Chapter 1 - Historical Background

Question 1

The nativist position, as exemplified by the Greek philosopher _________, emphasizes the role of ___________.

Answer 1

Plato/Heredity

Question 2

Morgan’s Canon

Answer 2

• A version of the Law of Parsimony
• States that it is preferable to interpret animal behavior in lower, more primitive terms, such as reflex or higher, rather than higher mental processes

Question 3

Behaviorism

Answer 3

A natural science approach to psychology that focuses on the environmental influences on observable behavior

Question 4

John B Watson

Answer 4

Behaviorism’s Founder

Question 5

Functionalism

Answer 5

Approach to psychology that assumes the human mind evolved to help us adapt to the world and the focus of psychology should be upon those adaptive processes.

Question 6

William James

Answer 6

Founder of Functionalism

Question 7

Edward B. Titchener

Answer 7

Founder of Structuralism

Question 8

Structuralism

Answer 8

Approach to psychology that assumes it is possible to determine the structure of the mind by identifying the basic elements that compose it.

Question 9

Introspection

Answer 9

The subject in an experiment attempts to accurately describe his/her own conscious thoughts, emotions and sensory experiences

Question 10

British Empiricists

Answer 10

• A group of British philosophers
• Claimed that all knowledge obtained was a function of experience
• John Locke a proponent

Question 11

Tabula Rasa

Answer 11

“blank slate”

Question 12

Descartes

Answer 12

• Proposed mind /body dualism
• Some behaviors involuntary & reflexive
• Some behaviors are chosen through free will
• Gave credence to the study of animal behaviors as useful in understanding human behavior

Question 13

The Law of Similarity

Answer 13

Similar events are readily associated with each other

ex: cars and trucks

Question 14

The Law of Contrast

Answer 14

Opposites are readily associated

ex: short and tall

Question 15

The Law of Contiguity

Answer 15

Events that happen in close proximity in time or space are readily associated
ex: thunder and lightning

Question 16

The Law of Frequency

Answer 16

Supplemental to Contiguity

The more frequently events occur together, the more strongly they are associated

Question 17

S-R Theory

Answer 17

The theory that learning involves the establishment of a connection between a specific stimulus (S) and a specific response (R).

Question 18

Hull’s Neobehaviorism

Answer 18

A type of behaviorism that utilizes intervening variables, in the form of hypothesized PHYSIOLOGICAL processes, to help explain behavior.

Question 19

Watson’s Methodological Behaviorism

Answer 19

A type of behaviorism which asserts that, for methodological reasons, psychologists should study only those behaviors that can be directly observed.

Question 20

Tolman’s Cognitive Behaviorism

Answer 20

A type of behaviorism that utilizes intervening variables, in the form of hypothesized COGNITIVE processes, to help explain behavior.

Question 21

Bandura’s Social Learning Theory

Answer 21

A type of behaviorism that strongly emphasizes the importance of observational learning and cognitive variables in explaining human behavior

Question 22

Reciprocal Determinism

Answer 22

The assumption that environmental events, observable behavior, and “person variables” (including internal thoughts and feelings) reciprocally influence each other.

Question 23

Skinner’s Radical Behaviorism

Answer 23

A type of behaviorism that emphasizes the influence of the environment on overt behavior, rejects the use of internal events to explain behavior, and views thoughts and feelings as behaviors that themselves need to be explained.

Question 24

Molar Psychologists

Answer 24

Skinner and Tolman

Question 25

S-R Psychologists

Answer 25

Watson and Hull

Question 26

countercontrol

Answer 26

The deliberate manipulation of environmental events to alter their impact on our behavior.

Question 27

Five Schools of Behaviorism

Answer 27

* Watson’s Methodological Behaviorism * Hull’s Neobehaviorism * Tolman’s Cognitive Behaviorism * Bandura’s Social Learning Theory * Skinner’s Radical Behaviorism

Question 28

Classical Conditioning

Answer 28

Reflexive Behaviors elicited in new situations

Question 29

Operant Conditioning

Answer 29

Frequency of behavior related to consequences - i.e. reinforcers or punishments

Question 30

Only directly observable behaviors should be studied

Answer 30

Watson’s Methodological Behaviorism

Question 31

Internal Events - thoughts, feelings, unconscious drives, motives - excluded from study

Answer 31

Watson’s Methodological Behaviorism

Question 32

S-R Theory- Learning is the development of a connection between an environmental event (stimulus) and a specific behavior (response)

Answer 32

Watson’s Methodological Behaviorism

Question 33

Only a few fundamental reflexes are inherited, along with three emotions; love, rage, and fear

Answer 33

Watson’s Methodological Behaviorism

Question 34

Environmental Event ----> Observable Behavior

Answer 34

Watson’s Methodological Behaviorism

Question 35

Operationalized internal events can mediate btwn the environment and behavior

Answer 35

Hull’s Neobehaviorism

Question 36

Intervening Variables- hypothesized physiological processes, like hunger, help explain the relationship btwn the environment and behavior

Answer 36

Hull’s Neobehaviorism

Question 37

S-R theory: Learning consists of the establishment of connections btwn specific stimuli and specific responses

Answer 37

Hull’s Neobehaviorism

Question 38

``` Environmental Event ----> Internal Events (Intervening Variables) ----> Observable Behavior ```

Answer 38

Hull’s Neobehaviorism

Question 39

Molar Theory: Behavior is directed toward an overall goal

Answer 39

Tolman’s Cognitive Behaviorism

Question 40

Intervening Variables- internal cognitive processes, like expectations and hypotheses, help explain the relationship btwn the environment and behavior

Answer 40

Tolman’s Cognitive Behaviorism

Question 41

Latent Learning: learning occurs even without observable indications

Answer 41

Tolman’s Cognitive Behaviorism

Question 42

``` Environmental Event ----> Internal Events (Intervening Variables) ----> Observable Behavior ```

Answer 42

Tolman’s Cognitive Behaviorism

Question 43

Molar Theory: Behavior includes internal processes as actual events

Answer 43

Bandura’s Social Learning Theory

Question 44

Reciprocal Determinism: Observable behavior, environmental events, and internal events interact

Answer 44

Bandura’s Social Learning Theory

Question 45

Led to the development of cognitive-behavior therapy (altering both environmental variables and cognitive processes)

Answer 45

Bandura’s Social Learning Theory

Question 46

Observable Behavior Environmental Events Internal Events (Person Variables)

Answer 46

Bandura’s Social Learning Theory

Question 47

Emphasizes the influence of the environment on observable (overt) behavior, rejects the use of internal events to explain behavior, and views thoughts and feelings as behaviors that need explaining

Answer 47

Skinner’s Radical Behaviorism

Question 48

Internal events sre covert behaviors, observable behaviors are overt; both explained as the learning product of a past experience (environmental consequences)

Answer 48

Skinner’s Radical Behaviorism

Question 49

Environmental Events \ / Observable Behavior Internal Behaviors

Answer 49

Skinner’s Radical Behaviorism