Learning Approaches

Question 1

1) Give a strength.

Answer 1

The approach has scientific credibility.
It brought the language and methods of the natural sciences to psychology and focused on the measurement of observable behaviour. It emphasised the importance of the scientific process (objectivity and replication).
This approach was hugely influential in the development of psychology as a scientific discipline.

Question 2

2) Give a strength

Answer 2

The approach and principle of conditioning have useful real-life applications. Token economy systems have been successfully used in prisons to modify prisoner behaviour through rewarding appropriate behaviour.
Although early behaviourists research used animals, his shows it is also useful for humans.

Question 3

1) Give a limitation

Answer 3

This approach is highly determinist as it suggests all actions are determined by past experiences that have been conditioned. It is also highly reductionist.
It ignores any possible influence that free will may have on behaviour. Many aspects of our society (e.g the criminal justice system) are built on the concept that humans have free will. It also reduces human behaviour to stimulus-response links.
This environmental determinism is not accepted by all psychologists and such reductionist explanations are not appropriate for explaining complex human behaviour.

Question 4

2)Give a limitation

Answer 4

There are ethical and practical issues with using animals in research.
Research conducted by Skinner using his ‘Skinner Box’ involved exposing animals to stressful and adverse conditions which some consider unethical. The stress may also have affected the way the animals behaved in the experiment.
If the animals acted differently to how they would in the real world this would mean the results lack external validity.

Question 5

What is behaviourism?

Answer 5

The study of behaviour that can be be directly observed or measured.

Question 6

What are the two types of conditioning?

Answer 6

Classical and operant

Question 7

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 7

Learning is done through association and it was demonstrated by Ivan Pavlov.

Question 8

How was classical conditioning researched?

Answer 8

Research with dogs.

Question 9

Give the diagram for the classical conditioning.

Answer 9

Unconditioned Stimulus - Unconditioned Response
Unconditioned Stimulus + Neutral Stimulus = Unconditioned response
Conditioned Stimulus = Conditioned Response

Question 10

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 10

Learning is done through consequence. Whether or not a particular behaviour is repeated depends on the consequence through reinforcement or punishment.

Question 11

What is positive reinforcement?

Answer 11

Occurs when a behaviour produces a consequence that is rewarding (giving praise)

Question 12

What is negative reinforcement?

Answer 12

Occurs when behaviour removes an unpleasant consequence.

Question 13

What is punishment?

Answer 13

Unpleasant consequence of behaviour. If punishment occurs, the behaviour is less likely to continue.

Question 14

Describe Skinner’s research.

Answer 14

Rats and pigeons were placed in a highly controlled environment where they were conditioned to press a lever to recieve food/ avoid an electric shock.

Question 15

What are the two types of learning approaches?

Answer 15

Behaviourism and Social Learning Theory

Question 16

What is social learning theory ?

Answer 16

A way of explaining behaviour that includes both direct and indirect reinforcement, combining learning theory with the role of cognitive factors.
People learn through observation and imitation of others within a social context.

Question 17

What are mediational processes?

Answer 17

Cognitive factors that mediate in the learning process to determine whether a new response is required. It occurs between a stimulus and repsonse.

Question 18

What are the four mediational processes?

Answer 18

Attention, Retention, Motivation, Motor Reproduction

Question 19

What is attention?

Answer 19

Noticing behaviours

Question 20

What is retention?

Answer 20

Remembering behaviours

Question 21

What is motivation?

Answer 21

Will to perform determined by reward or punishment.

Question 22

What is motor reproduction?

Answer 22

Ability to perform behaviour.

Question 23

What is identification?

Answer 23

When an observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like the role model.

Question 24

What is a role model?

Answer 24

A person who becomes a role model if they are seen to possess similar characteristics to the observer and/or are attractive and have a high status. May not be present in the environment.

Question 25

What is reinforcement?

Answer 25

A consequence of behaviour that increases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated. Can be positive and negative.

Question 26

What the key assumptions about behaviourism?

Answer 26

Rejects introspection as it includes concepts that were vague and difficult to measure.
Animals can learn in the same way - generalisable to humans.
Aim to maintain more control and objectivity (relied on lab experiments).

Question 27

What is modelling?

Answer 27

As an observer - imitating behaviour of a role model.

As a role model - demonstrating behaviour that may be imitated by an observer.

Question 28

What is vicarious reinforcement?

Answer 28

Reinforcement which is not directly experienced but occurs through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour.

Question 29

What two mediational factors relate to learning of behaviour?

Answer 29

Attention and retention.

Question 30

What two mediational factors relate to performance of behaviour?

Answer 30

Motivation and motor reproduction.

Question 31

Describe Bandura’s research.

Answer 31

Bandura (1961) recorded the behaviour of young children who watched an adult behave in an aggressive way towards a Bobo doll. The adult hit the doll with a hammer and shouted abuse it. When they were observed with toys they behaved much more aggressively.

Question 32

1) Give a strength (SLT)

Answer 32

SLT provides a more comprehensive explanation of human learning than behaviourism.
It recognises role of mediational factors and classical and operant conditioning.
It mean it’s less determinist than the behaviourist approach. Bandura emphasised reciprocal determinism (we are not merely influenced by our environment but we also exert influence upon it) suggesting an element of free will.

Question 33

2) Give a strength (SLT)

Answer 33

There is supporting research evidence for SLT.
Bandura (1961) recorded behaviour of young children who watched an adult behave in an aggressive way towards a Bobo doll. The adult hit and shouted abuse at the doll. When the children were observed playing with the Bobo doll and other toys they themselves behaved aggressively.
This demonstrated how children can learn aggressive behaviours through vicarious reinforcement and identification with adult role models. The effect was even stronger when children observed adults being praised for which shows that learners observe consequence as well.

Question 34

3) Give a strength (SLT)

Answer 34

This approach is useful for explaining cultural differences in behaviour.
Social learning principles can explain how children learn from other individuals around them and through the media. This can explain how cultural norms are transmitted through particular societies.
This is useful in understanding a range of behaviours such as how children understand their gender role.

Question 35

1) Give a limitation (SLT)

Answer 35

SLT sees behaviour as environmentally determined whereas some behaviours may be biological/ innate.
A consistent finding in the Bobo doll experiment was that boys were more aggressive than girls. This could be explained by hormonal factors such as differences in testosterone levels.
Biological influences can not be accounted for by SLT.

Question 36

2) Give a limitation (SLT)

Answer 36

It’s difficult to measure mediating cognitive factors.
Mediating cognitive factors (attention or retention) have to be inferred (i.e. we draw conclusions based on observable behaviour).
This means we cannot measure extent of their influence on learning.

Question 37

3) Give a limitation (SLT)

Answer 37

SLT doesn’t make an effort explain cognitive processes.
Mediational processes are seen as important as they intervene in the learning process. However they aren’t investigated/explained fully by this approach.
An alternative approach such as the cognitive approach is needed for a complete explanation of learning.

Question 38

4) Give a limitation (SLT)

Answer 38

This approach is over-reliant on evidence from lab studies.
Many of Bandura’s ideas were developed through observation of young children in a lab setting. The demand characteristics of the situation may have encouraged the children to hit the Bobo doll as they believed this was expected from them.
The research tells us little about how children actually learn about aggression in everyday life.

Question 39

5) Give a limitation (SLT)

Answer 39

SLT can only explain learning of outward behaviours.
It explains learning through vicarious reinforcement, mediational processes and identification but is not able to explain learning of abstract notions e.g. fairness or justice.
SLT can not explain notions that are not observed directly.