Behaviourism

1. What do you think?
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What might be
the reason for
this behaviour?
Do you think
humans are born
this way?
What do you
see happening
in this picture?
What factors
might influence
human
behaviour?

2. They attempt to explain behaviour!!!
But how do they explain it?
Many different APPROACHES or PERSPECTIVES
to explaining behaviour.

3. Lesson Objective:
AO1 - To explore and understand Behaviourist Approach and
Classical Conditioning.
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AO3 – To look at research into classical conditioning and to
evaluate Classical Conditioning as an explanation of behaviour.
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4. “Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my
own specified world to bring them up in and I'll
guarantee to take any one at random and train him to
become any type of specialist I might select – doctor,
lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-
man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants,
tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his
ancestors.”
John B. Watson (1919)
•What claim is Watson making about human
nature?
•Which approach to psychology do you think
Watson represents?

5. This perspective believes that we are born
a blank slate.
We learn our behaviour as a result of our
experiences in our environment.
Therefore this is a NURTURE explanation.
Question:
What do you think?
AO1 - To explore and understand Behaviourist Approach and Classical Conditioning.

6. Behaviourist assumptions
• People are products of their environment.
• All complex behaviours have been learned.
• Learning – and consequently behaviour – is under the
control of the environment.
• Doing psychology means understanding what people
have learned and how.
• Only observable behaviour should be studied,
speculation about mental processes should be
eliminated.
AO1 - To explore and understand Behaviourist Approach and Classical Conditioning.

7. Key assumptions of behaviourism
• When born our mind is 'tabula
rasa' (a blank slate).

8. Key assumptions of behaviourism
• People have no free will – a
person’s environment
determines their behaviour.
We are puppets on strings!

9. Key assumptions of behaviourism
• Psychology should be seen as a
science. Theories need to be
supported by empirical data
obtained through careful and
controlled observation and
measurement of behaviour.

10. Key assumptions of behaviourism
• Behaviourism is primarily
concerned with observable
behaviour, as opposed to internal
events like thinking and emotion.
Observable (i.e. external) behaviour
can be objectively and scientifically
measured.

11. Key assumptions of behaviourism
• There is little difference
between the learning that
takes place in humans and
that in other animals.
Therefore research can be
carried out on animals as well
as humans.

12. Key assumptions of behaviourism
• All behaviour is learnt from
the environment. We learn
new behaviour through
classical or operant
conditioning.

13. Behaviourism starts...
With this old guy!
Ivan Pavlov.

14. What did Pavlov get up to in his lab?

15. There are lots of Pavlov’s dog cartoons...

16. Classical Conditioning
• Classical conditioning was first observed by
Ivan Pavlov in the late 1800’s.
• He was studying how dogs salivation helps
digest food, whilst studying this he noticed
that dogs would salivate sometimes before
their food arrived.
• Pavlov then realised that the dogs had
ASSOCIATED food with other stimulus.
• He later made the dogs associate food with
bells.
• Pavlov applied this learning by associationlearning by association
to humans.
AO1 - To explore and understand Classical Conditioning.
AO3 – To analyse the research surrounding Classical Conditioning.

17. Classical Conditioning
• First Pavlov established that meat caused the dog to salivate.

18. Behaviourism: SR reflexes
S R
Stimulus is
detected by
an organism
Organism
emits a
response
AO1 - To explore and understand Behaviourist Approach and Classical Conditioning.

19. Classical Conditioning
• Then Pavlov established that a tone did not cause the dog to salivate

20. Classical Conditioning
•He then presented the tone with the food
•Note that the dog is salivating in response to the
food at this time.

21. Classical Conditioning
• After several pairings of the tone and food, Pavlov found that the
dog would salivate to the tone when it was presented alone.

22. Pavlov’s Dogs
AO1 - To explore and understand Classical Conditioning.
AO3 – To analyse the research surrounding Classical Conditioning.

23. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0vLy41Hubw

24. A modern day version of Pavlov’s dog...

25. The Case Study of ‘little Albert’
Raynor & Watson (1920)
carried out a famous
experiment using classical
conditioning to demonstrate
the origins of fears and
phobias.
They looked at the behaviour
of a little boy called Albert.
They found the only thing
that he was frightened of was
a loud noise which would
make him cry.
AO1 - To explore and understand Classical Conditioning.
AO3 – To analyse the research surrounding Classical Conditioning.

