Behaviourism Flashcards
1
Q
What is behaviourism?
A
The study of observable behaviours
2
Q
What does behaviourism suggest?
A
- that psychology is the scientific study of human behaviour and that the mind is not something to be concerned with
- idea that you are born with a ‘blank slate’ and that behaviour is learnt
3
Q
What is classical conditioning?
A
- learning through association
- first classified by Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov
4
Q
What is operant conditioning?
A
- learning through consequences
- idea that if a behaviour is reinforced, it is most likely to be repeated
5
Q
What are the two main types of reinforcement?
A
- Positive
- Negative
6
Q
What is positive reinforcement?
A
- It occurs when someone receives something pleasant for performing a behaviour {gain a reward}
7
Q
What is negative reinforcement?
A
- It occurs when someone avoids something unpleasant by performing a behaviour.
- if a behaviour is punished it is less likely to be repeated
8
Q
What research did Skinner {1935} demonstrate in reinforcement?
A
- Skinner developed a cage called ‘skinner box’ in order to investigate conditioning in rats
9
Q
How did Skinner demonstrate the concept of positive reinforcement?
A
- a rat would be placed in a skinner box
- it would receive a food pellet each time it would press the lever
- the rat would therefore continue to press the lever
10
Q
How did Skinner demonstrate the concept of negative reinforcment?
A
- a rat would be placed in a skinner box
- it would avoid getting an electric shock every time it pressed the lever
- it would therefore continue to press the lever
11
Q
How did Skinner demonstrate the concept of punishment?
A
- a rat would be placed in a skinner box
- it would receive an electric shock every time it would press the lever
- the rat would therefore avoid pressing the lever
