Behaviourism

• Theories need to be supported by empirical data obtained through careful and controlled observations and measurement of behaviour
• Observable behaviour can be objectively and scientifically measured as opposed to internal events like thinking and emotion
• There is little difference between the learning that takes place in humans and that in other animals, therefore research can be carried out on both humans and animals
• All behaviour, no matter how comp;ex. cam be reduced to a simple stimulus-response association
• We learn new behaviour through classical or operant conditioning and social learning theory

• Pavlov created the concept of classical conditioning- This involves a stimulus in the environment and a response
• He was looking at salivation in dogs in response to being fed

UCS-> UCR

FOOD->SALIVATE

UCS+NS->UCR

FOOD+BELL-> SALIVATE

CS->CR

BELL-> SALIVATE

• Based on Pavlov's observations, Watson said that all individual differences in behaviour were due to different experiences of learning
• Little Albert was a 9 month old infant who was tested on his reactions to various stimuli
• He was shpwn a white rat, rabbit, monkey and various masks

UCS->UCR

WHITE RAT-> NO FEAR

UCS+NS-> UCR

WHITE RAT+LOUDNOISE-> FEAR

CS->CR

WHITE RAT-> FEAR

• Thorndike created the concept of operant conditioning- This involves learning from the consequences of our behaviour
• He studied learning in animals and devised a classic experiment in which he used a puzzle box to empirically test the laws of learning
• A cat was placed in the puzzle box and it was encouraged to escape to reach some fish
• Eventually it found the lever that opened the cage
• In successive trials the cats would learn that pressing the lever would have favourable consequences, therefore increasing the frequency of the behaviour

• The work of Skinner was rooted in a view that classical conditioning was too simplistic to be a complete explanationn of complex human behaviour
• His theory of operant conditioning was based on the work of Thorndike
• He intoduced reinforcement and tested on animals using the Skinner box

Key terms:

Positive reinforcement= Occurs when a behaviour is followed by a favourable stimulus that increases the frequency of that behaviour

Negative reinforcement= Occurs when a behaviour is followed by the removal of an aversive stimulus thereby increasing the frequency of that behaviour

Variant reinforcement= Not rewarding every action eg: 1 in 3

• Bandura agrees with the behaviourist learning theories of classical conditioning and operant conditioning
• However, he adds that behaviour is learned from the environment through the process of observational learning
• He tested this theory in the bobo doll experiment

Strengths

• Focuses on observable and measurable behaviour- High in validity
• Research methods are scientific- Easy to replicate and test
• It helped to identify psychology as a scientific principle
• It has produced many useful applications eg: treatment of phobias, the use of positive reinforcement

Weaknesses

• It fails to explain why people are sometimes scared of things they have no experience of
• It doesn't take innate factors into account
• Ignores the role of free will
• It doesn't take cognitive abilities into account
• Reinforcement may not always work- The reward may become meaningless
• Research done on animals cannot be applied to humans- Humans are more intelligent and have a greater range of emotional processes