approaches- learning approaches: behaviourist approach Flashcards
focus on observable behaviour only
-only concerned w studying behaviour that can be observed and measured
-introspection rejected as its concepts vague and difficult to measure
use of controlled lab studies
-tried to maintain more control and objectivity w research, relied on lab studies for this
who did they use as experimental subjects?
non-human animals, suggest processes that govern learning are same in all species so animals can replace humans in experiments
classical conditioning
learnt by association
UCS –> UCR
NS –> no response
NS + UCS
CS –> CR
Pavlov’s research- procedure and what did it show
-conditioned dogs to salivate when a bell rings
-pavlov showed neutral stimulus (bell) can come to elicit a new learned response (CR) through association
Pavlov’s research- before conditioning
UCS= food
UCR= salivation
NS= bell
Pavlov’s research- during conditioning
bell and food occur at same time
Pavlov’s research- after conditioning
CS= bell, CR= salivation
operant conditioning
-active process whereby humans and animals operate on their environment
-behaviour shaped and maintained by its consequences
skinner’s research
-rats and pigeons, in specially designed cages
-when rat activated a lever it was rewarded with food pellet
-desirable consequence led to behaviour being repeated
-if pressing lever meant animal avoided an electric shock the behaviour would also be repeated
positive reinforcement
receiving a reward when behaviour is performed
negative reinforcement
avoiding something unpleasant when a behaviour is performed
punishment
an unpleasant consequence of behaviour
what affect do negative and positive reinforcement have on the likelihood of behaviour repeating?
-positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement increase the likelihood behaviour repeated
-punishment decreases it
ao3 of behaviourism: well-controlled research
-approach focused on the careful measurement of observable behaviour within lab controlled settings
-behaviourists have broken behaviour down into stimulus- response units and studied causal relationships
-suggests behaviourists experiments have scientific credibility
ao3 of behaviourism: behaviourism is a form of environmental determinism.
-approach sees all behaviour as determined by past experiences that have been conditioned, ignores any influence that free will may have on behaviour
-skinner suggested free will was an illusion. when something happens we may think ‘I made the decision to do that’ but out past conditioning determined the outcome
-extreme position and ignores the influence of conscious decision-making processes on behaviour
ao3 of behaviourism: laws of learning have real-application
-principles of conditioning have been applied to board range of real-world problems and behaviours
-token economy systems reward appropriate behaviour with tokens that are exchanged for privileges (operant conditioning). successfully used in prisons and psychiatric wards
-increases the value of behaviourist approach bc it has widespread
ao3 of behaviourism: ethical issues
-procedures such as skinners box allowed to maintain a high degree of control over their experimental ‘subjects’
-however the animals were housed in harsh, cramped conditions and deliberately kept below their natural weight so they were always hungry
-so theres a q of benefits vs costs- some would argue that there have been enormous benefits (e.g. application to therapy) which offsets the harm animals experienced
