Behaviourism

Question 1

Rovee et a. (2001) associative learning

Answer 1

Most basic learning mechanism in human and animals – evident in babies as young as 3 months

Question 2

Define Behaviourism

Answer 2

Coined by John Watson, draws heavily on animal learning research, directly observable events i.e. stimuli from/responses to the environment.

Only measuring what can be directly and objectively observed

Learning is defined as changes in behaviour and is acquired by making associations between events

Question 3

Define Classical Conditioning

Answer 3

Associations learned between a neutral stimulus and a biologically important stimulus producing a reflexive response, learning to associate/build expectations about environmental stimuli

Pavlov taught dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell conditioning them to associate the bell sound with food:
Bell = conditioned stimulus (CS)
Salivation = conditioned response(CR)
Food = unconditioned stimulus (US)
Salivation = unconditioned response (UR)

Acquisition = strengthening of the CS-US (bell-food) association that eventually leads to the CR (salivation) being elicited by the CS (bell)

Extinction = weakening of the CS-US association that occurs if the US (food) is no longer presented with the CS (bell) leading to a decrease in the CR (salivation)

Generalisation = when the CR (salivation) is elicited not just by the original CS (bell) but also by stimuli that resemble (e.g. doorbell) even if they have not been paired with the US (food)

Discrimination = when a CR (salivation) is elicited by one stimulus but not by other similar stimuli

Question 4

Little Albert (fear conditioning)

Answer 4

Watson taught an 11 month old infant to fear a neutral stimulus – a white rat, he repeatedly presented the rat with a stark loud noise that was naturally frightening until the infant was conditioned to associate these two stimuli

Question 5

Thorndike (puzzle boxes)

Answer 5

Put animals in puzzle boxes that they could open by pressing a lever.

Learning only took place when the animal stepped on the lever by accident many times and saw that the cage opened.

Concluded that a behaviour that produces a positive result is likely to be repeated

Question 6

Evolved Survival Mechanisms

Answer 6

The only difference between people and animals except a difference in degree e.g. level of intelligence. Only some behaviours – grasping, sucking, random limb movements – were built into every infant. Complex behaviours such as smiling grew out of conditioning.

Newborn babies would exhibit fear when they…
Heard a loud sound
Felt pain
Had a loss of support
Had their limbs strained
But pleasure when they were…
Stroked
Fed

As a child grows, movements that produce no rewards become extinct and increasingly complex behaviours are conditioned building up from the simpler ones.

Question 7

Skinner

Answer 7

Advocated conditioning in society and in education to prevent and correct antisocial behaviour (use grades and other incentives)

Reinforce positive behaviour and eliminate stimuli that triggered negative behaviour

Question 8

Evaluate Behaviourism

Answer 8

• Behaviourism was tested in labs on animals that can’t necessarily be applied to the more complex nervous systems of people
• There are individual differences/ genetic influences on language learning

+ Methodology/ scientific contributions

+ Led to therapy and behaviour modification e.g. CBT/ phobias/ token economies in hospitals and schools