Learning Approaches: the Behaviourist Approach (AQA A Level Psychology)

Outline the way in which Pavlov studied classical conditioning

Outline the behaviourist approach. Compare the behaviourist approach with the biological approach.

Alison is a Psychology teacher who is keen to reduce plastic waste in her school. She puts a sticker showing an ocean full of plastic waste on each plastic bottle of water sold in the canteen.

Alison asks canteen staff to increase the price of bottled water by 20 pence and offer free refills of water to any student taking in their own bottle.

Finally, Alison sets up a bottle return desk, where students can get 20 pence back for any plastic bottle they hand in for recycling.

Describe and evaluate operant conditioning as a way of explaining people’s behaviour. Refer to Alison’s approach to reducing plastic waste in your answer.

Lily and Jemima have a pet rat, which usually hides in a corner when they try to take it out of its cage. They have tried different ways to stop the rat hiding, but so far without success.

Use your knowledge of two types of reinforcement to suggest how Lily and Jemima could train their rat to come to the cage door when they open it.