approaches 1.2 Flashcards
Learning approaches: i) the behaviourist approach, including classical conditioning and Pavlov’s research, operant conditioning, types of reinforcement and Skinner’s research; ii) social learning theory including imitation, identification, modelling, vicarious reinforcement, the role of mediational processes and Bandura’s research.
behaviourist approach
an approach to explain that behaviour is acquired and maintained through classical and operant conditioning
acquired through association and maintained through consequences
which behaviour does the behaviourist approach study?
only objectively observable and measurable behaviour
why is only objectively observable and measurable behaviour studied?
because the founders of behaviourism, Watson and Sinner disagreed with the subjective nature of Wunt’s introspective methods and the inability to formulate general laws and universal principles based on his observations
why animals can be used in behaviourism studies
basic laws governing learning are the same across non-humans and humans therefore non human animals can replace humans in experimental research
‘tabula rasa’
when people are born, their minds are effectively a blank slate, so their experiences make them who they are
part of the nature versus nurture debate, essentially coming out on the side of nurture.
classical conditioning
a type of learning which occurs through associations made between the UCS and the NS
before conditioning, the UCS produces the UCR
during conditioning the NS is repeatedly paired with the UCS producing an UCR
after conditioning, the NS becomes the CS, producing the CR
who researched into classical conditioning
Pavlov
Pavlov’s procedure
he demonstrated that dogs could be conditioned to salivate upon hearing a bell
- before conditioning the UCS (food) produced an UCR (salivation)
- during conditioning, the UCS was repeatedly paired with a NS (a bell) to produce the same UCR of salivation
- an association was made between the UCS and the NS
- after conditioning, the NS became the CS, producing the CR of salivation when the bell was heard even when the food wasn’t presented
discrimination
when stimuli similar to the CS doesn’t produce the CR
e.g a doorbell not causing the dog to salivate even though it sounds the same as a bell
high order conditioning
when a new CS is associated with an old CS producing a CR
for example, after pairing a tone with food, and establishing the tone as a conditioned stimulus that elicits salivation, a light could be paired with the tone
if the light alone comes to elicit salivation, then higher order conditioning has occurred
extinction
occurs when the CS is no longer paired with the UCS so the CR becomes extinct/disappears
spontaneous recovery
occurs when the individual carries out the CR some time after extinction has occurred
generalisation
when slight changes in the CS still produces the same CR
e.g. a doorbell causing a dog to salivate since it sounds similar to the bell
what was the UCR in Pavlov’s study?
salivation
what was the UCS in Pavlov’s study?
food
what was the NS in Pavlov’s study?
bell
what was the CS in Pavlov’s study?
bell
what was the CR in Pavlov’s study?
salivation
operant conditioning
it is concerned with the use of consequences such as gaining rewards or receiving punishments in order to modify and shape behaviour
positive reinforcement
receiving a reward to increase the likelihood of repeating the behaviour
e.g praise
negative reinforcement
removing a negative outcome or avoiding a negative stimuli to increase the likelihood of repeating behaviour
e.g. avoiding a phobia and removing the anxiety encouraging you to avoid it again
positive punishment
giving an undesirable stimulus to reduce the beheaviour and make it less appealing
e.g being given more work to do to stop you misbehaving
negative punishment
removing a pleasant stimulus to decrease a behaviour
e.g. being given a detention and losing your time to stop you misbehaving
Thorndike’s law of effect
behaviors followed by pleasant or rewarding consequences are more likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by unpleasant or punishing consequences are less likely to be repeated.
Thorndike’s research
Thorndike put hungry cats in cages with automatic doors that could be opened by pressing a button inside the cage. Thorndike would time how long it took the cat to escape
at first, when placed in the cages, the cats displayed unsystematic trial-and-error behaviors, trying to escape
they scratched, bit, and wandered around the cages without identifiable patterns
Thorndike would then put food outside the cages to act as a stimulus and reward
the cats experimented with different ways to escape the puzzle box and reach the fish
eventually, they would stumble upon the lever which opened the cage. When it had escaped, the cat was put in again, and once more, the time it took to escape was noted
in successive trials, the cats would learn that pressing the lever would have favorable consequences, and they would adopt this behavior, becoming increasingly quick at pressing the lever
after many repetitions of being placed in the cages (around 10-12 times), the cats learned to press the button inside their cages, which opened the doors, allowing them to escape the cage and reach the food
Thorndike’s research (summary)
cat in box with lever
discovered the lever helped it escape
associated lever with reward
cat could eventually escape quicker
“law of effect”
