Behaviourist Assumptions

Question 1

What are the 3 Behaviourist assumptions?

Answer 1

• Humans are born like a blank state
• Behaviour is learned through conditioning
• Humans and animals learn in similar ways

Question 2

(A1) What is the first Behaviourist assumption?

Answer 2

Humans are born like a blank slate

Question 3

(A1) What is meant by tabula rasa and how does it relate to the behaviourist assumption?

Answer 3

Blank slate
Behaviourist psychologists argue that we are born a ‘blank slate’ and it is the environment that shapes our personality

Question 4

(A1) Is the Behaviourist approach nature or nurture? Explain why

Answer 4

Nurture as it believes that all behaviour comes from the environment.

Question 5

(A1) Is the Behaviourist approach deterministic or free will? Explain why

Answer 5

Environmental determinism as it believes that all we are is because of the environment, our personalities and behaviour are determined by our environment

Question 6

(A2) What is the second Behaviourist assumption?

Answer 6

Behaviour is learned through conditioning

Question 7

(A2) What are the 2 main mechanisms through which behaviour is learned?

Answer 7

• Classical conditioning
• Operant conditioning

Question 8

(A2) Finish the sentence: Classical conditioning is learning through _____

Answer 8

Association

Question 9

(A2) How does classical conditioning occur?

Answer 9

When an association is made between a previously unconditioned response, and a neutral stimulus. If the two are paired enough times, eventually the neutral stimulus will produce the unconditioned response.

Question 10

(A2) What is an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) in classical conditioning?

Answer 10

A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a unconditioned response (UCR)

Question 11

(A2) What is a neutral stimulus (NS)

Answer 11

A stimulus that initially has no response from the subject other than drawing attention

Question 12

(A2) What happens in stage 1 of classical conditioning?

Answer 12

UCS —-> UCR
NS —-> No response

Question 13

(A2) What happens in stage 2 of classical conditioning?

Answer 13

UCS + NS —-> UCR
The neutral stimulus is repeatedly paired with the unconditioned stimulus to create a link between the two

Question 14

(A2) What happens in stage 3 of classical conditioning?

Answer 14

CS —-> CR
The NS becomes the conditioned stimulus (CS) that produces the conditioned response (CR)

Question 15

(A2) What is evidence of classical conditioning? What were the UCS, UCR, NS, CS, and CR?

Answer 15

Pavlov’s dogs
UCS - Food
UCR - Dog salivating
NS - Bell ringing
CS - Bell ringing
CR - Dog salivating

Question 16

(A2) What is operant conditioning learnt through?

Answer 16

Consequence

Question 17

(A2) What is the basic description of operant conditioning?

Answer 17

If people behave in a particular way and are rewarded for it, they will repeat it. If they are punished for the behaviour, they will stop doing it

Question 18

(A2) What is the evidence for operant conditioning?

Answer 18

Skinner’s rats

Question 19

(A2) What was the setup for Skinner’s box experiment?

Answer 19

• A rat was placed alone in a box
• There was a lever in the box that the rat could press
• Pressing the lever would trigger a consequence or a punishment

Question 20

(A2) What is positive reinforcement (PR) and what was the PR in Skinner’s box experiment?

Answer 20

• A reward or pleasant consequence that increases the likelihood that a behaviour or action will be repeated
• In Skinner’s experiment, the PR was getting food when the lever was pressed

Question 21

(A2) What is negative reinforcement (NR) and what was the NR in Skinner’s box experiment?

Answer 21

• When an unpleasant experience is removed after a behaviour or action has been made. This increases the likelihood that the behaviour is repeated.
• In Skinner’s experiment, the NR was turning off the electrical current in the box when the lever is pressed

Question 22

(A2) What is punishment and what was the punishment in Skinner’s box experiment?

Answer 22

• A stimulus that weakens behaviour because it is unpleasant and we try and avoid it
• In Skinner’s experiment, the punishment was when the lever was pressed, the heating is turned off

Question 23

(A3) What is the third Behaviourist assumption?

Answer 23

Humans and animals learn in similar ways

Question 24

(A3) Why is believing that humans and animals learn in similar ways beneficial to their research?

Answer 24

It means that we can investigate the the effect of conditioning on animals then generalise the results to humans

Question 25

(A3) What type of environment is usually used by behaviourist researchers? Explain why

Answer 25

Lab environment as they assume that humans and animals learn similarly, so they can use animals and apply the findings to human behaviour

Question 26

(A3) What is an example of classical conditioning that has been extrapolated from animals to humans?

Answer 26

Aversion therapy

Question 27

(A3) What is an example of operant conditioning that has been extrapolated from animals to humans?

Answer 27

Token economy

Question 28

(A3) What is a token economy?

Answer 28

Points based system where the person gains points by doing desirable behaviours and can use the points to get access to desired items or activities

Question 29

(A3) Where are token economies used?

Answer 29

Used in institutions for chronically mentally ill, or adolescents

Question 30

EQ - Explain how a psychologist could apply the assumptions of the behaviourist approach to understanding human behaviour. (10)

Answer 30

- Operant conditioning e.g. the reward of compliments in a relationship. - Classical conditioning e.g. association of pleasure with addictive stimuli. - Blank slate/tabula rasa e.g. observation and imitation of role models in addiction. - Animals and humans learn in the same ways e.g. phobias (research by Seligman). - Social learning theory e.g. differential association theory of crime. - Vicarious reinforcement e.g. seeing bullies being rewarded with others admiring/being scared of them, then imitating the bullying behaviour.

Question 31

EQ -Describe ‘behaviour learnt through conditioning’ and one other assumption of the behaviourist approach. (4 + 4)

Answer 31

- Classical conditioning; learning through association, UCS, UCR, NS, CS, CR, work of Pavlov in classically conditioning dogs to salivate to the sound of a bell. - Operant conditioning; learning through reinforcement, positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment, extinction, work of Skinner with rats and/or pigeons. - Blank slate; tabula rasa, behaviour learnt as a result of environmental interactions, nurture over nature, environmental determinism. - Humans and animals learn in similar ways; laboratory research, extrapolation, work of Pavlov and/or Skinner, use of theory in therapy e.g. token economies, aversion therapy and systematic desensitisation.