Behaviourist approach

Whats the first assumption of Behaviourism?

Psychologists can only study observable behaviour (psychology is based only on empirical evidence)

Whats the second assumption of Behaviourism?

Most behaviour is learnt.

Whats the third assumption of Behaviourism?

We can use animals research to reach conclusions about human behaviour because animals & humans both use the same learning mechanisms.

What are the two learning mechanisms humans and animals use?

Classical conditioning & operant conditioning

What is classical conditioning?

When something neutral becomes associated with something that already causes a respinse

Before CC there’s a neutral stimulus (which causes no response) and an unconditional stimulus (which causes an unconditioned response) the neutral stimulus then becomes associated with the unconditioned stimulus as a result, after CC the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus which causes a condition response

What is operant conditioning?

When someone learns to associate their actions with an outcome.

What is reinforcement?(and the two types)

When operant conditioning makes someone more likely to repeat a behaviour.

Positive reinforcement is when you’re more likely to repeat a behaviour because you have received a reward

Negative reinforcement is when you’re more likely to repeat a behaviour because something negative has been taken away.

What is punishment?

When a negative outcome makes you less likely to repeat a behaviour.