Behaviourist assumptions

Question 1

What are the three assumptions?

Answer 1

• Humans are born like a blank slate.
• Behaviour is learned through conditioning.
• Humans and animals learn in similar ways.

Question 2

What are the two forms of conditioning?

Answer 2

• Classical conditioning

- Operant conditioning

Question 3

How do humans learn through classical conditioning?

Answer 3

Classical conditioning- first described by Ivan Pavlov in his observation of dogs slobbering.

Before conditioning food is an unconditioned stimulus (UCS) and salivation is an unconditioned response (UCR). During conditioning a neutral stimulus like a ringing bell (NS) is added is added alongside the UCS. This is when association forms. After conditioning the bell is a (CS) and the salivation is a (CR)

Question 4

How do humans learn through operant conditioning?

Answer 4

When an action takes place, a reinforcer is used to increase the chance the action will either take place again or not. This is either positive reinforcement or negative reinforcement.

First demonstrated by Skinner (1938) using the Skinner box. This is where an animal would learn to do specific behaviour and be rewarded by food.

Question 5

How do humans learn like animals?

Answer 5

Humans learn like animals through conditioning. This is why the same conditioning experiments work with both humans and animals if the correct reward or stimulus is used.