Evaluation Points of 'learning' approaches: behaviourist theories.

what are the evaluation points of the behaviourist approach? (remember SULP)

S- scientific methods

U- use of animal research

L- lack of biology

P- practical applications

Evaluate the scientific methods used in behaviourist theories.

• The behaviourist approach focusses on observable behaviours. This means that the experiment can be repeated, increasing the data pool and therefore validity of the claim. (if the data backs up the original conclusion)

• Skinner’s experiment was also one of the first psychological studies to be done in a lab, it was new for psychological theories to have a scientific basis so would have been received well, especially upon publication.

Evaluate the use of animal research used in behaviourist theories.

• Due to physiological differences (eg brain structure) between humans and test subjects (rats, pigeons, dogs), the theory could be seen to lack validity when applying/generalising it to human behaviour.

Evaluate the lack of biological study used in behaviourist theories.

• In behaviourist theories, the emphasis is on external/environmental factors influencing behaviour, however evidence from biological studies have proven correlation between behaviour and genetics, this invalidates/contradicts the results of animal-based research.

Evaluate the practical applications as evidence of behaviourist theories.

• Principals of conditioning such as the ‘variable ratio schedule’ can explain many real life situations such as gambling addiction.

• Another real life application of the behaviour approach is that it has lead to the development of thereapies, for example: systematic desensitisation which is a therapy designed to treat phobias.