Psychological Perspectives
Behaviourist theory
The behaviourist approach assumes that all aspects of human behaviour is learnt through
experience, including abnormal behaviour and that behaviour is a result of response. This
happens through classical conditioning or operant conditioning. Classical conditioning
typically involves learning through association, whereas operant conditioning involves
learning by the consequences of actions, using a reward (positive reinforcement) or
punishment (negative reinforcement). The behavioural approach assumes that people are
born as blank slates and that every experience we have is what shapes us, which is conflicted
against by other theorists.
Theories
Pavlov:
Pavlov studied the behaviour of dogs at meal times, in doing so he discovered
classical conditioning.
Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist, during the 1890’s he began an experiment on
the salivation in dogs during meal times. Pavlov began from the idea that there are
some things that a dog does not need to learn (unconditional response). In
behaviourist terms this is written as:
Unconditioned stimulus (Food) Unconditioned response (Salivate).
Pavlov studied a dog and its salivary secretions during his experiment. Pavlov learnt
that any object or event which the dog associated with food, would cause the same
response. On discovering this he began to develop his theory, Pavlov presented the
food at the same time as a ringing bell (a neutral stimulus). This was done to test
whether the dog would begin to associate the ringing bell with the food. After several
attempts, the dog eventually learnt to associate the ringing bell with food, causing it
to automatically salivate when the bell was rung, even when no food was presented.
Before conditioning:
Unconditioned stimulus (food) Unconditioned response (salivation)
Bell No response
During conditioning:
Unconditioned stimulus (food) + Neutral stimulus (Bell) Unconditioned
response (Salivation)
After conditioning:
Conditioned stimulus (bell) Conditioned response (salivation)
Skinner:
Skinner studied rats and pigeons through conducting experiments, where he
developed the theory of operant conditioning.
Burrhus Frederic Skinner was an American psychologist, behaviourist, author,
inventor, and social philosopher. During the 1930’s he conducted an experiment
Behaviourist theory
The behaviourist approach assumes that all aspects of human behaviour is learnt through
experience, including abnormal behaviour and that behaviour is a result of response. This
happens through classical conditioning or operant conditioning. Classical conditioning
typically involves learning through association, whereas operant conditioning involves
learning by the consequences of actions, using a reward (positive reinforcement) or
punishment (negative reinforcement). The behavioural approach assumes that people are
born as blank slates and that every experience we have is what shapes us, which is conflicted
against by other theorists.
Theories
Pavlov:
Pavlov studied the behaviour of dogs at meal times, in doing so he discovered
classical conditioning.
Ivan Pavlov was a Russian physiologist, during the 1890’s he began an experiment on
the salivation in dogs during meal times. Pavlov began from the idea that there are
some things that a dog does not need to learn (unconditional response). In
behaviourist terms this is written as:
Unconditioned stimulus (Food) Unconditioned response (Salivate).
Pavlov studied a dog and its salivary secretions during his experiment. Pavlov learnt
that any object or event which the dog associated with food, would cause the same
response. On discovering this he began to develop his theory, Pavlov presented the
food at the same time as a ringing bell (a neutral stimulus). This was done to test
whether the dog would begin to associate the ringing bell with the food. After several
attempts, the dog eventually learnt to associate the ringing bell with food, causing it
to automatically salivate when the bell was rung, even when no food was presented.
Before conditioning:
Unconditioned stimulus (food) Unconditioned response (salivation)
Bell No response
During conditioning:
Unconditioned stimulus (food) + Neutral stimulus (Bell) Unconditioned
response (Salivation)
After conditioning:
Conditioned stimulus (bell) Conditioned response (salivation)
Skinner:
Skinner studied rats and pigeons through conducting experiments, where he
developed the theory of operant conditioning.
Burrhus Frederic Skinner was an American psychologist, behaviourist, author,
inventor, and social philosopher. During the 1930’s he conducted an experiment
