Behavioural Approach
Psychology: AQA A Level, topic 5.2.4
Behavioural Approach: Conditioning
This section will separately compare conditioning and social learning theory as their strengths and weaknesses differ.
Strengths
- Conditioning provided quantifiable results that could be analysed.
- The experiments could be repeated, increasing the reliability of the results.
Weaknesses
- Not all human behaviour can be explained through conditioning.
- For example, depression can be a multi-faceted disorder that has numerous causes.
- This makes it reductionist.
Generalisability
- Many of the studies in conditioning were conducted on animals.
- We cannot necessarily generalise these results and apply them to human behaviour, this is difficult to do.
- Humans, for the most part, have higher cognitive skills, language and the capacity for reason.
Ethics
- Animal studies are controversial for another reason - many see them as being unethical or inhumane.
- For an animal study to be able to be conducted, scientists must rigorously analyse whether or not the harm to the animals is worth the benefit of the research.
Extraneous variables
- Different species have different responses to conditioning.
- Even within the same species (such as humans), there are genetic influences that could cause different people to have different responses to conditioning.
Behavioural Approach: Social Learning Theory
This section will separately compare conditioning and social learning theory because their strengths and weaknesses differ.
Strength - evidence
- There are studies, such as Bandura et al. (1961), that provide evidence for social learning.
- As there were strict controls, the results were reliable.
- Bandura demonstrated that aggression can be learned through imitation of others.
Weakness - reductionist approach
- The approach is reductionist. It is trying to explain all behaviour from a cause-and-effect style (learning from others.)
- This means the social learning theory does not take into account differences in biology, genetics or cognition.
Test yourself on Behavioural Approach
Which is NOT a weakness of conditioning?
Who conducted research that supports social learning theory?
Social learning theory only takes into account differences in what?