The behaviourist approach Flashcards
What is an introduction to the learning approach?
Largely based on the work of Pavlov, Skinner and Watson. They rejected current ideas and focussed on environmental determinism.
What are the assumptions of the learning approach?
All behaviour is learned and all we have at birth is the capacity to learn.
At the extreme nurture end of the nature/nurture debate.
Also argues that for behaviour to be scientific it should be observable, which can be objectively measured, rather than cognitive processes which can only be inferred.
How does the learning approach assume we learn behaviour?
Consequences
Imitation
Association
What are the two main schools of thought in the learning approach?
The behaviourist approach and the social learning theory.
Pavlov’s research into classical conditioning for the learning approach?
He wanted to see if dogs could salivate in response to a bell. He assumed that dogs had a reflex hard wired to salivate when they are presented with food. He carefully measured the volume of saliva produced from dogs in response to food and bell.
What is the process of classical conditioning through Pavlov’s dogs for behaviourism in the learning approach?
Food (Unconditioned stimulus) = Salivation (Unconditioned response)
Bell (neutral stimulus) + Food (unconditioned stimulus) = Salivation (unconditioned response)
Bell (conditioned stimulus) = Salivation (conditioned response)
What does extinction mean in terms of Pavlov’s dogs and the learning approach?
If the conditioned stimulus is continually presented without the unconditioned stimulus then the conditioned response gradually dies out or extinguishes - salivation died out when ne food was presented
What does spontaneous recovery mean in terms of Pavlov’s dogs and the learning approach?
If a conditioned response is not reinforced, it becomes extinguished. but after a period of rest the response may suddenly reappear - salivation returned to bell after re-pairing with food
What does discrimination mean in terms of Pavlov’s dogs and the learning approach?
The conditioned response is produced only by presentation of the original stimulus, it does not extend to similar stimuli - dogs only salivated after certain tone of bell
What does generalisation mean in terms of Pavlov’s dogs and the learning approach?
Extension of the conditioned response from the original stimulus to a similar stimuli - salivating at any bell
What does one trial learning mean in terms of Pavlov’s dogs and the learning approach?
When conditioning occurs immediately, after only one trial
What is Skinner’s research for operant conditioning for behaviourism in the learning approach?
Skinner’s theory is that the likelihood of future behaviour is determined by the consequences of past behaviour. He used a ‘Skinner box’ with a rat and used consequences to determine whether behaviour is repeated. It didn’t take long for the rat to realise that pressing a lever would dispense food. The act of pressing the lever would switch off the negative current - consequences ensured it would repeat the action. A light would be switched on prior to electric current so pressing lever was negatively enforced.
What is a primary reinforcer?
Anything that fulfils a basic or biological need and results in the frequency of that behaviour increasing.
What is a secondary reinforcer?
Anything that gains its power by association with a primary reinforcer and results in the frequency of that behaviour increasing.
What is continuous reinforcement?
Rewarding every time a behaviour is shown, leading to an increase in that behaviour.
