The behavioral approach views all behaviors as learned through environmental stimuli and interactions. It studies observable behaviors and focuses on three main learning processes: classical conditioning through association; operant conditioning through reinforcement and punishment; and social learning through observing others. A strength is its scientific study of concepts like classical conditioning, but it is also reductionist by oversimplifying complex issues. Using animal studies also poses issues with extrapolating findings to human behaviors.

1. Behavioural Approach

2. Assumptions
All behaviours (normal and abnormal) are learned
Learned responses from environmental stimuli
Study observable behaviour

3. Causes
1.Classical Conditioning
Learning by association
2. Operant Conditioning
Learning by reinforcement
3. Social Learning
Learning by watching others being
rewarded

4. Classical Conditioning
- Learning by association
- Creating a new response to
a stimulus
- Classical conditioning
schedule UCS = UCR
UCS + NS = UCR
CS = CR

5. Operant Conditioning
Learning by reinforcement
Reward = encourages certain behaviours
(increases chances of them being repeated)
Punishment = discourages certain behaviours
(decreases chances of them being repeated)

6. Social Learning Theory
Operant Conditioning from a distance...
Behaviours can be
encouraged/discouraged by
watching others being
rewarded/punished for them
– this is known as vicarious
learning

7. How would the behavioural approach
investigate abnormality?
Animal Studies
The same basic laws of learning
apply to human and non-human animals
What do you think the problem would be in using non-
human animals?
Extrapolation – it’s difficult to apply the
findings from non-human animal research to
humans

8. Scientific
For example, the behavioural approach
focuses on what is observable and
measureable
This is positive because it allows
concepts such as classical conditioning to
be demonstrated scientifically – allowing
for empirical support for the theory

9. Deterministic
For example, the approach suggests
that if we are rewarded for losing
weight that we will develop an eating
disorder
This is a weakness because it ignores the
concept of free will and the idea that
someone might exercise conscious
control over their behaviour

10. Reductionist
For example, it suggests that mental
illnesses are the result of
reward/punishment (e.g. Rewarded for
aggression results in more aggression)
This is a weakness because it reduces
the complex mental disorders down to
basic elements, it’s too simplistic!

11. Extrapolation
For example, rats have been widely used
by behaviourists to demonstrate
conditioning (so the research tests
animal behaviour – not human)
This is a weakness because that
research can’t be applied to humans
because they are biologically different
and may not respond in the same way at
animals

12. Key terms / Buzz words
Deterministic B.F. Skinner Classical
Learning Social Learning
Punishment Operant
Reward
Encourage
Reductionist Vicarious
Environment Animal Studies
‘Little Albert’ Scientific
Association
Extrapolation
Extrapolation Rats/pigeon