Approaches Flashcards
What is the behaviourist approach
Every behaviour is learnt from the environment (born as a blank space)
Assumptions of the behaviourist approach
Everything is learnt
Born as a blank slate
Animals and humans are similar
Psychology is a science where theories need evidence
Classical conditioning definition
Learning by association
Operant conditioning definition
Learning by consequences
Reinforcement definition
Anything that strengthens a response and increases the likelihood it will occur again in the future
How classical conditioning occurs
Unconditioned stimulus produces unconditioned response
Neutral stimulus and unconditioned stimulus produced unconditioned response
Neutral stimulus associated with unconditioned stimulus
Neutral stimulus becomes conditioned stimulus created a conditioned response
Pavlov’s dogs
associated sound of bell (neutral stimulus) with food (unconditioned stimulus) created conditioned response (drooling)
research for classical conditioning
Pavlov and Little albert (white rat and loud noise)
What is operant conditioning
Learning through consequences e.g. punishment and reward
What is positive reinforcement
Receiving a reward for a certain behaviour increases the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated
What is negative reinforcement
increases the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated as by doing the behaviour something unpleasant is removed e.g. babies loving their mothers as they feed them which removes the hunger
What is punishment
An unpleasant consequence of a behaviour. Reduces the likelihood of the behaviour to be repeated
Skinner
put rats in boxes, when they pressed a lever food was released (reward) so they would push it more
also did it with shocks to show negative reinforcement
Behaviourist approach evaluation - experimental method
Skinner and Pavlov used highly controlled experiments meaning a causal relationship can be established
Behaviourist approach evaluation - real-life application
positive reinforcement used in schools e.g. giving out awards and stickers
Behaviourist approach evaluation - explains some human behaviours and their treatments
Phobias - classical and operant conditioning
systematic desensitisation
Behaviourist approach evaluation - research on animals
Animal brain are not as complex as humans are meaning these studies may not be able to be generalised to human behaviour
Behaviourist approach evaluation - determinist
suggests environment determines all behaviour - rejects free will
What is social learning theory
A way of explaining behaviour that involves imitation modelling and vicarious reinforcement
Imitation definition
Copying the behaviour of others
What does social learning theory involve
Imitation, modelling, identification and vicarious reinforcement
What is modelling
Learning through watching another individual perform that behaviour/ or being the model of the behaviour
Identification definition
When an observer associates themselves with a role model
Vicarious reinforcement definition
Indirect reinforcement which occurs through watching others being reinforced for their behaviours
What are the 4 mediational processes
Attention
Retention
Motor reproduction
Motivation
What is attention
The extent we notice behaviour
What is retention
How well the behaviour is remembered
What is motor reproduction
The ability of the person to reproduce the behaviour
What is motivation
The will of the person to reproduce the behaviour
Often determined by rewards and punishment
Bandura (1961) - procedure
children observed aggressive and non-aggressive adult playing with a bobo doll
Aggressive would smack, hit with mallet and shout things like pow
Children were then left alone in a room with toys, one of the toys was a bobo doll
Bandura (1961) findings
