APPROACHES studies Flashcards
Ivan Pavlov
Aim: To investigate stimulus-response associations in dogs
Method:
- Lab experiment
Pavlov paired food to dogs, (which naturally produced a saliva response UCR) with a bell (NS).
- Pavlov rung the bell every time the dogs were given food and repeated this several times.
- Eventually, Pavlov presented NS (bell) without the UCS (food)
- He also inserted a small test tube into the cheek of each dog to measure
salivation.
Results:
- After repetition, the dogs would salivate when they heard the bell ringing (without food (UCS))
- The dog had learned an association between the bell and the food and a
new behaviour had been learnt.
Conclusions:
Behaviours could be learnt through making stimulus-response associations
Watson and Rayner
Case study of Little Albert: studying how phobias can be acquired through classical conditioning (white rat).
- A white rat was placed near Albert and he was allowed to play with it.
- At this point, they hit a metal bar with a hammer to create a loud noise which startled Albert. They then presented this alongside a white rat
- Repeated this 3x
- Each time Albert responded to the noise by crying and showing fear.
- After this, Albert still showed distress when presented with the white rat and other furry white objects without the noise.
- This suggests an association had taken place and a fear response learnt through Classical Conditioning.
Conclusions:
Phobias are learnt through classical conditioning and making stimulus-response associations
Skinner
Aim : To investigate operant conditioning in rats.
Method:
- Lab experiment
Skinner placed rats in a ‘Skinner Box’
- There were two conditions
1.1. (positive reinforcement): Rat placed in the box with a lever and when exploring they’d knock the lever causing a food pellet to drop.
1.2. He also tested what happened when the food pellet stopped being released.
2. (negative reinforcement): Rat placed into the box with a lever and an electric current in the flaw causing discomfort. When exploring they’d knock the lever causing the electric current to stop.
Results:
- The rat continued pressing the lever as it received a positive consequence and the behaviour has been reinforced.
- The rat stopped the behaviour as the reinforcer had been removed (extinction).
2.The rats quickly learned to go straight to the lever after a few times of being put in the box. The consequence of escaping the electric current ensured that they would repeat the action of pressing the lever.
Conclusions
Behaviours are more likely to be repeated if they are reinforced either positively or negatively. Therefore, behaviour is learnt through the consequences of actions.
Bandura et al - original
SUPPORT FOR MODELLING, IMITATION and IDENTIFICATION (observational learning)
- Laboratory study (controlled artificial environ) to test whether children can learn just by observing an adult’s behaviour.
- children age 3-6
- 36 boys, 36 girls
- In a room filled w toys + a big inflatable Bobo doll
- matched pairs design to distribute p’s levels of aggression evenly
- 3 conditions (levels of IV):
1. adult come in and act violently to Bobo doll (throw in air and hit w hammer)
2. adult come in and ignore the Bobo doll (play with the other toys)
3. Control group = no adult modelling behaviour
Findings:
1. most likely to act aggressively towards the doll (some threw it, punched it or hit it with a hammer)
2. very little aggressive behaviour.
3. very little aggressive behaviour. BUT slightly more than 2
ALSO FOUND: boys more likely to imitate adult if a man, supporting identification
SHOWS: Children can learn behaviour just by observing an adult modelling that behaviour. Supporting SLT.
Bandura et al - Filmed role models
In one later variation (Bandura 1963 of the study children observed films instead of live observations of the role models. Bandura found no significant difference between the level of imitation of live role models or filmed role models. Bandura also found that imitation levels were the same for filmed models dressed as fantasy characters
Bandura et al - punishment & rewards
SUPPORT FOR VICARIOUS REINFORCEMENT
Method:
3 conditions (levels of IV):
1. adult act aggressively + receive sweets
2. adult act aggressively + get told off
3. adult act aggressive + no consequence (control)
results:
1. Much more likely to act agressively especially in comparison to the adults that got told off (2).
Evidence for learning by vicarious reinforcement.
Little Hans:
SUPPORTS HIS PSYCHOSEXUAL STAGES (plus the oedipus complex and coping mechanisms)
- he had a phobia of horses
- his dad made notes of his behaviour and descriptions of his dreams and sent them to Freud
- Hans was rlly curious about his own penis = evidence he was in the phallic stage
- as well as horses he really didnt like his father or newborn sister
- he didnt like having to share his mums attention
- Freud concluded he was experiencing the Oedipus Complex (sexually attracted to mother + jealous of father)
- unconscious fear of his father that had been displaced onto horses
Research countering token economies
- Research into effectiveness of token economies of schizophrenic patients in hospitals suggest their effect is very weak
- Meta-analysis of 110 studies.
- Within these few studies that made a true comparison to test cause and effect with an experimental and control group
- Only 1 study showed improvement in the behavioural changes of patients.
Nevis
CULTURAL BIAS IN HUMANISTIC PSYCHOLOGY
- challenged Maslow’s hierarchy
- He found in China belongingness was seen as more fundamentally than physiological needs.
- Therefore Maslow’s research is a product of cultural context in which it was developed
- CHALLENGES VALIDITY (population validity) and USEFULNESS
Elliot
USED TO SUPPORT HOW CLIENT-CENTERED THERAPY TECHNIQUES ARE USED IN CBT
- Research supporting effectiveness of CBT.
- Meta-analysis showed significant improvement in patients after CBT compared to other treatments.
