Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
What is it
Focus solely on observable behaviour
Learn behaviour from the environment
Classical conditioning
Learn through association
involve in making stimuli-response association when a neutral stimuli is associated with an existing stimuli so a response is generated
Unconditioned stimuli- Things we are innately programmed to respond to
Conditioned stimuli- Things we learn to respond to
Neutral stimuli - Things we don’t respond to
Unconditioned response- Response we are innately programmed to have
Conditioned response- Response we learn to do
Pavlov Research
Observed the process by which salvation came to occur at the presence of the research assistants
Stimulus generalisation- Association are made to other stimuli which are similar to the conditioned stimulus
Stimulus discrimination- The cut off point where SG no longer occur. Characteristics is too different
Time contiguity- Association will only be made if neutral stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus is presented at the same time
Operant Conditioning
Learn through the consequences or our behaviour
If behaviour is reinforced the behaviour is likely to be repeated
If behaviour is punished the behaviour is less likely to be repeated
Types of reinforcement
The frequency and way in which reinforcement is administered
Continuous reinforcement- given after every response
Fixed interval schedule- given after a response after a certain time interval
Variable interval schedule- as for fixed but on average
Fixed ratio schedule- given after a certain amount of response
Variable ratio schedule- given after a certain amount of response on average
Skinner Box
Placed a rat in a cage that had a lever inside. skinner observed that the rat first pressed the lever by accident but soon learnt the link between the behaviour and the reward
Evaluation
+ Many research studies
+ Scientific
- Ignores difference between animals and humans
- Reductionist