26. Watson and Rayner (1920): Little Albert
• AIM:
• I. Can we condition fear of an animal, e.g., a white rat, by visually
presenting it and simultaneously striking a steel bar?
• II. If such a conditioned emotional response can be established, will
there be a transfer to other animals or other objects?
• III. What is the effect of time upon such conditioned emotional
responses?
• IV. If after a reasonable period such emotional responses have not
died out, what laboratory methods can be devised for their removal?

27. Procedure
• Laboratory experiment/case
study
• One participant aged 9 months
• Simultaneous conditioning
• Filmed his reactions

28. PROCEDURE RESULTING RESPONSE
A white rat was presented to Albert.
(NEURTRAL STIMULUS)
He reached for it with his left hand.
As his left hand touched the rat a
bar was struck behind his head
making a very loud and unpleasant
noise (sound = UCS)
Albert jumped and fell forward but
did not cry (UCR)
Just as his right hand touched the
rat the bar was struck again (sound
= UCS)
Albert jumped violently, fell
forward, and started to whimper
(UCR)

29. Age 11 months 10 days: Experiment
Continued
STIMULUS RESPONSE
CS: Rat + US: Sound Albert started to fall over immediately. He did not cry.
(UCR)
CS: Rat + US: Sound Fell to the right, did not cry. (UCR)
CS: Rat + US: Sound Fell to the right, did not cry (UCR)
CS (Rat) presented alone Puckered his face, whimpered, and fell to the left. (CR)
CS: Rat + US: Sound Fell to the right, began to whimper. (UCR)
CS: Rat + US: Sound Stared and cried; did not fall. (UCR)
CS (Rat) presented alone Albert started to cry immediately, turned and started
to crawl away. (CR)

30. 11 Months and 15 Days
STIMULUS RESPONSE
Blocks alone (CONTROL) Played well.
Rat alone (CS) Whimpered, turned away. (CR)
Blocks (CONTROL) Played and smiled.
Rat alone (CS) Leaned to the left, fell, and
crawled away. (CR)
Blocks (CONTROL) Smiling and happy.

31. 11 Months and 15 Days: Generalisation
STIMULUS RESPONSE
Rabbit Leaned away, whimpered, burst into tears (CR)
Blocks Played well and energetically.
Dog Not as violent a reaction as the rabbit, tried to crawl away but only cried when
dog approached his head.
Blocks Played well.
Fur coat Withdrew to the left side and began to fret, began to cry when fur coat was
bought nearer.
Cotton wool wrapped in paper with some cotton wool
showing
Played with the paper but withdrew his hand from the cotton wool
Hair Upset when Watson tried to get Albert to play with his hair but he played with
the observer’s hair
Santa mask Got upset – crying and trying to get away

32. 11 Months and 20 Days.
STIMULUS RESPONSE
CS: Rat + US: Sound Violent reaction
Rat alone (CS) Fell to left side and strong
reaction
Rat alone (CS) Fell to left side and crawled
away, no crying, and gurgled
happily
Rabbit alone Leaned to the left and
whimpered a little
Blocks Played well

33. Change in Context: Lecture Theatre
STIMULUS RESPONSE
Rat (CS) No fear reaction but hands held away
Rabbit Slight fear reaction – turned away
Dog Turned away and cried
Rat (CS) Slight negative reaction
Rat (CS) + Sound (UCS) Jumped but did not cry
Rat moved near (CS) Began whimpering as rat got near
Blocks Played well
Rat (CS) Withdrawal and whimpering
Blocks Played well
Rabbit (CS) Pronounced reaction
Dog Did not cry until the dog barked

34. Watson and Rayner (1920): Little Albert
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMnhyGozLyE

35. Evaluate Watson and Raynor (1920)
• Ethics
• Validity
• Reliability
• Ecological validity
• Generalisability

36. Task
Answer these questions:
1.Explain what is meant by Classical Conditioning (3 Marks).
2.Outline the main findings of Pavlov’s research. (4 Marks).
3.Describe and evaluate Watson and Rayner’s study of Little
Albert. (8)
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37. Word Association
• We will go around the class.
• You each have to name one thing you have learnt this
lesson.
• BUT it has to be linked to what the last person said.
E.g. Classical Conditioning – Little Albert – Research etc.
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