Behaviourism Flashcards
What type of conditioning was used by Pavlov in 1927?
Classical conditioning
What were the steps to pavlovs procedure?
1) dog harnessed with tube out of mouth in jar
2) dog salivated when assistant came into lab and heard door
3) dog had made association with arrival of food and sound
4) bell had no reflexive response
5) rang bell when food-> CS generated
6) bell resulted in salivation
What would happen if Pavlov varied the pitch and tone?
Still salivated as the stimulus has characteristics similar to the CS
Define classical conditioning
Focuses on involuntary, automatic behaviours
Two strengths of classical conditioning
Treatment of phobias with systematic desanitation
Scientific and based on empirical evidence obtained from controlled experiments
Two weaknesses of classical conditioning
Reductionist
Deterministic and doesn’t take into account free will of an individual
Define operant conditioning
Focuses on strengthening or weakening voluntary behaviours
What is an example of operant conditioning?
Skinner 1948
Explain the Skinner procedure
1) put pigeon/ rat in box and used food as positive reinforcement for them to press lever. Small amount of food deposited
2) to make them stop pressing the lever used negative reinforcement such as using electric shock
One positive of operant conditioning
Can explain a wide variety of behaviours and has practical application in psychiatric institutes
Two negatives of operant conditioning
Doesn’t account the role of inherited or cognitive behaviours
Autonomy and physiology of animals is different to humans?
The behaviourist approach
Behaviour learned from experience Psychologists showed phenomena that are observable (thoughts too subjective) Study of animals is valid Behaviours are acquired Genes don't play a part in behaviour
