The behaviourist approach Flashcards
What is a Behaviourist?
People who believe that human behaviour can be explained in terms of conditioning, without the need to consider thoughts or feelings.
What Classical conditioning?
When a neutral stimulus is consistently paired with an unconditioned stimulus so that it eventually takes on the propertes of this stimulus and is able to produce a conditioned response.
What is Operant conditioning?
Learning through reinforcement or punishment. If a behaviour is followed by a desirable consequence then that behaviour is more likely to occur again in the future.
What is a Punishment?
Involves the application of an unpleasant consequence following a behaviour, with the result that the behaviout less likely to occur again in the future.
What is Reinforcement?
Anything that strengthens a response an increases the likelihood that will occur again in the future.
What is Postive reinforcement?
When you add a desirable stimulus to increase a behaviour.
What is Negative reinforcement?
When you remove an undesirable stimulus to increase a behaviour.
What type of conditioning occurs when the conditioned stimulus (CS) is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) and eventually the conditioned response (CR) ceases?
Extinction
What is a unconditioned response?
An unlearned response, or reflex
What is a conditioned response
A learned response
Which scientist performed experiments on dogs to investigate classical conditioning?
Ivan Pavlov
What is Generalisation?
This occurs when a conditioned response (CR) is elicited by a stimulus that is similar to the conditioned stimulus (CS).
What is Extinction?
This occurs when the person or animal learns to differentiate between similar conditioned stimuli (CS) and a conditioned response no longer occurs to a similar stimulus.
What is Discrimination?
This occurs when the person or animal learns to differentiate between similar conditioned stimuli (CS) and a conditioned response no longer occurs to a similar stimulus.
What is Spontaneous recovery?
After extinction, it only takes a few pairings of the unconditioned (UCS) and conditioned stimulus (CS) for the conditioned response (CR) to reappear.
What is Higher order conditioning?
This is also known as second order conditioning. This occurs when a previously neutral stimulus elicits a conditioned response. E.g. in Pavlov’s experiment, a tone (CS) was paired with food (UCS) to elicit salivation (UCR). If the tone was then paired with a light, and salivation occurred, that would be an example of higher order conditioning.
What is an uncondtioned response (UCR)?
A stimulus that causes a reflexive response (a UCR) in an organism. Eg dog’s salivation response when they see food. They were not taught to salivate when they see food - the response is natural.
What is a Neutral stimulus (NS)?
A stimulus that elicits a response after it has been paired with a UCS eg. a tone that would ordinarily be ignored by a dog as it has no association.
Can be paired with an UCS to cause an response.
What is an Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)?
A stimulus that causes a reflexive response (a UCR) in an organism. eg. food that causes dogs to salivate when it’s presented to them.
What is a Conditioned Response (CR)?
A behaviour caused by the conditioned stimulus. e.g a salivation response when a dog hears a tone - they anticipate being fed through learning that a tone indicates that they are about to be fed.
What is a Conditioned Stimulus (CS)?
A stimulus that elicits a response after it has been paired with a UCS. A CS was once a NS but has become a CS from having an association with a stimulus that elicits a UCR.
What are the two types of responses to an environment?
- Unconditoned response (UCR)
- Conditoned response (CR)
What type of conditioning occurs when the person or animal learns to differentiate between similar conditioned stimuli (CS) and a conditioned response no longer occurs to a similar stimulus?
Discrimination
What are the three types of stimuli?
- Neutral stimulus (NS)
- Controlled stimulus (CS)
- Uncontrolled stimulus (UCS)
What are the principles of classical conditioning?
- Generalisation
- Discrimination
- Extinction
- Spontaneous recovery
- Higher order conditioning
What is Behaviourism?
Behaviourism is the psychological approach of observing and controlling behaviour, which incorporates elements of Pavlov’s classical conditioning.
When is Behaviourism used?
- In behavioural and cognitive-behavioural therapy.
- In classroom settings.
- In informing research on environmental influences on human behaviour.
How did behaviourism help to establish psychology as a science?
It used objective methods and experimentation.
What assumption is made when animals are used in behavioural experiments?
The behaviour of animals can be partly applied to humans.
Which researchers induced a fear of white rats into ‘Little Albert’?
Watson and Rayner (1920)
What is postive punishment?
When you add an undesirable stimulus to decrease a behaviour.
What is negative punishment?
When you remove an aversive stimulus to decrease a behaviour.
What is the meaning of positive when discussing operant conditioning?
A stimulus is added
What type of conditon is light?
Token conditoner
Give an example of an postive reinforcement
Food or A student is working very hard and producing good work. As a consequence, their teacher allows them to skip their next assignment.
Give an example of a negative reinforcement
Loud noise stopping
Give an example of a postive punishment
Electric shock
Give an example of a negative punishment
Taking away water
What is a token conditioner?
A stimulus which is neither unpleasant nor pleasant
