The behaviourist approach

The behaviourist approach

1. The basic assumptions

   • Is that all behaviour is learned from the experiences a person has in their environment
   • Behaviourists are strongly on the side of nurture in the nature-nurture debate and regard genetic influences on behaviour as minimal
   • That all behaviour is learned through reinforcement and punishment

2. Classical conditioning

   • Was developed by Ivan pavlov
   • Studied learning by association using naturally occurring reflexes in animals
   • Watson and Rayner(1920)
     • Aim: Used a nine month old boy called Little Albert to condition a fear of white rats which led to a phobia of white rats
     • They discovered that Little Albert showed fear when a hammer struck a metal bar behind his back. Following this, Watson and Rayner placed a white rat in front of little albert and at the same time made the loud noise with the metal bar. Little albert then began to show fear and began to develop a phobia of white rats/small fury white objects.
     • They concluded that classical conditioning causes strong emotional behaviour such as that shown by somebody with a phobia
     • One critical view about this study is that it would not be allowed these days because it would not be regarded as ethical and would be in breach of the British psychological society's code of ethics and conduct

3. Operant conditioning

   • Was developed by Skinner which he called Radical behaviourism
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