behaviourist approach 1910s Flashcards
who looked into classical conditioning
pavlov
classical conditioning
paring of NS with UCS so NS becomes CS capable of eliciting a CR
NS + UCS = UCR
who studied operant conditioning
skinner
main rules of operant conditioning
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
assumption 1
we are a blank slate at birth, a persons direct experience is what shapes our behaviour
assumption 2
basic processes that govern learning are the same in all animals
assumption 3
only interested in empirical methods which can be observed and measured
pavlov aim
investigate the effect of pairing a bell with food on the volume of saliva produced
pavlov findings
the dogs learned to associate the bell (NS) with the food (UCS), overtime the presence of just the bell (CS) produced saliva (CR)
positive reinforcement
receiving a pleasant consequence when a certain behaviour is performed
negative reinforcement
a behaviour is performed to avoid an unpleasant consequence
skinner aim
investigate the effect of food on the time between pushing the leaver
skinner findings
the reward of food - positive reinforcement - led to the rats pressing on the lever repeatedly in a shorter period of time
operant conditioning in skinner’s research
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
ethical issues
rats were housed in harsh, cramped conditions and deliberately kept below natural weight so they would always be hungry for the experiment
environmental determinism
behaviourist believe behaviour is the sum of our reinforcement history and past conditioning, ignoring free will and conscious decisions
research was highly controlled
highly controlled lab setting, behaviour cut down into stimulus and response so no extraneous variables
principles of classical conditioning
generalisation discrimination extinction spontaneous recovery higher order conditioning
what is generalisation
when stimuli similar to the original CS produce the CR
what is discrimination
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
what is extinction
when the CR isnt produced as a result of the CS - this happens when the CS is repeatedly presented without the UCS following it
what is spontaneous recovery
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
higher order conditioning
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
UCS
unconditioned stimulus eg food
UCR
unconditioned response eg salivation
neutral stimulus
eg the bell when first presented
CS
conditioned stimulus the bell after conditioning has occured
CR
conditioned response - salivation after conditioning has occured
little albert - psychologists
watson and rayner
little albert - method
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
little albert - results
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
little albert - conclusion
a fear response to white fluffy objects had been conditioned in little albert - showing that abnormal behaviour can be learned
little albert - evaluation
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
