Science of behaviour Flashcards
What is the Biopsychosocial model?
Behaviour is part of the “psycho” component of the biopsychosocial model
What is Behavioural Medicine?
- Maintain our health (health promoting behaviours)
- Prevent illness (health preventive behaviours)
- Manage illness (illness self-management behaviours)
What is learning theory?
Behaviours acquired through the process of associative learning between two stimuli
What is Unconditioned Stimulus and response?
Unconditioned stimulus
An environmental stimulus that prompts an innate (unconscious) response e.g. food/loud noise
Unconditioned response
An innate response/reflex e.g. salivation/escape
What is a conditioned stimulus and response?
Conditioned (neutral) stimulus
A stimulus that is initially presented simultaneously with the unconditioned stimulus to subsequently provoke an innate response when presented alone.
Conditioned response
An innate response/reflex activated by a conditioned stimulus
How does classical conditioning take place?
- Occurs when the conditioned stimulus (e.g. bell) is repeatedly presented but without the unconditioned stimulus (e.g. food)
- Learned behaviour (the conditioned response) ceases to occur
Habituation
Why is timing important?
The neutral stimulus must be presented very shortly before the unconditioned stimulus. It won’t work afterwards.
How does response transeferance take place?
Generalisation
Conditioned response transfers to stimuli that are similar yet distinct from the original conditioned stimuli (e.g. bells of different pitches)
Discrimination
Conditioned response will not transfer to stimuli that are distinct from original conditioned stimuli (e.g. buzzer vs bell)
How does classical conditioning relate to medicine?
Many physical symptoms can be classically conditioned, including immune and neuroendocrtine response, allergy symptoms and nausea.
Classical conditioning is highly relevant to medicine.
Clinical situations where illness or treatment involves pain or other adverse symptoms (e.g. chemotherapy).
What is spontaneous recovery?
Spontaneous recovery
The conditioned response (salivation in response to the conditioned stimulus) may spontaneously reoccur after a period of habituation
Learned behaviour (conditioned response) spontaneously reoccurs
How are phobia’s treated?
Treating phobia using principles of:
* classical conditioning
* Flooding
* Systematic desensitisation
What are Operant Conditioning skinner?
Behaviours acquired through the learn process of reinforcement and punishment.
- Learning from consequences of our behaviour and reinforcement.
- Reinforcement can be positive or negative
- Punishment seeks to decrease behaviour
What are the ABCs of operant conditioning?
A = Antecedents or stimulus
A: Rat placed in box with lever (stimulus)
B = Behaviour (operant)
B: Rat (by chance) presses lever (Behaviour)
C = Consequences of behaviour (positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment)
C: Receives positive reinforcement of food (consequences)
When can Operant conditioning be used?
Timeframe
Encouraging adaptive behaviours
e.g. medication adherence
Addiction
Time duration between behaviour and consequence/reinforcement e.g. behaviour is stronger if reinforcement occurs immediately
Classical VS Operant conditioning
Classical conditioning
Learning behaviour by association.
Stimulus – response relationships
UCS are naturally occurring stimuli that are important for survival.
UCR are innate (unlearned & automatic) responses.
Operant conditioning
Learning behaviour by reinforcement and punishment.
Behaviour is strengthened by reinforcement and weakened by punishment.
Variable schedule of reinforcement is powerful.
How does social learning come about?
behaviours are acquired by observing significant others carrying them out.
1. Attention
2. Retention
3. Reproduction
4. Motivation
We learn by observing others receiving reinforcement or punishment.
The characteristics of the individual being observed (e.g. the model) determine whether their behaviour is subsequently imitated by observer.
What are the factors influencing behaviour?
Behaviour is part of an interacting system
Factors that influence behaviour also depend on:
* Type of behaviour (calorific food consumption, binge drinking, smoking, medication adherence)
* The context
What is COM-B Model?
Need for comprehensive yet adaptive theories of behaviour
Capability -
* Psychological capacity (knowledge, skills, & confidence)
* Physical capacity
Motivation
* Voluntary (conscious rational decision making)
* Involuntary (habits, emotions, impulse)
Opportunity
* Factors outside the control of the individual (e.g. social environments)
