outline and evaluate the behaviourist approach in psychology.

introduction - The behaviourist approach was founded by JB Watson in 1915. This approach is a way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable and in terms of learning. The behaviourist approach is not concerned with investigating mental processes of the mind. JB Watson rejected the idea of introspection due to it being too vague and not scientific. Instead, behaviourists relied on highly controlled lab experiments. It is believed that we are all born 'blank slates' and that all our behaviourists are learnt. AO1 - One way in which the behaviourist approach states behaviour can be learnt is classical conditioning. Classical conditioning is learning through association and it was proposed by Pavlov. Pavlov demonstrated that dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell. This would be done by repeatedly pairing together an unconditioned stimulus (the food) and a neutral stimulus (the bell). The neutral stimulus would eventually produce the same response that was first produced by the unconditioned stimulus. Pavlov was able to show that the sound of the bell had unconditioned the dog to salivate. AO1 (2) - Another way in which the behaviourist approach can be learnt is by operant conditioning. Operant conditioning is learning through consequences. This can be from; positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement and punishment. Operant conditioning was proposed by Skinner. Skinner suggested that learning is an active process where humans and animals operate on their environment. Positive reinforcement is receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed. For example in Skinner's box research, the mice received a food pellet for pressing the button in the box. Negative reinforcement occurs when an animal or human avoids something unpleasant, it is an avoidance of a negative emotion/consequence. The rat in Skinner's box may have learned through negative reinforcement that pressing a lever allows them to avoid an electric shock. Punishment is the unpleasant consequence of behaviour. Positive and negative reinforcement increase the likelihood that a behaviour will be repeated whereas punishment decreases the likelihood that a behaviour will be repeated. Strength (1) - One strength of the behaviourist approach is that it is very scientific. Theories are testable and supported by rigorous experimental research. By using the experimental method, it helps to establish cause and effect. Due to the highly controlled experiments, it allows them to be replicable, allowing the research to have reliability.