The behaviourist perspective consists of a number of different theories of learning. On
their own, neither classical conditioning, operant conditioning, nor observational learning
can explain all aspects of human learning and behaviour. Whilst proponents of classical
and operant conditioning have attempted to apply principals to both animal and human
behaviour, it does seem clear that animal behaviour can be better explained.
Nevertheless, classical conditioning has enjoyed applications to human behaviour. For
example, in understanding how people acquire fears and phobias, and in the world of
advertising; operant conditioning has been successfully used to treat people with fears
and phobias. So whilst each has rather a narrow approach to the range of behaviours
studied, classical conditioning explains how we acquire a phobia, and operant
conditioning helps a person to get rid it.
The limitations of operant conditioning are that mental and emotional events are ignored
as an object of study. This is a major shortcoming since we often regard the difference
between humans and other animals to be to do with consciousness, reflective thought and
recognition of how emotions affect how we behave. Skinner regarded emotions as
responses to behaviour and not causes of behaviour. As such, Skinner thought that
behaviour could only be changed by reinforcement of punishment, and not by analyzing
emotions, as is done in the psychoanalytic perspective.
Another limitation of classical and operant conditioning is that most of the research has
been conducted on animals such as rats, pigeons, dogs etc. It is assumed that the
principals of learning identified in these animals can be equally applied to humans. This
is a mistake for two reasons. First, human behaviour is more complex, and second,
humans are conscious beings who can think about how to behave, rather than
mechanically respond to a stimulus or reinforcement or punishment. This leads to the
more philosophical limitations of the behaviourist perspective which is that it is
deterministic and allows of little or no free will for humans.
The final limitation of the behaviour perspective to be considered here is that it ignores or
undervalues the contribution of heredity to explaining and understanding behaviour.
Behaviourists do not regard instinctive behaviour as featuring in any important way in
human behaviour.
Critical evaluation (Summary)
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Highly experimental, research can be generalised, as it is free from bias.
The approach explains a lot of aspects of human behaviour using only a few basic
principles.
Behaviourism has produced many practical applications, especially in the
treatment of phobias.
Behaviourism is reductionist (it reduces very complex human behaviour to a
simple set of stimulus-response links)
Behaviourism is deterministic; we are completely at the mercy of our
environment. (Contrast with humanism)
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Behaviourism ignores mental processes assuming all behaviour is down to
experience. (Contrast with cognitive)
It can be seen as too scientific, it de-humanises the subject and the results can
sometimes only demonstrate artificial rather than natural learning.