Behaviourist Approach
Ever wondered why you pick up habits from people around you? The behaviourist approach explains that all behaviour is learned from our environment through two main processes.
Classical conditioning (Pavlov's famous dogs) shows how we learn through association. Pavlov rang a bell before feeding dogs, and eventually the dogs would salivate just hearing the bell. Watson and Rayner's controversial Little Albert experiment proved this works with humans too - they made a baby afraid of white rats by pairing them with loud noises.
Operant conditioning focuses on learning through consequences. Skinner's rats learned to press levers because they got treats (positive reinforcement) or stopped getting electric shocks (negative reinforcement). This law of effect explains why we repeat behaviours that have good outcomes.
Social Learning Theory adds a crucial element - we learn by watching others. Bandura's Bobo doll experiment showed children copying aggressive behaviour they'd seen adults display. The key factors are ARMM: Attention, Retention, Motor reproduction, and Motivation. Vicarious reinforcement means we're more likely to copy behaviour when we see others being rewarded for it.
Quick Tip: Think about your own habits - most were probably learned through one of these three methods!
