Exam 1_Behaviourism Flashcards
Time period
WWI till 60s
- Behaviourists see the mind as a black box. What does that mean?
- Thought processes irrelevant
- Instead examine environmental influences and behavioural responses
- Important assumptions of behaviourism
o Psychology as a science with empirical data and careful and controlled observation
o Concerned with observable behaviour rather than inner workings of the mind
o Tabula rasa (blank slate)
o Little difference between learning of animals and humans
o All behaviour is learnt from the environment, through classical and operant conditioning
Important figures of Behaviourism
o John Watson
o Burrhus F. Skinner
o Little Albert
o Ivan Pavlov
important figures in classical conditioning
Ivan Pavlov, John Watson
Core concepts of classical conditioning
o UCS (unconditioned stimulus)
o UCR (unconditioned response)
o NS (neutral stimulus)
o CS (conditioned stimulus)
o CR (conditioned response)
phases of classical conditioning
o Acquisition
o Extinction
o Spontaneous recovery (after a rest period)
Thorndike’s Law of Effect - an important assumption in operant conditioning
Any behaviour that is followed by pleasant consequences is likely to be repeated and any behaviour followed by unpleasant consequences is likely to be stopped.
Skinner’s Proposition
voluntary behaviours are controlled by their consequences
main figure of operant conditioning
Skinner
process of operant conditioning
o Voluntary behaviours are used for conditioning (not reflexive behaviours)
o Shaping: rewarding successive approximations of the target behaviour
o works with reward and punishment, but reward is often sufficient and more efficient
operant vs classical conditioning
o Skinner vs Pavlov
o Stimulus followed by reflex vs Behaviour followed by stimulus
o Involuntary behaviour/reflexes vs voluntary behaviour
o Behaviour is elicited vs emitted
