Behaviourism Flashcards
(Assumption) Where do behaviourists believe behaviour is learnt from?
The environment
(Assumption) Behaviourist believe people are born as…
blank slates
Behaviourism supports which side of the nature-nurture debate?
(extreme) nurture
(Assumption) Behaviour depends upon what?
It’s consequences
(Assumption) What type of behaviour should only be studied?
observable as we cannot measure internal processes
(Assumption) What are the two main types of learning/conditioning?
Operant and Classical
(Assumption) Why do behaviourist believe it is sensible to generalise from animals to humans?
Due to evolution, allows animals to replace humans in experiments
Which research method is primarily used?
Lab experiments
Classical conditioning is learning by…
Association
What is the evidence for CC?
Pavlov’s dogs or Little Albert
Describe Pavlov’s dogs experiment.
Whenever presented with food the dogs would salivate AUTOMATICALLY.
A bell was rung at the same time as presenting food to the dog which continued to automatically salivate.
After several trials the bell could be rung without food presentation in order for the dogs to salivate.
Describe a CC diagram.
Before Learning UCS---->UCR During Learning UCS+CS----> UCR After Learning CS----->CR
(CC Key Principles) What is extinction?
A CR is no longer displayed when CS is presented without the UCS.
(CC Key Principles) What is spontaneous recovery?
A CR reappears after extinction.
(CC Key Principles) What is generalisation?
The CS can be changed slightly and still produce the CR
(CC Key Principles) What is discrimination?
The CS becomes too different from the original so does not produce the CR
Outline 3 ethical issues of the Little Albert case study.
- Deliberately causing harm
- He could not give consent
- He could not withdraw
What is a practical application of CC to humans?
Aversion therapy. Emetic drug is the UCS and UCR is vomiting.
Operant Conditioning suggest learning is a …. process?
active
(OC Prinicples) What is positive reinforcement and its effect on behaviour?
Receiving an award for displaying a desirable behaviour, increasing the likelihood of its repetition.
(OC Key Principles) What is negative reinforcement and its effect on behaviour?
Behaviour that escapes a punishment, increasing chances of repetition.
e.g apologising to escape being on the naughty step
(OC Key Principles) What is punishment and its effect on behaviour?
An unpleasant consequence of a behaviour, decreases the likelihood of repetition.
Describe the Skinner Box experiment
The hungry rat accidentally presses the lever to release food (PR) encouraging it to do it again.
Floor can be electrified and switched off with lever (NR)
When lever is pressed rat gets an electric shock (P)
What is a practical application of OC in humans?
token economies in psychiatric institutions.
(Evaluation) Why is it a strength the approach uses scientific methods?
highly controlled, other factors do not effect results, can be easily repeated
(Evaluation)Why are practical applications a strength?
Usefulness, can be applied to real life so more likely to be correct.
(Evaluation) Why is the denial of free will a weakness?
Pessimistic
(Evaluation) Why is ignoring the role of other factors beside the environment a weakness?
It is oversimplistic
(Evaluation)Why is ignoring the role of thoughts and feelings a weakness?
Oversimplistic, when we are angry we hit things
(Evaluation) Why is generalising from animals to humans a weakness?
Humans are not the same as animals so the results may not be the same in humans.
It is not valid.
