behaviourist approach 1910s

Question 1

who looked into classical conditioning

Answer 1

pavlov

Question 2

classical conditioning

Answer 2

paring of NS with UCS so NS becomes CS capable of eliciting a CR
NS + UCS = UCR

Question 3

who studied operant conditioning

Answer 3

skinner

Question 4

main rules of operant conditioning

Answer 4

likelihood of repeating behaviour depends on its consequence
- learning through the result of consequences
positive and negative reinforcement increases the likelihood of a behaviour occurring

Question 5

assumption 1

Answer 5

we are a blank slate at birth, a persons direct experience is what shapes our behaviour

Question 6

assumption 2

Answer 6

basic processes that govern learning are the same in all animals

Question 7

assumption 3

Answer 7

only interested in empirical methods which can be observed and measured

Question 8

pavlov aim

Answer 8

investigate the effect of pairing a bell with food on the volume of saliva produced

Question 9

pavlov findings

Answer 9

the dogs learned to associate the bell (NS) with the food (UCS), overtime the presence of just the bell (CS) produced saliva (CR)

Question 10

positive reinforcement

Answer 10

receiving a pleasant consequence when a certain behaviour is performed

Question 11

negative reinforcement

Answer 11

a behaviour is performed to avoid an unpleasant consequence

Question 12

skinner aim

Answer 12

investigate the effect of food on the time between pushing the leaver

Question 13

skinner findings

Answer 13

the reward of food - positive reinforcement - led to the rats pressing on the lever repeatedly in a shorter period of time

Question 14

operant conditioning in skinner’s research

Answer 14

negative - electrification of the floor was removed when the rats pressed on the lever
punishment - rats electrocuted if pressed wrong lever
positive - rats receive food when lever pressed

Question 15

ethical issues

Answer 15

rats were housed in harsh, cramped conditions and deliberately kept below natural weight so they would always be hungry for the experiment

Question 16

environmental determinism

Answer 16

behaviourist believe behaviour is the sum of our reinforcement history and past conditioning, ignoring free will and conscious decisions

Question 17

research was highly controlled

Answer 17

highly controlled lab setting, behaviour cut down into stimulus and response so no extraneous variables

Question 18

principles of classical conditioning

Answer 18

generalisation
discrimination
extinction
spontaneous recovery
higher order conditioning

Question 19

what is generalisation

Answer 19

when stimuli similar to the original CS produce the CR

Question 20

what is discrimination

Answer 20

when stimuli similar to the original CS dont produce the CR - this can be achieved by withholding the UCS when the similar stimulus is used

Question 21

what is extinction

Answer 21

when the CR isnt produced as a result of the CS - this happens when the CS is repeatedly presented without the UCS following it

Question 22

what is spontaneous recovery

Answer 22

when a previously extinct CR is produced in response to the CS - this happens when the CS is presented again after a period of time during which its not being used

Question 23

higher order conditioning

Answer 23

when a new CS produces the CR because the animal associates it with the original CS - this can be achieved by consistently presenting the new CS before the original CS

Question 24

UCS

Answer 24

unconditioned stimulus eg food

Question 25

UCR

Answer 25

unconditioned response eg salivation

Question 26

neutral stimulus

Answer 26

eg the bell when first presented

Question 27

CS

Answer 27

conditioned stimulus the bell after conditioning has occured

Question 28

CR

Answer 28

conditioned response - salivation after conditioning has occured

Question 29

little albert - psychologists

Answer 29

watson and rayner

Question 30

little albert - method

Answer 30

11 month old - little albert
showed no fear of white fluffy objects eg rabbits and rats
researchers tried to create a conditioned response to these objects
white rat in fonrt of albert and loud noise when he tried to reach for it

Question 31

little albert - results

Answer 31

when little albert was shown a rat he would start to cry - this also extended to other white fluffy objects such as a white santa claus beard

Question 32

little albert - conclusion

Answer 32

a fear response to white fluffy objects had been conditioned in little albert - showing that abnormal behaviour can be learned

Question 33

little albert - evaluation

Answer 33

the experiment was very unethical
not everyone develops a phobia after a negative experience - learning theory cannot be applied to all cases
lab study - lacks ecological validity