Behaviourist Approach
The behaviourist approach believes that all behaviours are as a result of learning or conditioning. The theory of learning based upon the idea that all behaviours are acquired through conditioning is called Behaviourism. Conditioning occurs as a result of interaction with the environment. The environment (i.e. the people and the events in it) cause our behaviour. Behaviourist believe that we learn or we are conditioned to behave the way we do and our responses to environmental stimuli shape our actions.
Types of Behavioural Conditioning
The two ways in which we learn from the environment are through classical and operant conditioning.
1, Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning is a type of associative learning method discovered by Ivan Pavlov. Classical conditioning occurs when two things commonly occur together, the appearance of one bring the other to mind or a conditioned stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus. It is where an animal or human learns to associate something new with something that naturally causes a response. That “new thing” then causes the same response by itself.
For example, a dog start salivating when presented with meat. Then the meat was paired with a ringing bell so whenever the meat is shown a bell would ring. After presenting the dog with the pairing a number of times, the bell ring without showing the meat but the dog still salivate.

In this example…. Meat (unconditioned stimulus) >> salivation (unconditioned response) Meat (unconditioned stimulus) + a ringing bell (conditioned stimulus) >> salivation (unconditioned response) A ringing bell (conditioned stimulus) >> salivation (conditioned response) |

2, Operant Conditioning Operant conditioning is a method of learning that occurs through reinforcements and punishments for behaviour. It is where an animal or human