learning theories

Question 1

what are learning theories about?

Answer 1

• learning from the environment
• the effects of conditioning, reinforcement and punishment

Question 2

how does classical conditioning work?

Answer 2

UCS —> UCR
UCS + CS —> UCR
CS —> CR

Question 3

what is a neutral stimulus?

Answer 3

• a stimulus that does not produce a response until it is paired with an unconditioned stimulus

Question 4

what is extinction?

Answer 4

• when the association between the uncontrolled stimulus and the conditioned stimulus no longer occurs, usually after a long period of time

Question 5

what is spontaneous recovery?

Answer 5

• when after extinction, an association reappears without conditioning

Question 6

what is operant conditioning?

Answer 6

• the idea that learning is voluntary
• when people are behaved and rewarded for it, they will repeat it

Question 7

what is positive reinforcement?

Answer 7

• when something desired is given in response to a behaviour
• e.g cleaning room = more pocket money

Question 8

what is positive punishment?

Answer 8

• when something undesired is given as a punishment
• e.g getting told off for speeding

Question 9

what is negative reinforcement?

Answer 9

• when something undesired is taken away in response to a behaviour
• e.g good behaviour leads to being ungrounded

Question 10

what is negative punishment?

Answer 10

• when something nice is taken away as punishment
• eg taking away phone for bad behaviour

Question 11

what is primary reinforcement?

Answer 11

• the reward is a basic need for example food or warmth
• for example pigeons peck at discs for food

Question 12

what is secondary reinforcement?

Answer 12

• something that is not a basic need e.g extra pocket money
• could potentially lead to a need such as food
• e.g good behaviour leads to extra pocket money

Question 13

what is a fixed interval schedule?

Answer 13

• there is a fixed time of the reward/punishment
• e.g every 5 minutes

Question 14

what is a variable interval schedule?

Answer 14

• there is a varying time of the reward/punishment
• e.g one is given every two, five and three minutes causing behaviours to be steady as they don’t know when the reward will arrive

Question 15

what is a fixed ratio schedule?

Answer 15

• the reward/punishment is a set number
• e.g after every 5 pecks a seed is given

Question 16

what is a variable ratio schedule?

Answer 16

• a reward/ punishment is given randomly
• e.g after every 7, 3, 4 times causing behaviour to be continuous as they don’t know when the reward will be given

Question 17

what are the three stages of social learning theory?

Answer 17

• attention
• retention
• reproduction
• motivation

Question 18

describe the attention stage of social learning theory

Answer 18

• the individual notices the behaviour and pays particular attention to it

Question 19

describe the retention stage of social learning theory

Answer 19

• memories are lost if they are not rehearsed (multi store model)
• using visual imagery the individual rehearses the memory that was initially payed attention to

Question 20

describe the reproduction stage of social learning theory

Answer 20

• once the modelled behaviour is in the individuals memory it can be imitated

Question 21

describe the motivation stage of social learning theory

Answer 21

• something causes the individual to reproduce the action
• e.g vicarious reinforcement (seeing others being rewarded influences the individual to do it in attempts to be rewarded too)
• being rewarded is a form of operant conditioning

Question 22

how does classical conditioning maintain a phobia?

Answer 22

• more so explains how phobias are maintained
• the renewal of the association via classical conditioning could explain maintenance of a phobia
• one trial learning is hard to extinguish

Question 23

how does operant conditioning maintain phobias?

Answer 23

• avoiding phobias is a form of negative reinforcement
• for example a fear of spiders: avoiding spiders avoids the phobia
• additionally they may be comforted when they see their phobia which is a form of positive reinforcement

Question 24

what is systematic desensitisation?

Answer 24

• combatting conditioning with conditioning
• fear hierarchy is developed and gradually moved upwards
• relaxation techniques are taught such as breathing techniques
• can be in vivo/vitro

Question 25

what are the strengths of S.D?

Answer 25

• ethical due to gradual exposure
• can easily be explained due to classical conditioning giving patients confidence
• proved to work: capafons study cured 90% of participants with a phobia of flying using S.D

Question 26

what are the weaknesses of S.D?

Answer 26

• other factors are involved such as operant conditioning and congitive processing - not just classical conditioning
• not useful for all phobias such as mental health issues as they can not just ‘relax’
• time consuming leading to high drop out rates

Question 27

what is flooding?

Answer 27

• exposure therapy
• relies on exhaustion of fear leading to calmer response links
• relies on the theory of classical conditioning and exhaustion

Question 28

what are the strengths of flooding?

Answer 28

• rests on the strong theory of classical conditioning
• helps to treat stronger phobias
• wolpe provided evidence when he made a girl scared of cars drive until she was calm

Question 29

what are the weaknesses of flooding?

Answer 29

• unethical and traumatising
• spontaneous recovery can occur after extinction and patients are not taught fear calming techniques to revolve the situation