Behaviourist and Social Learning approach

Question 1

What is the behaviourist approach?

Answer 1

All behaviour is learnt from interacting with the environment.

Question 2

What are the assumptions of the behaviourist approach?

Answer 2

1. We are all born as a blank slate.
2. All behaviour is learnt.
3. All behaviour can be reduced to stimulus-response.
4. All behaviour can be explained through conditioning.
5. Behaviour should be investigated using scientific experiments.
6. Little difference between the learning in animals and humans, so research on animals can be used as evidence.
7. Only concerned with observable behaviours.

Question 3

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 3

Learning through association

Question 4

Classical conditioning explained?

Answer 4

The neutral stimulus at first produces no response.
The unconditional stimulus produces the unconditional response.
During conditioning, the two stimuli are paired.
After conditioning, the neutral stimulus produces a conditional response, which is the same as the unconditionl response.

Question 5

Pavlov’s experiment?

Answer 5

Step 1: US (food) -> UR (salivation)
Step 2: NS (bell) -> US (food) -> UR (salivation)
Later… CS (bell) -> CR (salivation)

Question 6

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 6

Learning by consequence.

Question 7

What is positive and negative reinforcement?

Answer 7

Positive reinforcement is the increasing behaviours by presenting positive stimuli (reward). Negative reinforcement it’s increasing behaviours by removing negative stimuli (avoiding a consequence).

Question 8

What is punishment?

Answer 8

decreases the likelihood of a behavior

Question 9

Skinner’s experiment?

Answer 9

The rats received a treat when they pulled the lever and also avoided electric shocks.

Question 10

Where is operant conditioning used?

Answer 10

Token economy and school reward systems

Question 11

Strengths of the behaviourist approach?

Answer 11

-Practical/real-life application (e.g. token economy system, and treating phobias).
-Scientific credibility (replicable), objective behaviours studied in a lab

Question 12

Weaknesses of behaviourist approach?

Answer 12

-may have oversimplified the learning process
-deterministic
-not all forms of learning can be explained by conditioning
-ethical issues.
-animals brains are not as complex.
-highly controlled labs means a lack of ecological validity.

Question 13

Assumptions of the social learning theory?

Answer 13

• We learn through direct experience and observing those around us
• Reinforcement of behaviour is important
• Cognitive processes do play a role in learning and whether people choose to repeat behaviour

Question 14

What is imitation?

Answer 14

Copying the behaviour of others

Question 15

What is modelling?

Answer 15

From the observer’s perspective, modelling is imitating the behaviour of a role model.
From the role model’s perspective it is the precise demonstration of a behaviour that could be imitated by the observer.

Question 16

What is identification?

Answer 16

An observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like them.
Will more likely identify when they have similar characteristics.

Question 17

What is vicarious reinforcement?

Answer 17

Reinforcement which is not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour

Question 18

What are mediational processes?

Answer 18

Cognitive factors that influence learning and come between stimulus and response.

Question 19

What are the mediational processes?

Answer 19

attention, retention, motor reproduction, motivation

Question 20

What is Bandura’s experiment?

Answer 20

-One group of children watched an adult play with a bobo doll aggressively. Another group watched a non-aggressive adult.
-The children who watched the aggressive adult, were more likely to play aggressively.
-In another study, three groups of kids watched an adult get praised, punished and no reaction for playing aggressively.
-The first group showed more aggression, then the control group, then the second group.

Question 21

Strengths of SLT?

Answer 21

COGNITIVE FACTORS- recognises importance of cognitive factors, provides a comprehensive explanation of human learning. It shows that humans and animals can store and judge information.
REAL WORLD APPLICATION- Accounts for how children learn from others and media and explains how children view their gender role. It explains cultural differences in behaviour.
RECIPROCAL DETERMINISM- We aren’t influenced by external behaviours but exert influence upon it, suggesting free will (behaviourists denies free will)

Question 22

Weaknesses of SLT?

Answer 22

• Low ecological validity, artificial setting, how do children learn aggression in the real world.
• Has been criticised for having no reference to biological features.