Behaviourist Approach

Question 1

Four assumptions for behaviourist approach

Answer 1

• Behaviour is learned from experience
• Humans are all born as a blank slate
• Only observable behaviour is scientific and measurable
• Its valid to study animals as they share the same principles of learning

Question 2

What is the behaviourist approach all to do with

Answer 2

All to do with the environment, no genetics involved

Question 3

What’s a stimulus

Answer 3

The thing that causes a behaviour

Question 4

What does being born as a blank slate mean

Answer 4

Humans are born without any genetic advantage. Everyone’s the same, develop behaviour from the environment

Question 5

What is the law of effect (in pe aswell)

Answer 5

If behaviour is followed by satisfying consequences (a safisfier) it is more likely to be repeated

Question 6

Describe Pavlovs study

Answer 6

• Pavlovs study was all to do with classical conditioning, which is learning by association and reflex actions can be manipulated
• Reflex action for the dog when the food is in sight is salivation
• Pavlov paired feeding the dogs and ringing bell so dogs knew they were about to get fed
• However, he then rang the bell but didn’t feed the dogs and they still salivated

Question 7

Classical conditioning involves what type of behaviour

Answer 7

Reflex actions

Question 8

State the UCS, UCR, NS, CS and CR for Pavlovs study

Answer 8

UCS= The food
UCR= Salivation 
NS= The bell
CS= The bell
CR= Salivation

Question 9

What other study was performed in terms of classical conditioning, other than Pavlovs dogs

Answer 9

Little Albert

Question 10

Describe Little Alberts study

Answer 10

• Little Albert was presented with a white rat and showed no fear
• Then he was presented with a rat again however this time with a loud noise and he began to cry
• After continuous association of the white rat and loud noise, Little Albert was classically conditioned to experience fear at the sight of the rat

Question 11

• Little Albert was noticed to be scared of anything white and fluffy
• Pavlovs dogs salivated at the sound of any bell, not just the original sound

What do these examples show

Answer 11

Stimulus generalisation

Question 12

The point at which the stimulus is no longer generalised is called what

Answer 12

Stimulus discrimination

E.g. Pavlov used different internment’s to make noises, getting further and further away from the bell like sound, until he found the stimulus discrimination point at which the dogs will no longer discriminate

Question 13

What does operant conditioning involve

Answer 13

Voluntary behaviour as opposed to classical conditioning which involves reflex actions

Question 14

What’s a study to do with operant conditioning

Answer 14

The Skinner box

Question 15

What does reinforcement refer to

Answer 15

Reinforcement refers to anything that increases the likelihood of a behaviour occurring

Question 16

What’s the positive reinforcement in Skinners box study

What’s the negative reinforcement in Skinners box study

Answer 16

Positive reinforcement= Giving the rat food

Negative reinforcement= Turning off the electricity

Question 17

How did skinner conduct research on pigeons

Answer 17

• Breaks down the behaviour into steps
• Gives the pigeon reward (food) If does the correct action
• Can then adapt it to do more complex actions

Question 18

Rates of reinforcement

What are the two types of rates of positive reinforcement

Answer 18

Continuous rate

Variable rate

Question 19

Which of the two rates of reinforcement are most resistant to extinction and why

Answer 19

Variable rates of positive reinforcement such as gambling as the anticipation of reward creates excitement and maintains it

Question 20

What is continuous/fixed positive reinforcement

Answer 20

A reward every time a desired behaviour is exhibited

Question 21

What is a variable ratio of reinforcement

Answer 21

A reward sometimes

E.g. gambling

Question 22

Why is a variable rate of reinforcement more resistant to extinction than a fixed rate (2 marks)

Answer 22

As the anticipation of a pending reward keeps the interest of the individual for longer than a fixed rate where a lack of reward will be quickly noticed and lead to extinction of behaviour

Question 23

Evaluation of behaviourist approach

Answer 23

• Very scientific, it used objective methodology. Therefore, produces results that are not subjective, increasing validity
• Some state, experiments develop artificial, not natural learning. Therefore, low in ecological validity, therefore can’t be applied to real life
• Role of Biological factors is rejected. Phenomena such as new born reflexes like new born babies sucking, can’t be explained. Therefore, contradicts theory that all behaviour is learned
• Some believe it ignores mental processes in learning, Humans are viewed as passive learners. Implies humans have no free will or control over their actions. E.g. They were not in control of their action when they committed a crime
• Classical and operant conditioning have been applied to behaviour in real life, e.g. operant conditioning in school. Demonstrates theoretical principles are applicable to real life