LEARNING APPROACHES Flashcards
Outline the “focus on the environment” approach
- states that the environment shapes out behaviour
- we are born “tabula rasa” (blank state”
- not interested in biological explanations
Outline the “focus of scientific methods” learning approach
- behaviour is studied in a scientific way, studying specific actions
- focus on observable effects
- uses scientific methods
State the 2 forms of learning and the behaviourists that proposed them
- Classical conditioning - Ivan Pavlov (1927)
- Operant conditioning - B.F Skinner (1953)
What is classical conditioning
- learning through association
- passive process
Outline the process of classical conditioning
- Unconditional stimulus (UCS) causes unconditional response (UCR)
- Before conditioning, a neutral stimulus (NS) does not cause a response
- During conditioning, the UCS and the NS are paired, causing an UCR
- Over time, the NS becomes a Conditioned Stimulus (CS), causing a Conditioned Response (CR)
Outline Pavlov’s dog experiment
- Dog given food (UCS) , causing salivation (UCR)
- Bell rung around the dog (NS), causing no response
- Bell (NS) and food (UCS) paired, causing salivation (UCR)
- Overtime, the bell becomes a CS (as it became associated with the UCS) causing salivation (CR)
What is operant conditioning
- learning is an active process
- behaviour is shaped by consequences
- what is the consequence of positive reinforcement
- strengthen or weaken target behaviour
- state an example
- something pleasant
- strengthens
- teacher praising student for bringing homework
- what is the consequence of negative reinforcement
- strengthen or weaken target behaviour
- state an example
- removes something unpleasant
- strengthens
- taking a paracetamol to remove a headache
- what is the consequence of positive punishment
- strengthen or weaken target behaviour
- state an example
- something unpleasant
- weakens
- being shouted at for not doing homework
- what is the consequence of negative punishment
- strengthen or weaken target behaviour
- state an example
- removes something pleasant
- weakens
- confiscating phone for being late
Define environmental determinism
Belief that behaviour is caused by environmental features (rewards and punishments), that we cannot control
How is environmental determinism a limitation of the behaviourist approach?
- states that learning is solely due to environmental impacts, ignoring free will
- suggests that conscious decision making does not exist
- limits the behaviourist approach by excluding other factors
Outline how ethical issues act as a limitation to the behaviourist approach
- although Skinner’s box allows for a high level of control to be maintained
- animals inside kept in cramped conditions
- rats deliberately underweight, keeping them always hungry
- weakness, as research may not be able to be fully replicated
Outline how well-controlled research strengthens the behaviourist approach
-ex. Skinners box was a highly controlled environment
- removes extraneous variables, allowing for cause and effect relationship to be determined
- increases internal validity
- study can be replicated to improve reliability
Outline a strength of the behaviourist approach (real life application)
- use of token systems, which use operant conditioning, in prisons + psych wards
- appropriate behaviour is rewarded with tokens, which can be exchanged for goods
- classical conditioning can also be used to treat phobias
- applications increase behaviourist approach’s value
Outline a limitation of the behaviourist approach (simplistic)
- due to the highly controlled environments, learning process behaviours have been over-simplified
- ignored influence of human thought
- however other approaches draw attention to mental processes involved
- ignores mental processes in learning
Who proposed Social Learning Theory and why
- Albert Bandura
- believed behaviourist view was too simplistic
- thought behaviour was not shaped only by rewards + punishments
- placed emphasis on cognitive processes in learning
What is social learning theory
- learning approach
- process of how we learn through observation and imitation of role models
- suggests that learning happens directly (CC, OC) and indirectly
Outline the 4 stages of observational learning
- Modelling - role model models a behaviour
- Identification - observer identifies with model
- Observation - observer notes the behaviour
- Imitation - observer tries behaviour (repeated depending on reinforcement)
Outline vicarious reinforcement
- when a person learns behaviour by observing somebody else being rewarded for it, instead of experiencing the reward themselves
- key factor in imitation
- if model is punished, behaviour is less likely to be imitated
Outline the mediational processes involved in social learning theory
- Attention - extent to which we notice certain behaviours
- Retention - how well behaviour is remembered
- Reproduction - behaviour must be able to be reproduced
- Motivation - will to perform the behaviour
What makes someone more likely to identify with a role model
- similarities (age, gender etc)
- if they have a high status
- models behaviour is reinforced by rewards
- model is attractive or likeable
Outline how the setting of Bandura’s study acts as a limitation
- lab study, lacks ecological validity so may not reflect real world behaviour
- it could make children behave differently to how they would in a natural environment
- IRL, aggression is determined by other factors not accounted for in a lab study (peer influence, etc)
Outline a strength of social learning theory (vicarious reinforcement)
- recognises how learning can occur through role models, beyond learning through direct reinforcement (OC) and association (CC)
- includes cognitive processes, not just automatic stimulus-response
- vicarious reinforcement explains how learning can occur without directly experiencing reinforcement(punishment
Outline a limitation of Social Learning Theory study (other factors)
- ignores biological factors
- ignores environmental factors
- Bandura’s study only a partial explanation for how aggressive is learned
- only acknowledges identification and motivation as factors
Outline a strength of social learning theory (less determinist view)
- allows for free will and personal agency
- people are not just passive learners
- realistic and flexible explanation
- considers cognitive processes, completing it as a learning explanation
Outline a strength of social learning theory (application)
- can be used in education, criminal rehab, parenting, media regulation
- can help reduce anti -social behaviour by encouraging positive social interactions
- society overall benefits
Outline the aim of Bandura’s original study
- to see if children’s aggression changed after being exposed to an aggressive role model
- to see if children are more likely to imitate a same sex role model
Outline Bandura’s basic procedure
- matched boys + girls on aggression levels (5 point scale)
- children played in a room and observed an adult “role model”
- RM either attacked Bobo Doll or ignored it
- children taken to arousal room, told that toys within it were for “other children”
- all children frustrated
- taken to observation room, observed based on how they play with aggressive or non aggressive toys
- control group included
Outline the key findings of Bandura’s original study
- those who saw the aggressive RM showed higher aggression
- 70% who saw non aggressive RM had a score of 0
- male RM had greater influence than female RM
Outline the aim of Bandura’s 1963 (2nd) variation
- see if aggression increases or decreases when exposed to a film or cartoon RM
- if watching filmed aggression decreases anger (cathartic)
How did Bandura’s 1963 (2nd) variation vary from the original
Added a condition where children watched a film with a female RM dressed as a cartoon cat
Outline the key findings of Bandura’s 1963 (2nd) study
- no significant aggression difference between whether RM was live or filmed and cartoon
- control = 1/2 as aggressive
- watching filmed aggression isn’t cathartic
Outline the aim of Bandura’s 1965 (3rd) variation
- see if observing vicarious reinforcement + punishment changes how children imitate
- see if imitation changes if children are rewarded themselves
