Behaviourist

Behaviourist

1. Assumptions

   • Our environment contains many factors which can influence our behaviour and, therefore, all behaviour is learned through exposure to the environment and nothing is innate
     • Bandura argued that we could receive indirect reinforcement in the learning process

2. Classical Conditioning

   • Proposed by Pavlov
   • Suggests that new behaviours are acquired through association
     • UCS (unconditioned stimulus)
     • UCR (unconditioned response)
       • Conditioned responce
         • For example, in the Little Hans study, the horse falling is the UNS and the UNR is fear. Classical conditioning then takes place and the CS is the horse and the CR is fear

3. Operant conditioning

   • Proposed by skinner
   • Suggests that new behaviours are learned through the reinforcement. At any time, behaviour that is displayed can either result in positive consequences or negative.
   • Negative Reinforcement
     • A child does something bad, and you tell them off. they then associate this behaviour with negative consequences and do not repeat it. The behaviour is then no learnt.
   • Positive reinforcement
     • A child does something good, they are praised and then they learn that this behaviour is good and repeat it

4. social learning theory

   • We learn through observation. Individuals observe 'role models' and learn about behaviour and consequences
   • Vicarious reinforcements

5. Methodology

   • Behaviourists strive for scientific evidence
   • They generate research aims and experimental hypothesese

6. Evaluation

   • Strengths
     • Scientific evidence. eg pavlovs work
     • Successful applications. eg. treatment of mental disorders. Pavlovs work into classical conditioning has been applied to aversion therapy in helping those with disorders
   • Weaknesses
     • tested on animals. Skinners experiment on operant conditioning using pigeons
     • Reductionist,. Only accounts for views of behaviour that are nuture not nature