Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
Assumption One: Humans are born like a blank slate: Explanation of assumption Example- Criminal behaviour/aggression (incl bobo dolls) Bandera's Research
Explanation of assumption:
- We are born Tabula rasa, meaning our behaviour is learnt.
- Suggests all our behaviour can be understood in terms of the effects of our environment and experiences. (Nurture over Nature)
- Considers that we don’t actively think about our behaviour and that we simply respind passively to stimuli in our environment.
- Environmental Determinist- Influenced by external factors rather than genetics
Example- Criminal behaviour/aggression:
Observational Learning- Bobo Doll Experiment- 3 groups of children and the children who watched the adults act aggressively, acted aggressively to the dolls too by observations. Imitated the behaviour.
Vicarious reinforcement- we observe someone getting rewarded for behaviour and it reinforces us to repeat said behaviour.
Eg. If someone was living in poverty and sees someone shoplifting and robbing, they would feel more inclined to mimic this behaviour as the robber is being rewarded for their ‘model’ behaviour.
Bandera’s Research:
Observational Learning- Bobo Doll Experiment- 3 groups of children and the children who watched the adults act aggressively, acted aggressively to the dolls too by observations. Imitated the behaviour.
Bandera’s social learning theory- Observational Learning, model and vicarious reinforcement.
Assumption Two: Behaviour is learned through Conditioning: Explanation of assumption Classical Conditioning: How it explains behaviour Pavlov's research Human example of Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning: How it explains behaviour Skinners research Everyday example of Positive and Negative reinforcement.
Explanation of assumption:
-Behaviour is understood in terms of conditioning and that we have been conditioned by our environment to behave in a certain way. Classical and Operant conditioning.
Classical Conditioning:
Behaviour is learned through association. Associating a stimuli with a certain response.
Pavlov’s research:
- Rang a bell and the dogs wouldn’t respond to it- neutral response
- However, if the bell rang and the dog was presented with food, the dogs learned to associate the sound of the bell with being given food, with the response from the dog being salivating.
Human example of Classical Conditioning:
When someone hears a fire alarm, they have learned to respond by leaving the room of danger. associating the stimuli (Fire Alarm) with the response (Leaving).
Operant Conditioning:
We react through rewards and reinforcement and consequences received from our environment.
Skinners research:
Skinners Box using rats.
- First trial- Positive reinforcement- the rats were rewarded for pressing the lever.
-Second trial- Negative Reinforcement- the rat was shocked continuously until he pressed the lever. (Behaviour likely to be repeated to remove negative consequences).
-Final Trial- Punishment- Shocked each time they pressed the lever.
Everyday example of Positive and Negative reinforcement.
- Positive- Rewarding a child with a sticker each time they eat their vegetables.
- Negative- Child does homework on time to remove the negative consequence of the teacher giving them detention if they didn’t complete it on time.
Assumption Three:
Humans and Animals learn in similar ways:
Explanation of assumption
Pavlov’s research- (Incl Eg)
Example of Classic Conditioning applied to human behaviour. (Incl Eg)
Skinners research (Incl Eg)
Operant Conditioning- Behaviour modification systems (Incl Eg)
Explanation of assumption:
Assumes that the laws of learning are the same for both humans and non-human animals. Research often conducted on animals within lab environments (allowing controlled research to take place). Findings from animal research are then generalised to human behaviour.
Pavlov’s research: (Incl Eg)
- Conducted research on dogs to investigate classical conditioning. The dogs associated the bell with the response of salivating.
- Classical Conditioning has then been applied to understand human behaviour too. Eg. Phobia of water. People associating water with the fear of drowning.
Example of Classic Conditioning applied to human behaviour:
Before Therapy- Stimulus- Water, response- Anxiety/Fear.
After Therapy- Relaxation.
Systematic Desensitisation is a therapy offered to patients with severe phobias and its aimed to replace the response of fear with relaxation.
Skinners research: (Incl Eg)
- Research on rats investigating the principle of operant conditioning. Rats behaviour could be reinfirced in order to condition the desired response. This has been applied to human behaviour.
Eg. Children eating there vegetables to get dessert (Positive reinforcement).
Operant Conditioning- Behaviour modification systems (Incl Eg):
Based on the element of positive reinforcement.
Eg-(Token Economy Systems)
In Schools- Get a sticker for good behaviour.
In Prison- Recieve tokens for good behaviour an get a reward for a set amount of tokens. Eg. 10 tokens- extra phone time.
What is Systematic Desensitisation?
Therapy used to treat phobic disorders.
Works upon principles of classical conditioning that the patient has learned a maladaptive response to a stimulus.
They simply need to relearn their response to no longer fear the stimulus.
THERAPY:
Application of Behaviourist assumptions:
Born like a blank slate
Link to SD (Eg. behaviour modification )
Born Tabula Rasa and therefore all our behaviour is learnt.
Link to SD (Eg. behaviour modification):
Mental illness is also learnt (incl Phobias).
Phobias can be explained through a unhealthy response or faulty learning.
