strengths and weaknesses of learning approach

Question 1

strength of pavlov’s experiments with dogs x2

Answer 1

• careful controls e.g. controlled environment for dogs = objective and scientific credibility
• reliable , repeated with metronome, buzzer, bell etc.. results showed reliable data

Question 2

weakness of pavlov’s experiments x2

Answer 2

• lack generalisability to humans
• ecological validity lacking as he took away ‘naturalness’ of situation e.g. dog in chamber with no other stimuli present

Question 3

strength of classic study

Answer 3

applicable to real life; humans can be conditioned to fear = can be ‘unconditioned’ in phobia treatments helping people

Question 4

weakness of classic study x3

Answer 4

• lacks task validity
• low generalisability
• lacks ecological validity (even tho in nursery it was lab conditions)

Question 5

strength of contemporary study x2

Answer 5

• carefully matched control group advantageous as it acts as baseline comparison between two groups = confidence in findings
• lab conditions have well controlled procedures every pp experienced initial stage of study same way = standardised procedure minimises effects of extraneous variables

Question 6

weakness of contemporary study x2

Answer 6

• small sample size = lacks generalisability
• assessed fear using interview questioning - prep set questions given so pp often chose best fit option rather than being accurately able to describe their view = limited validity of responses as their true view may not be matched

Question 7

strengths of operant conditioning x2

Answer 7

• explain addiction; a substance can be addictive if it is rewarding ie pleasurable
• supported by skinner’s observation

Question 8

weakness of operant conditioning x2

Answer 8

• study uses animals lacking generalisability
• observations only only account for observable behaviours and not for any unobservable behaviour eg mental, emotional states , making explanations limited and oversimplified.

Question 9

strengths of classical conditioning x2

Answer 9

• supported by pavlov
• applied to therapy e.g. aversion therapy getting rid of phobias

Question 10

weaknesses of classical conditioning x2

Answer 10

• animal study on dogs lack generalisability
• unethical? caused unnecessary suffering to dogs

Question 11

strengths of social learning theory x2

Answer 11

• supported by bandura studies
• Becker 2002 figi girls on tv get slimmer causing girls to get slimmer = model imitation

Question 12

weaknesses of social learning theory x2

Answer 12

• ignores biological influences on behaviour e.g gene EPHX2
• bandura lacks ecological validity (in lab conditions)

Question 13

strength of bandura 1961 study

Answer 13

reliability of measurement of the dv - two judges were used and their observations were checked for reliability. One judge did not known which condition each child had been put in = double blind technique to avoid bias when recording behaviour (high inter-observer reliability)

Question 14

weakness of bandura 1961 study

Answer 14

• children were aged 3-6, all from standford university nursery, representing only the american upper-middle class white population at time = lacks generalisability

Question 15

strength of bandura 1961 study

Answer 15

experimental methods in all 3 conditions + control group are the same except the IV = scientific credibility so cause and effect can be drawn

Question 16

weakness of bandura 1963 study

Answer 16

lacks validity - artificial setting where behaviour was observed = may not be real life aggression at all, but modelled aggression that the children thought they had to display

Question 17

strength of bandura 1965 study

Answer 17

reliability because of inter-observer reliability between two observers who had no knowledge of what condition each child was in

Question 18

weakness of bandura 1965 study

Answer 18

majority of children do not reproduce the behaviour exhibited by the model even when positive incentives are presented, suggesting that the child’s motivations and previous experiences prior to investigation may have influenced their response to a model.

Question 19

strength of how learning theories explain the maintenance of phobias

Answer 19

backed up and developed using experiments with careful controls and where all the findings have been replicated e.g. watson and rayner, skinner (OC) and bandura SLT

Question 20

weakness of how learning theories explain the maintenance of phobias

Answer 20

although animal studies have similar brain structures they are not the same when it comes to anxiety and fear and how in humans these can arise from cognition (thinking) which is less likely in animals = not generalisable

Question 21

strength of systematic densensination x2

Answer 21

more ethical than other therapies for phobias such as flooding as it involved gradual exposure which is not as stressful and individuals are fully involved in their therapy + consensual in their own time)
- supported by Capafons (treatment worked for 90% of people)

Question 22

weakness of SD

Answer 22

-limited in effectiveness as it can only be used for phobias and not for other metal disorders e.g. SCHIZOPHRENIA which may have a biological cause
- can be very costly and time consuming several hours of multiple sessions

Question 23

strengths of flooding x2

Answer 23

• much faster treatment than SD
• supported by Wolpe (1973) showed flooding can be successful - drove car around a girl who was terrified but overtime she learnt to calm down

Question 24

weaknesses of flooding x2

Answer 24

• very frightening and not ethical
• spontaneous recovery possible = treatment may be short-lived and not that effective