Approaches Flashcards
What are the assumptions in the behaviourist approach?
- MAIN APPROACH: Behaviour can be observed and measured and rely on lab experiments.
Studies behaviours that can be observed and measured. - Try to maintain high levels of control and objectivity within their research and rely on lab experiments to achieve this.
- They believe that basic processes of learning are the same in all species, so animals could replace humans in experiments. (E in SARDINE!!!)
- Believe there’s two forms of learning (classical conditioning and operant conditioning)
What is classical condition and researcher associated with it? (hint: bell)
Classical conditioining is learning through association.
PAVLOV’S STUDY:
Pavlov revealed that dogs could be conditioned to a sound of a bell if the sound was repeatedly presented at the same time as they were given food.
Pavlov’s dogs learned to associate the sound of the bell (a neutral stimulus) with food (another stimulus) and would salivate (a conditioned response) every time they heard the bell.
What is operant conditioning?
- Operant conditioning is an active process where humans and animals operate on their environment.
- There’s three consequence of behaviour; postive reinforcement, negative reinforcement and punishment.
SKINNER’S STUDY
He put animals in a box with a lever on the side.
For positive reinforcement, the rat would accidently knock the lever, triggering food to drop into the box. The rats quickly learnt the consequence of recieving food if they pressed the level ensured that they would repeat the action again and again. Positive reinforcement strengthens the behaviour by providing a consequence the rat finds rewarding.
For negative reinforcement, a rat was placed into a chamber where it was constantly electrocuted by the floor. This caused the rat some discomfort, and to stop this it moved frantically around the box, accdientally knocking the lever. This stopped the currents. After a few times, the rat learnt in order to stop the shocks, it must go directly to the lever to stop the discomfort.
To conclude, the rat learnt through operant conditioning that the consequence of escaping the current made sure the rat pushed the lever again and again. The pushing of the level is a behaviour, and the halt of the electric shocks is a consequence.
What is positive reinforcement? Give an example.
Where you receive a reward when a certain behaviour’s performed i.e praise from a teacher for answering a question correctly.
Positive reinforcement increase the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated.
What is negative reinforcement? Give an example.
Occurs when an animal avoids something unpleasant.
ie a rat learning going into a rat trap will crush them.
Negative reinforcement increase the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated.
What is punishment? Give an example.
Punishment is an unpleasent consequence of behaviour.
i.e being sent at by a teacher for talking during a lesson.
PUNISHMENT DECREASES THE LIKELIHOOD OF BEHAVIOUR BEING REPEATED.
2 1X Evaluate the Behaviourist Approach
Real life application - The principles of conditioning have been applied to a broad range of real life problems. It is the basis of token economy in prisons, schools and psych wards. These work by rewarding appropriate behaviour with tokens that can be exchanged for preivilleges.
Scientific credibility - By emphasising the importance of scientific processes (objectivity, replication) behaviourism was influential in the development of psychology as a scientific disipline, giving greater credibility and status.
Ethicsl issues - The animals involved in experiments were exposed to stressful conditions, which may have affected how they reacted to the experimental situation. Many critics have questioned the ethics of conducting animal experiments.
What are the assumptions in the social learning theory?
MAIN ASSUMPTION
- Believes much of our behaviour is learned from experience.
- Believes that people learn through imitation and observation.
- Classical and operant conditioing still occurs, but indirectly.
- Vicarious reinforcement
- Identification
What is vicarious reinforcement?
For indirect learning to take place, an individual observes the behaviour of others. Imitation only occurs if the behaviour is rewarded (reinforced) rather than punished,. So, learning involves observing a behaviour as well as observing the consequences of a behaviour.
What were the 4 mental factors Bandura identified in learning?
1) Attention - the extent we notice behaviour
2) Retention - how well the behaviour is remembered
3) Motor reproduction - he ability of the observe to perform the behaviour
4) Motivation - the will to perform the behaviour, determined by whether the behaviour was rewarded or punished.
What is identification? (SLT)
People (especially children) are much more likely to imitate the behaviour of people with whom they identify.
A person becomes a role model if they possess similar characteristics to the observer or attractive with high status. They may not be physically present in the environments ie TV.
2✅ 1❌ - Evaluate Social Learning Theory
✅Useful application - The principles have been applied to increase our understanding of criminal behaviour.
Akers suggests that criminal behaviour increases when they’re exposed to models who commit criminal behaviour, identify with these criminal models and have an excepts that they’ll be positive consequences for their own criminal behaviour from these models.
✅Explains cultural differences in behaviour - Accounts for how children learn from other individuals around them, as well as the media. Also understands a range of behaviours, such as how children come to understand their gender role.
❌Causality - The cause of delinquency may not be because of social learning. It may be be due to exposure if deviant role models, because individuals have deviant attitudes before meeting peers. Researchers suggest young people who possess deviant attitudes and values seek out mates with similar attitudes and behaviour as they’re more fun to be with (roadmen.)
What are the assumptions in the cognitive approach?
MAIN ASSUMPTION: Argues that mental processes should be studied scientifically.
- Directly contrasts the behaviour approach
- This approach allows us to investigate human behaviours like memory and thinking. These processes are PRIVATE so therefore it is difficult to be observed. Researchers study them indirectly by making inferences about people’s minds based on their computer.
How are theoretical andconputer models used to study internal processes?
Information flows through the cognitive system in a sequence of stages including input storage and retrieval, like the MSM.
Also suggests that the mind is like a computer and suggests they process information similarly. For example, the concept of coding and having ‘stores of information’.
What is the role of rhe schema? (6 marks)
Someone’s cognitive processing can be affected by a person’s beliefs and or expectation.
A schéma is a package of ideas and information developed through experiences. It’s a mental framework for the interpretation of incoming information received by the cognitive system.
As we get older, our schemas become more detailed. It helped us process information quickly which provides mental shortcuts. However, it may distort our interpretations of sensory information.
