Chapter 7 - Behavioural and Cognitive Approaches

Question 1

Define learning.

Answer 1

A relatively permanent change in behaviour, knowledge and thinking skills, that occurs through experience.

Question 2

Define behaviourism.

Answer 2

The view that behaviour should be explained by experiences that can be directly observed.

Question 3

Social-cognitive approach : what is the emphasis?

Answer 3

The interaction of behaviour, environment and person (cognition) in learning.

Question 4

What does the information-processing approach emphasise?

Answer 4

How children process information, through : attention, memory, thinking, and other cognitive processes.

Question 5

Information-processing approach : what is the emphasis?

Answer 5

How children process information, through : attention, memory, thinking, and other cognitive processes.

Question 6

Cognitive-constructivist approach : what is the emphasis?

Answer 6

The child’s construction of knowledge and understanding.

Question 7

Social-constructivist approach : what is the emphasis?

Answer 7

Collaboration with other to produce knowledge and understanding.

Question 8

Define classical conditioning.

Answer 8

The organism learns to connect, or associate, stimuli - specifically, a neutral stimulus and a meaningful stimulus, which then have the capacity to elicit a similar response.

Question 9

Name these factors of classical conditioning:
1. UCS
2. CS
3. UCR
4. CR

Answer 9

1. Unconditioned stimulus
2. Conditioned stimulus
3. Unconditioned response
4. Conditioned response

Question 10

What facilitates classical conditioning? Why?

Answer 10

Generalization. This is the tendency of a new stimulus similar to the original conditioned stimulus to produce a similar response.

Question 11

Define extinction (in CLASSICAL conditioning).

Answer 11

The weakening of the conditioned response, in the absence of the unconditioned stimulus

Question 12

Define systematic desensitisation.

Answer 12

A method based on classical conditioning that reduces anxiety by getting the individual to associate deep relaxation with successive visualizations of increasingly anxiety-producing situations.

Question 13

What type of behaviour does classical conditioning explain better?

Answer 13

Involuntary.

Question 14

Define operant conditioning.

Answer 14

The consequences of behaviour produce changes in the probability that the behaviour will occur.

Question 15

Another name for operant conditioning.

Answer 15

Instrumental conditioning.

Question 16

Who was the main architect of operant conditioning?

Answer 16

B. F. Skinner.

Question 17

Define reinforcement.

Answer 17

A POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE consequence that INCREASES the probability that a behaviour will occur.

Question 18

Define positive reinforcement.

Answer 18

The behaviour is followed by a rewarding stimulus/positive consequence, so the behaviour increases.

Question 19

Define negative reinforcement.

Answer 19

The response to the behaviour is to remove an aversive/unpleasant stimulus, therefore the behaviour increases.

Question 20

Define punishment.

Answer 20

A consequence that DECREASES the probability that a behaviour will occur.

Question 21

Which of these three processes (generalisation, discrimination, and extinction) occur in both classical and operant conditioning?

Answer 21

All three.

Question 22

Define extinction (in OPERANT conditioning).

Answer 22

A previously reinforced response is no longer reinforced, and the response decreases.

Question 23

What is applied behaviour analysis?

Answer 23

The application of the principles of operant conditioning in order to change human behaviour.

Question 24

Give 6 strategies to increase desirable behaviours.

Answer 24

1. Choose effective reinforcers
2. Make reinforcers timely and contingent
3. Select the best schedule of reinforcement
4. Contracting
5. Use negative reinforcement effectively
6. Use prompts and shaping

Question 25

What is the Premack principle? (???)

Answer 25

This principle states that a high-probability activity can be used to reinforce a low-probability activity.

Question 26

Most reinforcement in the classroom is… ?

Answer 26

Partial.

Question 27

What 4 schedules of partial reinforcement did Skinner describe?

Answer 27

1. Fixed-ratio
2. Variable-ratio
3. Fixed-interval
4. Variable-interval

(???)

Question 28

What is a prompt?

Answer 28

An added stimulus or cue that increases the likelihood that
a discriminative stimulus will produce a desired response.

Question 29

Define shaping.

Answer 29

Teaching new behaviours by reinforcing successive approximations to a specified target behaviour.

Question 30

Give 4 strategies for decreasing undesirable behaviours.

Answer 30

1. Use differential reinforcement
2. Use terminating reinforcement
3. Remove desirable stimuli
4. Present aversive/unpleasant stimuli

Question 31

Define differential reinforcement.

Answer 31

Reinforcement of behaviour that is more appropriate.

Question 32

Define terminating reinforcement.

Answer 32

Taking away reinforcement from behaviour that is not appropriate (i.e. not giving attention to this behaviour).

Question 33

What is punishment?
And when should it be used?
When should physical punishment be used in the classroom?

Answer 33

Something that DECREASES the behaviour.
Punishment should only be used as a last resort.
Never.

Question 34

Who is the main architect of social cognitive theory?
What are the three main factors of this theory?

Answer 34

Albert Bandura.
Person/cognition, behaviour, and environment.

Question 35

Define self-efficacy.

Answer 35

The belief that one can master a situation and produce positive outcomes.

Question 36

Define observational learning.

Answer 36

Learning that involves acquiring skills, strategies, and beliefs by
observing others.

Question 37

According to Bandura, what are 4 key processes in observational learning?

Answer 37

Attention, retention, production, and motivation.