Describe and evaluate the behaviourist approach in psychology. Refer to evidence in the answer.
[10 Marks]
The behaviorist approach works on the assumption that behaviour is learned through experience and that we are born with no experience. The approach suggests that behaviours are learned through reinforcement that strengthens a behaviour and that all learning links to responding to a stimulus. It also assumes that the environment is the sole determining factor in behaviour.
There are two main theories that fall under the behaviourist approach: classical and operant conditioning. Classical conditioning was developed by psychologist, Ivan Pavlov. Pavlov adopted the idea of stimulus response and learning through association. Pavlov used a dog to show his theory. He noticed when the dog saw food it would salivate. He began giving the dog food ,the unconditioned stimulus, with a ringing bell, the conditioned stimulus. Eventually Pavlov was able to get a response from the dog when only ringing the bell which shows how the dog learnt to associate the bell with food.
Operant conditioning was adopted by Fredric Skinner. His theory worked on the basis of reinforcing behaviors. The 3 main types of reinforcement are positive and negative reinforcement and punishment. Skinner used his ‘Skinner Box’ to show this theory. The Box consisted of a hungry rat and a lever.In positive reinforcement the rat is given food when it presses the lever. In negative reinforcement the rat is given an electric shock and in order to stop the shock it has to press a lever. In punishment the rat is given an electric shock when pressing the wrong lever. In the Skinner Box the rat is learning through reinforcement of a behaviour which supports Skinners theory.
The evidence shows that it is possible to learn through association and reinforcement of behaviours. It shows how animals and humans can