9 - Behaviorism After Watson (Neobehaviorism)

Question 0

Logical positivism

Answer 0

The position that unobservable mental events can be used as explanatory agents as long as they are explanatory, operationally defined, and logically tied to observable events

Question 1

Positivism

Answer 1

The position that science should only be concerned with objective, publicly observable events

Question 2

Operational definition

Answer 2

Defines an abstract concept in terms of the procedures used to measure it

Question 3

Edward Chace Tolman

Answer 3

Purposive behaviorism

Intervening variables

Question 4

Purposive behaviorism

Answer 4

An approach that emphasizes goal-directed behavior that ceases when the goal is reached

Question 5

Cognitive maps

Answer 5

A mental representation of the environment acquired through experience

Question 6

Hypothetico-deductive method

Answer 6

1) generating postulates derived from existing learning research
2) inferring theorems generating testable propositions

Question 7

Reaction potential postulates (Hull)

Answer 7

Any effective habit strength (SR) is sensitized in reaction potentiality (SR) by the primary drives active within an organism at a given time, the magnitude of this potentiality being a product obtained by multiplying an increasing function of SHR by an increasing function of drive (D)

Question 8

Mathematical statement of reaction potential postulate

Answer 8

SR = f(SHR) x f(D)
SER is the reaction potential or likelihood of a learned response occurring in a given situation
SHR is the number of reinforcements in a given situation
D equals the strength of the dominant primary drive at a given moment

Question 9

Drive (Hull)

Answer 9

A nonspecific activated state of an organism caused by a physiological need
Include hunger, thirst, pain and the needs for air, avoidance of tissue injury, defecation, micturition, rest after exertion, sleep, and activity; drive for sexual intercourse and care of the young

Question 10

Primary reinforcer

Answer 10

Any event that leads directly to the reduction of a primary drive
It increases the likelihood of the behavior that directly precedes it

Question 11

Secondary reinforcers

Answer 11

Stimuli associated with the reduction of a primary drive that may become reinforcers themselves. For example, money.

Question 12

Operant chamber (Skinner box)

Answer 12

In this, a rat could be conditioned to press a lever, would then receive a food pellet (or not) from an automated dispenser, and its responses would be recorded automatically

Question 13

Behavior as defined by Skinner

Answer 13

The movement of an organism or of its parts in a frame of reference provided by the organism itself or by various external objects or fields of force

Question 14

Explanatory fiction

Answer 14

Using a hypothetical internal factor mediating between a stimulus and response and then using that factor to explain behavior

Question 15

B.F. Skinner’s research paradigm

Answer 15

1) Atheoretical and descriptive in the spirit of Bacon
2) Inductive logic in accordance with strict positivism
3) Laboratory based; single subject; animal model
4) Dependent measure of response rate, not errors or time
5) Control conditions and you will get order
6) If you see something fascinating, go with it
7) Be on the lookout for easier ways to do things and fortuitous events

Question 16

Type S (respondent conditioning)

Answer 16

A stimulus elicits a response by the contiguous presentation of two stimuli, one that elicited the response beforehand and one that did not

Question 17

Type R (operant conditioning)

Answer 17

The response is elicited by the organism on a voluntary basis, and becomes conditioned to the stimulus because of its effect

Question 18

Schedules of reinforcement

Answer 18

Fixed ratio, variable ratio, fixed interval, and variable interval

Question 19

Shaping procedure

Answer 19

Operant conditioning procedure where successive approximations to a desired response are reinforced until the response is achieved.

Question 20

Project Pigeon

Answer 20

Trained pigeons to peck a bullseye target
Projected animals to be the ones to guide missiles to a stationary target
“Birdseye Bomb”

Question 21

Baby in a box

Answer 21

Baby tender (air crib)

• sound absorbing walls
• large picture window in the front with a curtain for sleep time
• filtered air sent through which warmed and moistened it
• mattress was a tightly stretched canvas

Question 22

Teaching machines

Answer 22

Arithmetic problems were presented one at a time and when solved by the student the next was presented

• could work at their own pace
• feedback was immediate

Question 23

Applied behavioral analysis (behavior modification)

Answer 23

Application of the principles of operant conditioning to modify overt behavior. It involves analyzing the functional relationship between a behavior and its environment and manipulating the antecedent conditions and/or the environmental consequences

Question 24

Kenneth Spence

Answer 24

Added incentive motivation to Hull’s theory of learning and de-emphasized the role of drive reduction; changed so much it eventually more resembled Tolman’s theory

Question 25

Neal Miller & John Dollard

Answer 25

Simplified Hull’s theory of learning and applied it to psychopathology

Question 26

Albert Bandura

Answer 26

Social learning theory was inspired by Hull’s theory of learning which provided Bandura with a learning theory account for imitation