AQA A LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY - APPROACHES - THE BEHAVIOURIST APPROACH (PAPER 2)(A01 + A03)

THE BEHAVIOURIST APPROACH

BEHAVIOURIST : Individuals who explain human behaviour through conditioning,
without the need to consider thoughts or feelings.

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING : NS paired with UCS = eventually produces CR

OPERANT CONDITIONING : Learning through reinforcement or punishment

- If behaviour is followed by a desired consequence we are likely to repeat
that behaviour in the future

PUNISHMENT : Application of an unpleasant consequence following a behaviour

- Results in behaviour being less likely to occur again in the future
- POSITIVE PUNISHMENT : addition of an unpleasant consequence

- NEGATIVE PUNISHMENT : subtraction of a pleasant consequence

REINFORCEMENT: Anything that strengthens a response & increases the
likelihood of that behaviour occurring again

- POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT : addition of a pleasant consequence

- NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT : subtraction of an unpleasant consequence

UCS= unconditioned stimulus
UCR= unconditioned response
NS= neutral stimulus
UCS=unconditioned stimulus
UCR= unconditioned response
CS= conditioned stimulus
CR=conditioned response




CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

● All animals & humans are born with natural reflexes : salvation when food is
placed in their mouth.

- Reflexes made of :
1) Stimulus = food
2) Naturally associated response = salvation


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