response links.

• Evidence: For example, Bandura’s bobo doll study into imitation found that children will follow the stages of attention, retention, motor reproduction & motivation, rather than blindly responding to a stimulus.

• Explain: This suggests the behaviourist approach views humans in a robotic way, with no consideration given to mediating cognitive factors that act between stimulus & response.

• Link: As such, this means the behaviourist approach may not be the only suitable explanation for behaviour, with the social learning theory & cognitive approach arguably showing more relevance.

Outline and evaluate the behaviourist approach (16 marks)

Write your limitation AO3 PEEL (environmental determinism)

• Point: One limitation of the behaviourist approach is that it suffers from environmental determinism.

• Evidence: For example, the case studies of the Batista Boys & David Reimer found that despite years of socialisation as females, the chromosomal male pattern was the dominant force in deciding their final gender.

• Explain: Additionally, Dabbs found high testosterone levels in criminals who had committed the most aggressive acts (e.g. rape & murder).

• Link: Therefore, this challenges the deterministic stance of behaviourism by highlighting that biological, innate factors are ignored (e.g. genes, hormones & neurotransmitters).