Conditioning

Question 1

Operant conditioning

Answer 1

A control of behaviour through the manipulation of rewards and punishment

Question 2

Is operant conditioning active or passive?

Answer 2

An active form of conditioning because the animal/person must do something

Question 3

The Law of Effect

Answer 3

the linking of an action, outcome and the likelihood of future actions.

• This helps account for the regularity of our behaviour
• An action is linked to an outcome, if this outcome is positive the action is more likely to be repeated and vice versa

Question 4

Habit hierarchy

Answer 4

a ranking of the likelihood of a persons response based on prior conditioning
Rewarded = higher on hierarchy

Question 5

Reinforcer

Answer 5

Reward for behaviour - makes us more likely to repeat it

Question 6

Primary reinforcer

Answer 6

satisfy biological needs

Question 7

Secondary reinforcer

Answer 7

helps you obtain a primary reinforcer e.g. money

Question 8

Positive reinforcer

Answer 8

Something pleasant is given

Question 9

Negative reinforcer

Answer 9

Something unpleasant is removed

Question 10

Positive punishment

Answer 10

Something unpleasant is given e.g. shock

Question 11

Negative punishment

Answer 11

Something pleasant is removed

Question 12

Continuous reinforcement schedule

Answer 12

Reinforcers are given every single time behaviour is exhibited
- Behaviour is learned faster compared to partial reinforcement schedules but will also fade faster
- Unfeasible in real life

Question 13

Partial reinforcement schedules

Answer 13

Reinforcers are given some of the time the behaviour is exhibited
- Partially reinforced behaviours are more resistant to extinction but take longer to learn

Time based or Response based

Question 14

Response-based schedules

Answer 14

behaviour is rewarded after it has been repeated a number of times e.g. slot machine - you play a certain number of times

Question 15

Time-based schedules

Answer 15

reward is given if behaviour is completed within a certain amount of time

e.g. once a month salary - not paid for every day, which is why it’s partial not continuous

Question 16

Fixed schedules

Answer 16

behaviour is rewarded after repeated a set number of times

Question 17

Variable schedules

Answer 17

number of times a behaviour has to be rewarded is not consistent. It varies between rewards

Question 18

Discrimination in operant

Answer 18

We discriminate between situations and choose when to show a behaviour based on what stimuli are around
e.g. you participate in English because you get rewarded but not in Biology because there is no incentive

Question 19

Discriminative stimulus

Answer 19

The stimulus is used to discriminate between situations and therefore, our responses

Question 20

Generalization

Answer 20

We respond easily and quickly to new situations that have similarities to old ones

Question 21

Traits

Answer 21

Consistency in behaviour leads to observable traits
Familiar cues lead us to act a certain way

Question 22

Extinction

Answer 22

Behavioural tendencies fade
Operant - rewards/punishments are no longer given
Classical - link between conditioned and unconditioned stimulus fades

Question 23

Spontaneous recovery

Answer 23

Behaviour returns after the reintroduction of reward/punishment or stimulus

Question 24

Most effective schedule

Answer 24

Variable, response-based schedule
Extinction process is slower

Question 25

Behaviourism

Answer 25

All behaviours are influenced by the environment/conditioning
Focuses solely on external causes and conditions

Question 26

Strengths of Behaviourism

Answer 26

Research - real and observable effect
Practical applications - treatment options like exposure therapy

Question 27

Weaknesses of Behaviourism

Answer 27

Research mainly on animals
Can only investigate observable behaviour & ignores cognition
Disorders are viewed as maladaptive responses

Question 28

Classical Conditioning

Answer 28

A process by which a neutral stimulus causes a response through association

Question 29

Is classical conditioning active or passive?

Answer 29

Passive - the subject doesn’t have to do anything

Question 30

Unconditioned stimulus

Answer 30

Original stimulus
Reflexively linked to a response

Question 31

Unconditioned response

Answer 31

Natural response to stimulus
Reflex

Question 32

Conditioned stimulus

Answer 32

Linked to old stimulus by time and place
Trigger for new behaviour

Question 33

Conditioned response

Answer 33

New response after conditioning
Often the same as the original response but to a new stimulus

Question 34

Higher order conditioning

Answer 34

Classical conditioning has been successful, the former conditioned stimulus/response become the new unconditioned stimulus/response

Question 35

Emotional conditioning

Answer 35

Can lead to the development of attitudes