Learning Theory Flashcards
What is the Learning Theory?
The theory that all behaviour is learned rather than inborn. Children are blank slates and behaviours can be explained from experience.
What is Classical Conditioning and who created it?
Learning through association. Pavlov.
With this example -Food, Dog salvating, Bell ringing, Dog salviating (last time) - name what the Unconditioned Stimulus, Unconditioned Reflex, COnditioned Response, Conditioned Stimulus.
US - Food. UCR - Dog salivating. CR - Dog salivating (last time). CS - Bell ringing.
Put the US, UCR, CR and CS into order of Classical Conditioning.
US causes the UCR. The CS and US are both done at the same time to form an assosiation. The US becomes a CS, and the UCR becomes CR.
What is Operant Conditioning?
Reinforcement through positive/negative consequences.
Explain the process of Operant Conditioning.
When you perform an action and it results in a pleasent consequence, the behvaiour is “stamped in”. It becomes more probable of repeating the behaviour, unlike something resulting in a negative consequence.
What are the two outcomes of Operant Conditioning called?
Pleasent = reinforcement. Negative = punishment.
Who were the psychologists that offered an explanation of Operant Conditioning?
Dollard and Miller.
What did these psychologists offer?
For a baby, a drive is created when in uncomfortable situations to reduce it. The feeling of pleasure is emulated when the drive is relieved, such as being fed. Attachment occurs when the child seeks those who supple the reward.
With this explanation, what is food and feeder considered as?
Food = primary reinforcer. Feeder = secondary reinforcer.
Name the strengths of the Learning Theory.
Providdes an adequate explanation of forming attachments. Food may not be the main reinforcer, it may be attention given.
Name the weaknesses of the Learning Theory.
Food isn’t believed to be the reinforcer, attention and caring is. Harlow’s monkey is a huuuge weakness.
Describe what happened to Harlow’s monkey.
One wire mother (provided food) and one soft mother were made for Harlow’s monkey. Instead of choosing the wire mother for it’s food - as predicted by the theory, it chose the soft mother.
