Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
What are the assumptions of the behaviourist approach?
- Only interested in studying behaviour that can be observed and measured
- Interested in the environment and its effect on us
- Watson rejected introspection
- Involved vague concepts difficult to measure
- Maintain more control and objectivity - lab experiments
- Processes that govern learning are all in the same species
- Animals can be used as experimental subjects
What are the two forms of learning?
Classical conditioning and operant conditioning
What is classical conditioning?
Learning through association
What are the two things which classical conditioning involves?
A stimulus and response
When does classical conditioning occur?
When two stimuli are repeatedly paired together
What does a neutral stimulus eventually produce?
Same responses first produced by unlearned stimulus
What does Ivan Pavlov find out?
That dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell
What did Pavloc’s dogs learn to associate to the sound of a bell?
Food
What does pavlovs dogs show?
How a neutral stimulus can elicit a new learned response through association
What did Skinner say about learning?
It is an active process
How do humans and animals learn?
As a result of consequences of their actions
What are the three types of consequences of behaviour?
- Positive reinforcement
- Negative reinforcement
- Punishment
What is positive reinforcement?
- receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed which increases the likelihood that a behaviour will be performed again
What is negative reinforcement?
Occurs when an animal or human avoids something unpleasant which increases the likelihood that this behaviour will be performed again
What is punishment?
An unpleasant consequence of a behaviour which decreases the likelihood that the behaviour will be performed agai
