Learning Approaches-The Behaviorist Approach-Classical Conditioning

Question 1

What are the main assumptions of the behaviorist approach?

Answer 1

> We are born as Blank Slates -”Tabula Rasa”
-everything we become is shaped by the learning of our environment
It is the extreme nurture end of the ‘Nature Vs Nurture

Question 2

What is Classical conditioning and who discovered it?

Answer 2

~Learning by association~

Classical conditioning was founded by Ivan Pavlov in the 1890s. Classical conditioning assumes that learning is passive.

Question 3

What is an Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

Answer 3

Anything that is natural to produces/stimulates a response a in a human or animal

Question 4

What is an Unconditioned Response (UR)

Answer 4

A natural reaction to a stimulus e.g sweating when weather is hot

Question 5

What is a Neutral Stimulus (NS)

Answer 5

Something in the environment that does not generate an initial response by the human/animal

Question 6

What is a Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

Answer 6

When a Neutral stimulus is forced to give a response similar to an unconditioned stimulus

Question 7

What is a Conditioned Response (CR)

Answer 7

A learnt response to something that doesn’t normally produce a response in a human being

Question 8

What are the Strengths of Classical Conditioning

Answer 8

• Useful for treating for phobias
• Requires less effort from patients
• Based on scientific,empirical evidence

Question 9

What are the Weaknesses of Classical Conditioning

Answer 9

• Underestimates uniqueness of human beings

- Does not take in account of free will

Question 10

What are the Strengths of the Behaviourist Approach

Answer 10

• Rigorous experiment,enhances credibility

- Strong arguments for Nurture

Question 11

What are the Weaknesses of the Behaviourist Approach

Answer 11

• Animals are seen as passive machine-like responders, with little to no conscious insight
• This means that research here might not translate to humans