Learning

Question 1

Behaviourism

Answer 1

Suggest all behaviours are acquired through interaction with the environment and this might be through association, reinforcement, punishment, observation or other processes. Nurture rather than nature drives observable behaviours

Question 2

Classical conditioning

Answer 2

Phase 1: before conditioning we have an Unconditioned stimulus that produces and unconditioned response and a neutral stimulus that produces no response

Phase 2: during conditioning: pairing US and NS together to get the UR

Phase 3: after conditioning: NS and get the response NS is now a conditioned stimulus and we now get the UR as a Conditioned response

Extinction - reduction in conditioned response after repeated presentation of CS without US. (Can come back via spontaneous recovery)

Generalisation - refers to when CR occurs when similar CS is presented and discrimination is the opposite. (Little Albert study)

Second/high order conditioning when previously CS pairs with a new NS and the new NS becomes a CS

Question 3

Operant conditioning

Answer 3

Developed by Thorndike and expanded by BF Skinner is based on learning through consequences

Reinforcement: a consequence designed to increase behaviour

Punishment: a consequence designed to decrease a behaviour

Positive: a reinforcer or punisher added

Negative: a reinforcer or punisher removed

Schedules of reinforcement
Continuous reinforcement: every correct response is rewarded every time.

Fixed ratio; behaviour reinforced after a specific number of responses

Variable ratio: behaviour reinforced after an average unpredictable number of responses

Fixed interval: behaviour is reinforced for the first response after a specific amount of time

Variable interval: behaviour is reinforced for the first response after and average but unpredictable amount of time

Question 4

Social cognitive theory

Answer 4

Suggest learning occurs through observation, after observing the individual needs to believe they have the ability to do it (self efficacy) and expect a similar outcome to what was observed (outcome expectancies)

Bandura examined how children interacted with a doll after watching one of three models 1. Aggression 2. Non aggression and 3. No model
It was found the children imitated what model they observed with the aggressive model children playing more aggressively with the doll

Next bandura wanted to establish if viewing the model being praised or punished had an effect. All three models demonstrate aggressive behaviour but one was praised, one punished and on had no outcomes. Both praise and control models played aggressively while the punish model did not. (Vicarious reinforcement)

Four step process
1. Attention
2. Retention
3. Reproduction
4. Motivation