The Behaviourist Approach

The Behavourist Approach

• Dominant Approach
• Credited as the driving force in development as Psychology as a science
• Behaviour can be observed and measured
• Behaviourists maintain more control and objectivity during the research (lab experiments)

Assumptions:

• No genetic influence on behaviour
• Little difference in animal development than humans
• Behaviour is a result of a stimuli
• All behaviour is learnt from the environment

Classical Conditioning: A learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired

• Learning by association
• Learning occurs when association is made between a previously neutral stimulus and a reflex response

Study: Pavlov's Dogs

- Dog is harnessed to a bench with a tube from the mouth into a jar

- When his assistant comes to the door, the dog would salivate (which was collected in the jar)

-Pavlov then rings a bell when the dog gets given food (reflex response is induced)

-The bell is then associated with food (and salivation occurs with the neutral stimuli of the bell without food)

Operant Conditioning: Form of learning - behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences

• Positive Reinforcement…