Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
Four assumptions for behaviourist approach
- Behaviour is learned from experience
- Humans are all born as a blank slate
- Only observable behaviour is scientific and measurable
- Its valid to study animals as they share the same principles of learning
What is the behaviourist approach all to do with
All to do with the environment, no genetics involved
What’s a stimulus
The thing that causes a behaviour
What does being born as a blank slate mean
Humans are born without any genetic advantage. Everyone’s the same, develop behaviour from the environment
What is the law of effect (in pe aswell)
If behaviour is followed by satisfying consequences (a safisfier) it is more likely to be repeated
Describe Pavlovs study
- Pavlovs study was all to do with classical conditioning, which is learning by association and reflex actions can be manipulated
- Reflex action for the dog when the food is in sight is salivation
- Pavlov paired feeding the dogs and ringing bell so dogs knew they were about to get fed
- However, he then rang the bell but didn’t feed the dogs and they still salivated
Classical conditioning involves what type of behaviour
Reflex actions
State the UCS, UCR, NS, CS and CR for Pavlovs study
UCS= The food UCR= Salivation NS= The bell CS= The bell CR= Salivation
What other study was performed in terms of classical conditioning, other than Pavlovs dogs
Little Albert
Describe Little Alberts study
- Little Albert was presented with a white rat and showed no fear
- Then he was presented with a rat again however this time with a loud noise and he began to cry
- After continuous association of the white rat and loud noise, Little Albert was classically conditioned to experience fear at the sight of the rat
- Little Albert was noticed to be scared of anything white and fluffy
- Pavlovs dogs salivated at the sound of any bell, not just the original sound
What do these examples show
Stimulus generalisation
The point at which the stimulus is no longer generalised is called what
Stimulus discrimination
E.g. Pavlov used different internment’s to make noises, getting further and further away from the bell like sound, until he found the stimulus discrimination point at which the dogs will no longer discriminate
What does operant conditioning involve
Voluntary behaviour as opposed to classical conditioning which involves reflex actions
What’s a study to do with operant conditioning
The Skinner box
What does reinforcement refer to
Reinforcement refers to anything that increases the likelihood of a behaviour occurring
What’s the positive reinforcement in Skinners box study
What’s the negative reinforcement in Skinners box study
Positive reinforcement= Giving the rat food
Negative reinforcement= Turning off the electricity
How did skinner conduct research on pigeons
- Breaks down the behaviour into steps
- Gives the pigeon reward (food) If does the correct action
- Can then adapt it to do more complex actions
Rates of reinforcement
What are the two types of rates of positive reinforcement
Continuous rate
Variable rate
Which of the two rates of reinforcement are most resistant to extinction and why
Variable rates of positive reinforcement such as gambling as the anticipation of reward creates excitement and maintains it
What is continuous/fixed positive reinforcement
A reward every time a desired behaviour is exhibited
What is a variable ratio of reinforcement
A reward sometimes
E.g. gambling
Why is a variable rate of reinforcement more resistant to extinction than a fixed rate (2 marks)
As the anticipation of a pending reward keeps the interest of the individual for longer than a fixed rate where a lack of reward will be quickly noticed and lead to extinction of behaviour
Evaluation of behaviourist approach
- Very scientific, it used objective methodology. Therefore, produces results that are not subjective, increasing validity
- Some state, experiments develop artificial, not natural learning. Therefore, low in ecological validity, therefore can’t be applied to real life
- Role of Biological factors is rejected. Phenomena such as new born reflexes like new born babies sucking, can’t be explained. Therefore, contradicts theory that all behaviour is learned
- Some believe it ignores mental processes in learning, Humans are viewed as passive learners. Implies humans have no free will or control over their actions. E.g. They were not in control of their action when they committed a crime
- Classical and operant conditioning have been applied to behaviour in real life, e.g. operant conditioning in school. Demonstrates theoretical principles are applicable to real life
