Issues and debates: reductionism (learning)

Question 1

INTRO

Reductionism

Answer 1

the idea that complex behaviors and mental processes can be explained by breaking them down into simpler, more fundamental components

Question 2

A01 & A03 (isn’t)

Answer 2

A01
- Learning theories include CC and OC. These are reductionist as all our behaviour is a result of stimulus – response link. The scientific way they are studied e.g. controlled experiments. This allows causal relationships of how we behave when faced with a stimulus – this can be useful in predicting behaviour and treating phobias, e.g. systematic desensitisation.

A03
Gilroy
- Arachnophobia patients treated with systematic desensitisation showed significantly less fear at 3 and 33 month follow-ups compared to those who were taught relaxation techniques but had no exposure.
- So reducing phobias to a stimulus response link has led to treatments which improve people’s quality of life.

Question 3

A01 & A03 (is)

Answer 3

A01:
- However, taking this reductionist behaviourist approach to behaviour cannot account for the unique responses of humans to their environment whereby mood and experience can also affect learning

A03
Skinner’s rats
- Rats were to push lever on command of a light to receive food pellet and to stop electrical current. Rats land to push lever to do so and would continuously do this.
- So reduced learning to a stimulus response link based on animal research overlooks any uniquely human factors e.g. emotions/motivations in the learning progress

Question 4

Judgement

Answer 4

Overall, there is reductionism in learning psychology, which is useful as it helps breakdown complex tasks in order to achieve a goal while ignoring all other possible factors.