Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
INTRO - When did the behaviourist approach emerge
beginning of 20th century
INTRO - Why did the behaviourist approach emerge and who was it pioneered by
as a reponse to criticisms of Wilhem Wundt
pionereed by John Watson
INTRO - What did the behaviorist approach do to the first half of the 20th century
dominated it
INTRO - what did the behaviourist approach reject and why
Introspection
as concepts too vague/ unmeasurable
INTRO - what is the behaviourist approach credited with developing
psychology as a scientific discipline
ASSUMPTIONS - what doe behaviourists say were all born with
- all born with blank slate (tabula rasa) } all bhviours learned from interaction with the enviro (experiences )
ASSUMPTIONS - what do behaviourists believe you should only study and what no to study
only study observable and measurable behaviour
not mental processes ( which is why rejected work of Wundt)
ASSUMPTIONS - what did behaviourists highlight the importance of
control & objectivity through using lab studies
ASSUMPTIONS- what do behaviourists suggest about humans and animals
learn in same way so therefore advocate use animals in research ( all animals replaced humans)
ASSUMPTIONS - What do behaviourists say all learning occurs through?
Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
CC - define classical conditionning
learning through association of the unconditioned stimulus and neutral stimulus to get a conditioned response
CC - who was classical conditioning first demonstrated by
Ivan Pavlov
CC - What is an unconditioned stimmulus
something that makes us react instinctivley
CC - What is a unconditioned response
unlearned repsonse that occurs naturally in reaction to the US
CC- What is a conditioned response
learned response that triggers same response as an US
CC - What is a conditioned stimuli
previously NS that after beocming associated with the US eventually comes to trigger a repsonse
CC - Explain Classical Conditioning
we learn to associate previously NS with stimulus that already produces a repsones (US).
Through regular pairing NS becomes a CS producing a new learned response (CR)
PAVLOVS DOGS - What happened before conditioning
The food ( US ) produced repsones of dogs salivating (UR)
PAVLOVS DOGS - What happened before conditioning (bell)
Bell (NS ) produced response of no salivation (no CS)
PAVLOVS DOGS - What happened during conditioning
bell(NS) paired with food (US) and response was saliavtion(UR)
PAVLOVS DOGS - What happened after conditioning
Bell (CS) produced response of salivation (CR)
PAVLOVS DOGS - Describe Pavlovs Dogs
used dogs to test theory
noticed when dogs presented with food (US) they salivate (UR) bio response
So proceeded present dog w food at same time as ringing bell(NS)
Overtime through repeated pairing , dogs associated sound of bell w food . NS presented with US at same time resulting in dogs drooling @ sound of bell even when no food present
PAVLOVS DOGS - through pavlovls dogs experiment what was pavlov able to demonstrate
repeated exposure to event leads to a learned & uncontrollable behaviour
Describe Little Albert
conditioned baby to fear yt rats
intro rat(NS) into room and everytime baby noticed rat banged hammer (US) on metal pipe frightening (UR) Albert
Then A cried (CR) when rat introduced even w/o loud bang
Albert learned to associate loud noise with rat & become afraid of rat
What is a Neutral Stimulus
doesnt do anything
OC - what is operant conditioning
Learning through consequences
OC - Who pioneered operant conditioning
BF Skinner
OC - What are the three types of consequences that affect behaviour
positive reinforcement
negative reinforcement
punishment
OC - Define reinforcement
consequence of behaviour that increases likelihood of behaviour being repeated
can be positive or negative
OC - Define Positive Reinforcement
Anything that has effect of increasing likelihood of behaviour
being repeated
by adding a pleasant consequence
OC - Give example of Positive Reinforcement
sweets to a kid for cleaning their room
OC - Define Negative Reinforcement
Anything that has effect of increasing likelihood of behaviour being repeated by / removing unpleasant consequence
OC - give example of negative reinforcement
taking aspirin for headache
OC - in other word what is negative reinforcement
behaviour makes something unpleasnat go away
OC - What is punishment
anything that has effect of decreasing likelihood of behaviour being repeated as consequences unpleasant when they happen/applied.
OC - give an example of punishment
slaping a kid for acting up
OC - statement
behaviour reinforced …… behaviour punished
Behaviour reinforced will be repeated and learned whereas behaviour punished will die out
OC - how to remener difference between negative reinforcement
negative reinforcement is taking away (-) hence the word negative and its a reward
punishment is adding something bad
OC - What did skinner used to conduct research
Rats
OC - Describe Skinners Rats
happened in a skinner box
rat move around cage when accidentally press lever they rewarded w pellet of food
Through reinforcement rat learned each time pressed lever - rewarded w food (+ve reinforcement)
Also electricity on the bottom so could test punishment too
Instead of food when you press lever rat got an electric shock so learned not ot press lever anymore as punishment means behaviour dies out
EVALUATION - counterargument point - STRENGTH
scientific credibility
SCIENTIFIC CREDIBILITY
BA based on well controlled research as behaviourists focused on measurement of observable behaviour within highly controlled lab settings
By breaking behaviour to basic stimulus repsonse units all possible extraneous variables removed allowing cause and effect relationships , ser established (Skinner able clearly demo how RNFCMT influenced animals bhviour)
Suggesting bhv experi high scientific credibility . this helped psychology gained cred as a scientific discipline which was significant .
EVALUATION - counterpoint - argument
bhvst oversimplified learning process by reducing behaviour 2 such simple components
bhvst oversimplified learning process by reducing behaviour 2 such simple components
ignored important influence on learning - human thought
prob as other approaches (SLT + COG) draw attention to mental processes involved in learning & their importances
suggests learning more complex than observable bhviour alone can account for & priv mental processes also essential part of pic
but bhv dont wanna study priv mental processes as cant see them - discredits validity of the approach
EVALUATION - whats one point you cna always say if approach scientific (lab studies)
- highly controlled lab settings - High IV - indicates strength of RSRCH MTHD used + further ensures validity of the approach
EVALUATION - strength - real life application
- OC formed basis of token economy systems used institutions e.g prisons /psych hospitals
people rewarded 4 appropriate/desirable behaviour which can then be exchanged4 rewards/priveleges
idea being thell want to repeat + learn behaviour to get rewards
BENEFICIAL AS HELPS ENCOURAGE +VE BEHAVIOUR MAKING SOCIETY BETTER/SAFER PLACE
-CC made important contributions to understanding of mental illnesses
many phobias result of unpleasnat learning experiences
this understanding help psychologists to develop therapies such as SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION that attempt to re-condition patient’s fear response
BENEFICIAL AS IMPROVE MENTAL HEALTH /SANITY
EVALUATION - Limitation
Animal studies
-although animals in rsrch gives experimenters > control over process w/o demand charcteristics/ individual differences influencing results
some think unethical use them in experiments as less concern about protection from harrm for non human subjects - subject to horrific enviro , some euthenised at end , particularly in the time of skinner+ PAV
- argued findings from animal studies not generalisable to HB (so Skinners operant conditioning theory may provide understanding of rat/dog bhv but little about human bhviour as just because animal does it doesnt mean HB will)
EVALUATION - State the positives of Behaviourism
- scientific credibility
- real life application in institutions (improving behaviour ) and mental health (improving sanity)
EVALUATION - State the negatives of Behaviourism
- behaviourists oversimplified learning process by reducing learning to such simple components (CAL)
