approaches -the learning approach (behaviourism)

Question 1

what is the learning approach concerned with?

Answer 1

.observable behaviour that can be measured (objective)
.controlled lab studies used to remove bias
.animals are used as experimental subjects because the processes governing learning are the same in all species

Question 2

what is classical conditioning?

Answer 2

.learning through association
.behaviour is a consequence of stimulus and response

Question 3

who conducted the study into researching the learning approach?

Answer 3

.pavlov (1902)

Question 4

what did pavlov do?

Answer 4

.inserted a small test tube into the cheek of a dogs mouth to objectively measure saliva
.he paired a NS (bell) with a UCS (food) which caused the NS to become a CS
.the CS (bell) results in a CR (salivation)

Question 5

what else did Pavlov (1902) find?

Answer 5

.stimulus generalisation
.extinction

Question 6

what is the evidence support for stimulus generalisation?

Answer 6

.little Hans -conditioned a white mouse to a loud bang but then stimulus became generalised and he feared white hairy things

Question 7

what is operant conditioning?

Answer 7

.learning through consequences of behaviour

Question 8

who conducted a study into research of the learning approach?

Answer 8

.skinner (1948)

Question 9

what did skinner do?

Answer 9

.pigeon and rat behaviour shaped by skinners box
.rats put in skinners box
.pressed a lever and food came down a tube
.if the rats didn’t press the lever they get an electric shock
.this governed them that by pressing the lever they received a reward -food (positive reinforcement) and avoided a punishment -electric shock (negative reinforcement)

Question 10

what is positive reinforcement?

Answer 10

.reward for behaviour

Question 11

what is negative reinforcement?

Answer 11

.behaviour that escapes an unpleasant situation makes repeating an action more likely

Question 12

what is punishment?

Answer 12

.unpleasant consequence following behaviour (makes behaviour less likely to be repeated)

Question 13

what is a strength to the learning approach?

Answer 13

.scientific -so gave psychology credibility, uses objectivity as a feature of science because data is collected and measured directly (Pavlov-dogs saliva)

Question 14

what are the negatives to the learning approach?

Answer 14

.animals research -lacks generalisability because dogs and rats aren’t the same as humans
.reductionist -explains human behaviour as automatic responses to stimuli (like machines) so oversimplifying how the human body works