Therefore, its possible for a person to relearn how to behave in a more functional way. This is known as behaviour modification.
THERAPY:
Application of Behaviourist assumptions:
Behaviour is learnt through conditioning
Link to SD (Eg. Counterconditioning and positive reinforcement)
Phobic Behaviour can be understood using classical conditioning. An individual has learned to associate a stimulus (spider) with an undesirable response (severe anxiety).
Link to SD (Eg. Counterconditioning and positive reinforcement): Counter Conditioning (used in Classical Conditioning)- Counter Conditioning is used to make the patient associate the feared stimulus with being relaxed moreover anxious. They learn a new stimulus-response association.
THERAPY:
Application of Behaviourist assumptions:
Humans and Animals learn in similar ways
Link to SD (Eg. Counterconditioning and positive reinforcement)
SD was developed by Wolpe based on the influential research conducted by Masserman who has classically conditioned cats into fearing a cardboard box.
Link to SD (Eg. Counterconditioning and positive reinforcement):
1. Gave cats an electric shock when placed in a box.
2. Cats displayed extreme anxiety when placed in the box.
3. Anxiety disappeared if fed in box.
As humans and animals learn in similar ways, these findings were generalised to develop SD.
THERAPY:
Main components of SD:
Counterconditioning
Counterconditioning:
Treats phobic disorders by gradually introducing the feared stimulus.
-Patient learns a new stimulus-response association which reduces the conditioned response (anxitey) by establishing an incompatible response to the same conditioned eperience.
Called- Reciprocal Inhibition- the relaxation inhibits the anxiety.
Cant feel two opposite responses at the same time!
THERAPY:
Main components of SD:
Desensitisation Hierarchy (Incl Eg)
How it is used
Desensitisation Hierarchy (Incl Eg):
The therapist and patient work together to construct a desensitisation Hierarchy. Hierarchy starts with the least feared stimulus all the way up to the most feared stimulus.
Example- Fear of the Ocean Bottom tier (Least Feared Situation)- Image of the Ocean. 2nd Tier (Produce More Anxiety Than Bottom)- Hearing the Ocean. 3rd Tier (Quite Feared)- Looking at the Ocean in real life or putting feet in the ocean. Top Tier (Worst Feared Situation)- Going completely into the Ocean.
How it is used:
- At each step, patient needs to practice relaxation methods such as meditation.
- Once the patient learns to associate the least feared situation with relaxation, they can move to the next step in the hierarchy.
- Eventually learn to associate the most feared stimulus with relaxation.
THERAPY: Main components of SD: Different forms of SD: In Vivo In Vitro Other Methods
In Vivo:
Confronting feared stimulus directly, by learning to relax whilst in the presence of the feared stimulus.
In Vitro:
Imagine the feared stimulus rather than coming into direct contact with it.
Other Methods:
Modelling- Patients observe somebody else who is coping well with the feared stimulus.
Self-Administered SD- Patients practice relaxation techniques and develop the hierarchy on their own.
THERAPY:
Evaluation- Effectiveness:
Research Evidence:
Capafons et al.
Capafons et al. (1998):
-Two groups of Aerophobics- 41 pps.
-Half received treatment- SD for 12-15 weeks and Half didn’t.
-Those who received treatment had lower levels of fear in comparison to the control group.
-However, on in control group showed improvement and two in treatment didn’t.
(use of control group)
(not 100% effective)
THERAPY: Evaluation- Effectiveness: Research Evidence: McGrath Klein Menzies and Clarke Humphrey
McGrath (1990):
75% patients with specific phobias respond well to SD. However, spontaneous recovery is possible.
Klein (1983):
Suggests most ‘active’ ingredient pf SD may be the hope that the phobia can be overcome.
Menzies and Clarke (1993):
Claims in Vivo is more effective than in Vitro.
Humphrey (1973):
Self administered SD was also effective but only with specific phobias.
THERAPY:
Evaluation- Effectiveness:
Limited Use
Limited Use:
- Some research suggests that SD isn’t as effective for generalised phobias such as Agoraphobia.
- Seligman suggests therapy may not be suitable for those with ancient fears- Fears of stimuli that would have been a threat for survival in our evolutional past like Snakes.
THERAPY:
Evaluation- Effectiveness:
Symptom Substitution
Symptom Substitution:
- SD only treats the symptoms of the phobia, not the root of the phobia. These symptoms may resurface in a different form if the cause still remains.
- Freud would argue that the cause of the phobia would still exist, therefore the patient may displace the fear onto a different object.
THERAPY:
Evaluation- Ethical Issues:
Avoids Harm
Gains Valid Consent
Avoids Harm:
- More ethical than other treatments such as flooding.
- Each step of the Hierarchy is conducted slowly and at a pace dictated by the patient.
- Therapist must only encourage the patient to work up the hierarchy when they are completely relaxed.
Gains Valid Consent:
- Patients are generally in touch with reality and are able to fully understand how the therapy will work.
- Provide valid consent and can choose whether to withdraw.
