behaviourism: learning theory (conditioning)

Question 1

What is the behaviourist approach?

Answer 1

we develop or learn behaviour through classical and operant conditioning

Question 2

What was Pavlov’s classical conditioning experiment?

Answer 2

• Pavlov studied salivation in dogs in a lab, by inserting a tube that collected saliva into their jaw
• Pavlov presented the dog with the (NS) of a bell - no response
• Food (UCS) produced salivation (UCR)
• Pavlov paired the presentation of the NS (bell) and the UCS (food) over and over until the presentation of the bell alone (now the CS) produced the (CR) of salivation in the dog
• The dog has learned via classical conditioning/association that the bell means food is coming

Question 3

What are the 3 types of operant conditioning and how do they affect behaviour?

Answer 3

• positive reinforcement = increases behaviour
• negative reinforcement = increases behaviour
• punishment = decreases behaviour

Question 4

What is Skinner’s operant conditioning experiment?

Answer 4

• Skinner experimented on rats in a ‘Skinner Box’ (highly controlled lab setting)
• There are 3 key features to his study: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment

Question 5

What was Skinner’s positive reinforcement experiment?

Answer 5

• a starved rat was introduced into the box
• when the lever was pressed by the rat, a small pellet of food was dropped onto a tray
• the rat soon learned that when he pressed the lever he would receive some food
• in this experiment the lever pressing behaviour is reinforced by food

Question 6

What was Skinner’s punishment experiment?

Answer 6

• when the rat in the Skinner’s pressed the lever, the heat would be turned off.
• the rat is receiving punishment and would learn to avoid the lever

Question 7

What are the positives of the behaviourist approach?

Answer 7

• Scientific:
• the beginning of psychology as a science
• Pavlov, Skinner and Watson used objective, replicable, empirical methods based in a lab –> moved psychology forward from Wundt’s failed attempts at establishing psychology as a science
• Real life application:
• systematic desensitisation has the highest international success rate in the treatment of phobias and uses the principles of classical conditioning
• token economy systems are successfully used in schools, hospitals and prisons (operant conditioning) –> the fact these programs are successful shows the theory must be valid

Question 8

What are the negatives of the behaviourist approach?

Answer 8

• Environmental reductionism
• Environmental determinism
• Cannot explain all behaviours: dual process model could be enough to give you a phobia for life, yet it hasn’t –> shows other factors other than behavioural concepts must be taken into consideration
• Diathesis stress model

Question 9

What is environmental reductionism?

Answer 9

• assumes a simple stimulus-response mechanism (in the form of conditioning) is causing all behaviour
• hugely oversimplified and a very passive explanation of human behaviour

Question 10

What is environmental determinism?

Answer 10

• assumes you have no free will and that you are completely at the mercy of your environment
• your behaviour is entirely determined by classical and operant conditioning which is disputed by many psychologists (e.g. humanists)

Question 11

What is the diathesis stress model?

Answer 11

• born with a biological predisposition that makes you more or less vulnerable to a certain behaviour (e.g. a gene)
• however the environment dictates whether or not this behaviour is brought out