Behaviourism Flashcards
What does the behaviourist approach say we are born with?
A tabulla rasa
All behaviour is…
Learnt and not innate
What is the approach not interested in?
Cognition and rejects introspection as it is not scientific enough
What is operant conditioning?
Learning through rewards to strengthen the behaviour
Consequences- to extinguish the behaviour
What is classical conditioning?
Learning through associion
2 stimuli- associate with eachother and generate a response
What is a weakness of animal research?
It cannot be generalised to humans- humans have higher cognition/emotions- humans are more complex
Pavlovs experiment before conditioning?
Food = UCS
Salivation = UCR
Pavlovs expeirment during conditioning?
Bell = NS
Food = UCS
Salivation = UCR
Pavlovs expeirment after conditioning?
Bell = CS
Salivation = CR
Little Albert?
Rat (NS) -> NR
Rat (NS) + loud noises (UCS) -> fear (UCR)
Albert was left with a fear of anything fluffy and white
What is the practical application?
Token economies- create a list of desired behaviours, every time they are performed, a token is rewarded
What can the tokens be traded for?
Something you want
What are the strengths of token economies?
We know it works- used in prisons and schools- gives credibility to the approach
Weaknesses of token economies: short term?
Short term effective e.g. in prisons, it is an easy way to control inmates
Weaknesses of token economies: recidivism rates?
Recidivism rates in the UK are high- no token economies once they are out
Weaknesses of token economies: ethical?
Not ethical- stripping back things that people want just for them to earn them back
Skinners box: negative reinforcement?
Removes an unpleasant stimulus
Puts an electric current through the floor
Press the lever to turn off the current- strengthens the behaviour of pressing the lever
Skinners box: positive reinforcement?
The lever gives a food pellet when pressed
Strengths of skinners box: scientific?
Scientific study- high control of extraneous variables
Strengths of skinners box: cause and effect relationships?
Helps to establish cause and effect relationships
Strengths of skinners box: replication?
Can be easily replicated- increases the reliability- makes the research more credible
Weaknesses of Skinners box: lab?
Lab based methods- artificial environment- demand characteristics may develop
Weaknesses of Skinners box: ecological validity?
Lacks ecological validity- lacks accuracy to the real world environment
Weaknesses of Skinners box: cognition?
Ignores cognition
Weaknesses of Skinners box: free will?
Ignores the idea of choice/free will
Problems with the experiment?
Unethical
Animal based- humans are more complex than rats
