APPROACHES IN PSYCHOLOGY:
THE BEHAVIOURAL APPROACH:
● Founded in 1915 by JB Watson, focusing on how we are a
product of our learning, environment and experience.
● Key Psychologists: IVAN PAVLOV(Classical Conditioning) and
BF SKINNER(Operant conditioning)
● The behaviourist approach is only interested in behaviour that
can be observed and measured-considers how we learn
behaviour
● Relies on lab experiments for a controlled environment
● The approach believes that when we are born our mind is a
‘clean slate’
● They believe that learning is the same in all species and so
experiments can be carried out on both humans and animals
● The approach believes that behavior is the result of
stimulus–response- all behavior, no matter how complex, can
be reduced to a simple stimulus – response features.
The behaviorist perspective proposes two main processes
whereby people learn from their environment: Classical
conditioning involves learning by association, and operant
conditioning involves learning from the consequences of
behavior(collectively known as learning theory)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING:Learning by association. Occurs when two
stimuli are repeatedly paired together-an unconditioned stimulus(UCS) and
new ‘neutral stimulus’. The neutral stimulus then becomes a conditioned
stimulus and eventually produces the same response that was first
produced by the unconditional stimulus alone(conditioned response).
KEY CONCEPTS:
● STIMULUS:Anything internal or external that brings about a
response.
● RESPONSE:Any reaction in the presence of the stimulus
● REINFORCEMENT:A consequence of behaviour that increases the
likelihood of behavior being repeated. Can be positive or negative.
, ● Ivan Pavlov. Though looking into dogs' natural reflexes and neutral
stimuli he managed to condition them to salivate when they heard a
bell by repeated associations with the sound of the bell and food.
● Watson and Raynor (1920) aimed to demonstrate that an irrational
fear can be induced by classical conditioning. They managed to make
the subject of their experiment ‘Little Albert’ afraid of rats(neutral
stimulus) by associating it with a loud banging noise(unconditioned
stimulus).
OPERANT CONDITIONING:A form of learning in which behaviour is
shaped and maintained by its consequences. Possible consequences of
behaviour include positive + negative reinforcement or punishment. We
respond to the environment and if these responses are reinforced, we will
repeat them-if they are punished, we are less likely to repeat them.
KEY CONCEPTS:
● POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT:Increases the likelihood of a response
occurring because it involves a reward for the behaviour-examples
include a worker getting a bonus for working hard
● NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT:Increases the likelihood of a
response because it involves the removal or the escaping from
negative consequences-examples include torture being stopped
when a victim confesses
● POSITIVE PUNISHMENT:Receiving something unpleasant which
decreases the likelihood of behaviour being repeated-such as
receiving a smack for bad behaviour.
THE BEHAVIOURAL APPROACH:
● Founded in 1915 by JB Watson, focusing on how we are a
product of our learning, environment and experience.
● Key Psychologists: IVAN PAVLOV(Classical Conditioning) and
BF SKINNER(Operant conditioning)
● The behaviourist approach is only interested in behaviour that
can be observed and measured-considers how we learn
behaviour
● Relies on lab experiments for a controlled environment
● The approach believes that when we are born our mind is a
‘clean slate’
● They believe that learning is the same in all species and so
experiments can be carried out on both humans and animals
● The approach believes that behavior is the result of
stimulus–response- all behavior, no matter how complex, can
be reduced to a simple stimulus – response features.
The behaviorist perspective proposes two main processes
whereby people learn from their environment: Classical
conditioning involves learning by association, and operant
conditioning involves learning from the consequences of
behavior(collectively known as learning theory)
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING:Learning by association. Occurs when two
stimuli are repeatedly paired together-an unconditioned stimulus(UCS) and
new ‘neutral stimulus’. The neutral stimulus then becomes a conditioned
stimulus and eventually produces the same response that was first
produced by the unconditional stimulus alone(conditioned response).
KEY CONCEPTS:
● STIMULUS:Anything internal or external that brings about a
response.
● RESPONSE:Any reaction in the presence of the stimulus
● REINFORCEMENT:A consequence of behaviour that increases the
likelihood of behavior being repeated. Can be positive or negative.
, ● Ivan Pavlov. Though looking into dogs' natural reflexes and neutral
stimuli he managed to condition them to salivate when they heard a
bell by repeated associations with the sound of the bell and food.
● Watson and Raynor (1920) aimed to demonstrate that an irrational
fear can be induced by classical conditioning. They managed to make
the subject of their experiment ‘Little Albert’ afraid of rats(neutral
stimulus) by associating it with a loud banging noise(unconditioned
stimulus).
OPERANT CONDITIONING:A form of learning in which behaviour is
shaped and maintained by its consequences. Possible consequences of
behaviour include positive + negative reinforcement or punishment. We
respond to the environment and if these responses are reinforced, we will
repeat them-if they are punished, we are less likely to repeat them.
KEY CONCEPTS:
● POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT:Increases the likelihood of a response
occurring because it involves a reward for the behaviour-examples
include a worker getting a bonus for working hard
● NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT:Increases the likelihood of a
response because it involves the removal or the escaping from
negative consequences-examples include torture being stopped
when a victim confesses
● POSITIVE PUNISHMENT:Receiving something unpleasant which
decreases the likelihood of behaviour being repeated-such as
receiving a smack for bad behaviour.
