Behavioral Approach Flashcards
Behavioral Approach
personalities are shaped by learning processes
principles of learning explain why ppl do what they do.
What does “behaviorism” include
- Radical Behaviorism
- classical conditioning: Pavlov & watson
- operant conditioning: skinner - Social learning theory
- Rotter and bandura
Classical Conditioning
Stimulus —> response
Pavlov
- russian
- nobel prize for work on digestive system of dogs.
- he discovered conditioned reflex: hungry dogs salivate when dinner bell & even footsteps of lab tech
Dog experiment
set the basis for classical conditioning
Classical Conditioning process
UR (salivate) —> US (food)—> Neutral S(bell) —>CS (bell)—> CR(salivate)
Classical conditioning
learning by association
which processes of CC are innate
unconditioned stimulus & response
which processes of CC are learnt by association with US
conditioned stimulus & response
John B Watson
- grew up in S Carolina
- inspired by pavlov
- studied behavrior in children
- 1913 established a new school of psych behaviorism
- first to apply S-R theory to humans
Watson famous experiment
little albert and white rabbit
NS (rabbit) paired with U(loud sound)—> UR (fear)—>US(loud sound) + CS (rabbit)—> CR(fear)
Extinction
wasn’t successful and little albert became scared of rabbits w/out loud sound.
extinction
is when a behavior stops
Generalization in CC
commonly occurs in trauma
in case of little albert (previously neutral stimuli are associated with traumatic experience.) —> fearing rabbits (resulting in generalization.
Phobias
conditioned associations between neutral stimuli and fear
- environmental stimuli (heights, snakes, public speaking)
- emotion (anxiety)
Fear VS. Phobia
fear is normal is isn’t persistent
phobia is persistent and distressing
chaningin emotional reaction by app of CC
to overcome phobic anxiety
Systematic desensitization
association of a “competing response” to a feared stimulus
like when fear is triggered relaxation is introduced… two can’t happen at the same time.
anxious response is thereby weakened…
Steps of systematic desensitization
- establish stimulus hierarchy
- relaxation training
- associate … stimulus in hierarchy with competing response (relaxation) thereby condition new association.
Rotter’s Basic Formula for Predicting Behavior
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Operant conditioning
cue —> behavior —> reinforcement —>increased behavior frequency—>
punishment —> decreased behavior frequency —>inhibition of punishment —>exhibition of behavior
Critique of behavioral approach (strengths)
Strengths
1. Empirical foundation 2. Successful application 3. Does not require abstract thinking. 4. Shorter treatment. 5. Same principles used to explain all
Critique of behavioral approach (criticism)
Criticisms
1. Insufficient complexity for explaining human personality 2. Conditioning is difficult to implement. 3. Fails to account for intrinsically motivated behavior.
