Psychology Essay: Discuss at least two contributions of Skinner to Psychology

Discuss at least two contributions of Skinner to Psychology

(10 marks)

4 A01 marks = describe / name the contributions
6 A02 marks = criticise Skinner

Note: the more assumptions you name, the more AO2 marks you can achieve by criticising.

Skinner emphasised the importance of making psychology a science, using controlled experiments to objectively measure behaviour influencing cognitive psychology (A01). The humanistic approach disagrees and rejects scientific methodology, as Rogers believes that experiments create artificial environments and have low ecological validity (AO2). Humanism prefers rich qualitative data rather than the quantitative data obtained using experiments.

Skinner also contributed the theory of operant conditioning (A01). For example reinforcement strengthens behaviour and punishment weakens behaviour. Skinner developed this theory by conducting experiments on rats and pigeons in a “Skinner Box” (A01). The theory of operant conditioning showed how the environment affects a person’s behaviour. For example, a primary school teacher would use positive reinforcement to strengthen good behaviour by using stars as rewards for good work (A01). However, the biological approach criticise Skinner as he doesn’t recognise how hormones and chromosomes affect behaviour. For example, testosterone makes a person more aggressive (A02).

Skinner only studied external stimulus and response behaviour. A big problem is that Skinner ignored the importance of internal mediational processes, like thinking, and how this affected a person’s behaviour (A02).

Skinners theory of operant conditioning showed that there are comparisons between animal and human behaviour (you cannot get any more A01 marks – the maximum is 4 AO1 marks).

The humanistic approach disagrees with this view, as it believes that people are unique and cannot be compared to animals as humans have free will and animals don’t (A02). Also, Rogers believes that humans can self-actualise and animals cannot.

The extreme deterministic views of behaviourism lead to the development of Humanistic Psychology (you cannot get any more A01 marks – the maximum is 4 AO1 marks). Rogers established the Humanist approach as he disagreed with Skinner’s view that all behaviour is determined. Rogers believed that people have free will to make their own decisions in life. This is called personal agency (A02).

Skinner believed that each person is born a blank slate, i.e. tabula rasa. Freud disagrees and believes that people have innate (inborn) behaviour like sexual instincts (Eros) to reproduce and aggressive instincts (Thanatos) to protect themselves (A02).