Learning Theories Essay Plans

Question 1

EVALUATE PAVLOV
Generalisability

Answer 1

AO3: weakness

AO1: study was done on dogs so can’t be generalised to humans who have higher cognitive function and structure.
Humans are not motivated by finding food all the time

Question 2

EVALUATE PAVLOV
Credibility

Answer 2

AO3: scientifically credible

AO1: based on empirical evidence carried out by controlled experiments. Measuring saliva from a cylinder

Question 3

EVALUATE PAVLOV
Reliability

Answer 3

AO1: it is a strength

AO3: standardised procedure as carefully documented thru notes and photos.
Dog was behind screen so not affected by other sounds or researcher effects
Got different researchers to observe dog and measure saliva so infer rarer reliability

Question 4

EVALUATE PAVLOV
Ecological validity

Answer 4

AO3: it is a weakness

AO1: dogs were kept in unusual conditions
Dogs were tied up in a harness in a box
Dogs were presented with odd stimuli

Question 5

EVALUATE WATSON AND RAYNER
generalisability

Answer 5

AO3:it’s a weakness

AO1: study conducted on one child so unrepresentative and ideographic
Young child so can’t generalise to adults
Albert was neurotypical as he died from hydrocephalus
Born and lived in hospital so not a normal child

Question 6

EVALUATE WATSON AND RAYNER
Reliability

Answer 6

AO3
It is a strength

AO1
Used standardised procedures
Young child so no demand characteristics
Heavily documented
Filmed so there is inter tester reliability

Question 7

EVALUATE WATSON AND RAYNER
Validity

Answer 7

AO3
It’s a strength

AO1
Controlled confounding variables
Made sure he wasn’t in view so when loud noise happened he wasn’t in view so noise wouldn’t be associated with him

Question 8

EVALUATE WATSON AND RAYNER
Ethics

Answer 8

AO3
It’s a weakness

AO1
Caused distress
Left the experiment conditioned to fear but was generalising so therefor no desensitisation so lasting impairment and psychological harm