Approaches
Discuss and evaluate the behaviourist approach
AO1
- Human learning is the same as animal learning
- They believe that we share the same behavioural qualities so we
can study and observe animal behaviour and generalise to human
behaviour
- All behaviour is due to environment
- They believe we were born as a ‘blank slate’ and behaviour learned
is from our interactions and experiences with our environment
- Classical conditioning is the idea that a new association is made
between a previous stimulus and response. This reflex can be
positive or negative
- Operant conditioning is when a behaviour is reinforced it is more
likely to happen again. However, if it is punished it is less likely to
occur again
- Positive reinforcement is the receiving of a reward increasing the
likelihood of the behaviour being repeated
- Negative reinforcement is escaping or avoiding something
unpleasant increasing the likelihood of the behaviour being
repeated
- Punishment is an unpleasant consequence of behaviour decreasing
the likelihood of the behaviour being repeated
- Behaviourists use lab experiments
AO3
LIMITATION – DETERMINISTIC
- The behaviourist approach sees all behaviour as determined by past
experience that has been controlled
- Ignoring the influence of free will on behaviour
COUNTERPOINT
- Skinner suggested any sense of free will is an illusion and our past
conditioning determines the outcome
- This deterministic approach allows the cause of human behaviour to
be predicted and controlled increasing the behaviourist credibility
STENGTH – CAN BE APPLIED TO REAL LIFE
- The principles of classical conditioning can be used to treat phobias
using systematic desensitisation
- The extinguish and irrational fear you have to confront the phobic
stimulus
- The person is taught relaxation techniques when in anxiety inducing
situations to help learn to associate the feared stimulus with
relaxation
- The behaviourist approach has widespread application
STRENGHT – RESEARCH EVIDENCE
- Classical Conditioning
, - Pavlov’s experiment with dogs, who salivated in response to a bell
tone. Pavlov showed that when a bell was sounded each time the
dog was fed, the dog learned to associate the sound with the
presentation of the food
- He first presented the dogs with the sound of a bell and they did not
salivate so this was the neutral stimulus. Then he presented them
with food, they salivated. The food was an unconditioned stimulus
and salvation was an unconditioned response
- He then repeatedly presented the dogs with the sound of the ball
first and then the food after a few repetitions the dogs salivated
when the heard the sound of the bell. The bell has become the
conditioned stimulus and salivation had become the conditioned
response.
- Operant conditioning
- In Skinners box the rat presses the lever and is rewarded food so
the rat presses it again to obtain food, food acts as positive
reinforcement, strengthening the behaviour
- The rat presses the lever and receives an electric shock
(punishment) the rat stops pressing the lever, the shock acts a
punishment so the behaviour weakens
- The floor is electrified so the rat bounces and knocks the lever which
stops the current, the rat is reinforced by taking away the electrical
current (negative reinforcement)
Outline and evaluate the social learning theory approach
AO1
- A way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect
reinforcement combining learning theory with the role of cognitive
factors
- Bandura agreed with behaviourist that behaviour is learned from
experience
- However, SLT proposes a different way of how people learn, through
observation and the imitations of others
- Learning occurs directly through classical and operant conditioning
but also indirectly by vicarious reinforcement
- Vicarious reinforcement is reinforcement which is not directly
experienced but occurs through observing someone else being
reinforced for a behaviour
- Medial process are cognitive factors that influence learning and
come between stimulus and response
- Bandura identified four medial processes: attention, retention,
motor reproduction and motivation
- Identification – people are more likely to imitate people they identify
with
AO3
STRENGTH – RECOGNISES THE IMPORTANCE OF COGNITIVE FACTORS
Discuss and evaluate the behaviourist approach
AO1
- Human learning is the same as animal learning
- They believe that we share the same behavioural qualities so we
can study and observe animal behaviour and generalise to human
behaviour
- All behaviour is due to environment
- They believe we were born as a ‘blank slate’ and behaviour learned
is from our interactions and experiences with our environment
- Classical conditioning is the idea that a new association is made
between a previous stimulus and response. This reflex can be
positive or negative
- Operant conditioning is when a behaviour is reinforced it is more
likely to happen again. However, if it is punished it is less likely to
occur again
- Positive reinforcement is the receiving of a reward increasing the
likelihood of the behaviour being repeated
- Negative reinforcement is escaping or avoiding something
unpleasant increasing the likelihood of the behaviour being
repeated
- Punishment is an unpleasant consequence of behaviour decreasing
the likelihood of the behaviour being repeated
- Behaviourists use lab experiments
AO3
LIMITATION – DETERMINISTIC
- The behaviourist approach sees all behaviour as determined by past
experience that has been controlled
- Ignoring the influence of free will on behaviour
COUNTERPOINT
- Skinner suggested any sense of free will is an illusion and our past
conditioning determines the outcome
- This deterministic approach allows the cause of human behaviour to
be predicted and controlled increasing the behaviourist credibility
STENGTH – CAN BE APPLIED TO REAL LIFE
- The principles of classical conditioning can be used to treat phobias
using systematic desensitisation
- The extinguish and irrational fear you have to confront the phobic
stimulus
- The person is taught relaxation techniques when in anxiety inducing
situations to help learn to associate the feared stimulus with
relaxation
- The behaviourist approach has widespread application
STRENGHT – RESEARCH EVIDENCE
- Classical Conditioning
, - Pavlov’s experiment with dogs, who salivated in response to a bell
tone. Pavlov showed that when a bell was sounded each time the
dog was fed, the dog learned to associate the sound with the
presentation of the food
- He first presented the dogs with the sound of a bell and they did not
salivate so this was the neutral stimulus. Then he presented them
with food, they salivated. The food was an unconditioned stimulus
and salvation was an unconditioned response
- He then repeatedly presented the dogs with the sound of the ball
first and then the food after a few repetitions the dogs salivated
when the heard the sound of the bell. The bell has become the
conditioned stimulus and salivation had become the conditioned
response.
- Operant conditioning
- In Skinners box the rat presses the lever and is rewarded food so
the rat presses it again to obtain food, food acts as positive
reinforcement, strengthening the behaviour
- The rat presses the lever and receives an electric shock
(punishment) the rat stops pressing the lever, the shock acts a
punishment so the behaviour weakens
- The floor is electrified so the rat bounces and knocks the lever which
stops the current, the rat is reinforced by taking away the electrical
current (negative reinforcement)
Outline and evaluate the social learning theory approach
AO1
- A way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect
reinforcement combining learning theory with the role of cognitive
factors
- Bandura agreed with behaviourist that behaviour is learned from
experience
- However, SLT proposes a different way of how people learn, through
observation and the imitations of others
- Learning occurs directly through classical and operant conditioning
but also indirectly by vicarious reinforcement
- Vicarious reinforcement is reinforcement which is not directly
experienced but occurs through observing someone else being
reinforced for a behaviour
- Medial process are cognitive factors that influence learning and
come between stimulus and response
- Bandura identified four medial processes: attention, retention,
motor reproduction and motivation
- Identification – people are more likely to imitate people they identify
with
AO3
STRENGTH – RECOGNISES THE IMPORTANCE OF COGNITIVE FACTORS
