Behaviourism Flashcards
Key assumptions of behaviourism
- All behaviour is learnt through your experience
- Only observable behaviour can be measured scientifically so only these should be studied
- Studying animal behaviour is valid research as they have the same principles of learning as humans
- No genetic influence on behaviour
What are the two types of conditioning and what is their basic principle?
Classical conditioning ➞ association
Operant conditioning ➞ reinforcement
Explain classical conditioning
- Participant/subject is presented with an UCS and has an UCR
- NS is introduced
- NS is associated with the UCS
- Repeat until NS becomes CS and UCR is a CR to the CS
Give an example of classical conditioning
Pavlov’s dogs
Explain operant conditioning
Give an example of operant conditioning
Skinner’s Box/Rats
What are the two types of reinforcement?
Positive & negative
Positive Reinforcement
Rewarding a desirable behaviour to maintain it
Negative reinforcement
Maintaining a behaviour to avoid a negative stimulus
Not about changing behaviour
Punishment
Doing something negative to change behaviour
Not about maintaining behaviour
Types of reinforcement
Comes under operant conditioning
- Continuous reinforcement
- Fixed interval
- Variable interval
- Fixed ratio
- Variable ratio
Explain continuous reinforcement
Comes under operant conditioning ➞ types of reinforcement
Participant is positively reinforced every time a specific behaviour occurs
Response rate ➞ slow
Extinction rate ➞ fast
Participant = animal or human
Explain fixed interval
Comes under operant conditioning ➞ types of reinforcement
Reinforcement given after a fixed time interval
Response rate ➞ medium
Extinction rate ➞ medium
Explain variable interval
Comes under operant conditioning ➞ types of reinforcement
Reinforcement given when a correct response is made
Response rate ➞ fast
Extinction rate ➞ slow
Explain fixed ratio
Comes under operant conditioning ➞ types of reinforcement
Behaviour is reinforced after an unpredictable number of times
Response rate ➞ fast
Extinction rate ➞ slow
ER slow bc of unpredicatbility - eg. gambling
