EVALUATION OF THE BEHAVIOURAL APPROACH

EVALUATION OF THE BEHAVIOURAL APPROACH

1. + SCIENTIFIC APPROACH

   • introduced by Watson start of 20th Century.
     • Pavlov work was objective, scientific.
       • e.g. studies observable, measurable behaviours
         • operationalised in terms of stimulus- response
           • could relate to little albert
   • analyse, quantify and compare behaviour
   • see beliefs from facts- conduct experiments
   • therapies, have scientific evidence, can observe and measure.
     • could relate to SD

2. FOCUS ON THE HERE AND NOW

   • Not concerned with the past like other approaches
     • does not work for all people or disorders
     • treatment of disorders focuses on current symptoms and not causes
       • e.g. aversion therapy
         • alcohol and new stimulus response
           • not why, but stop it
       • e.g. 2 - SD treat undesirable behaviour
         • via counterconditioning - new stimulus/response
           • does not look for cause, removes symptoms
   • ignores the underlying cause

3. SUCCESSFUL APPLICATIONS

   • applied in the real world
     • education
     • mental illness
       • e.g. classical conditioning and aversion therapy
     • operant conditioning e.g. token economy
       • principles of positive reinforcement in the form of primary and secondary reinforcers

4. EMPHASIS ON NURTURE

   • focuses on the environment nature is ignored.
     • e.g. would not consider genetics in influencing personality
   • external factors are exaggerated
     • if it was just learning, we could all reach our potential
       • ignores internal factors
         • motivation, emotions, innate abilities
           • e.g moral responsibility
   • ETHICAL as it takes the blame away from the individual

5. :( MORE RELEVANT TO ANIMALS

   • roots lie in experiments with non animals e.g. pavlov and skinner
     • Wolpe - created a phobia in cats by placing them in cages and giving shocks.
       • human anxiety might not be the same
         • e.g. Wolpe - women fear of insects SD not cure phobia. Husband = insect
           • it was repression, not learning = counselling. recommended
   • SD was also developed with animals

6. DETERMINISITIC APPROACH

   • behaviour linked by associations e.g. stimulus response(CC), or rewards and punishments( oc)
     • People are controlled by environmental factors
       • does not consider the processes that occur before we behave - i.e free will
         • ie ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINISM
           • people can not make choices, and have no personal or moral responsibility?
           • people are not accountable for own wrong doing>