The Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
Assumptions of the behaviourist approach:
- all behaviour is learned from experience and therefore can be changed
- genetics do not have any influence on behaviour as humans are born ‘tabula rasa’ (blank slate)
Classical conditioning
Learning through association - when two stimuli are paired to produce the same response.
There are three stages of classical conditioning consisting of
‘before learning’, ‘during learning’, ‘after learning’.
Before conditioning:
An unconditioned stimulus (e.g, pain) produces a reflex response called an unconditioned response (e.g, fear)
During conditioning:
A neutral stimulus (e.g injection) is paired with an unconditional stimulus and are presented together repeatedly: forming an association
After conditioning:
The neutral stimulus elicits the same response (e.g fear) called the conditional response (e.g, fear of injections)
Operant Conditioning
Learning through consequence.
There are three ways by which operant conditioning occurs:
Positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment
Positive reinforcement:
Receiving a PLEASANT CONSEQUENCE in RESPONSE to performing a DESIRED BEHAVIOUR - INCREASES the FREQUENCY of a given behaviour. (e.g a sweet for doing homework)
Negative reinforcement
the REMOVAL of an UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE in RESPONSE to performing a DESIRED BEHAVIOUR - INCREASES the FREQUENCY of the behaviour. (e.g getting to leave detention when homework is complete)
Punishment
Receiving an UNPLEASANT CONSEQUENCE in RESPONSE to performing an UNDESIRED BEHAVIOUR - REDUCES the FREQUENCY of the given behaviour. E.g giving a student detention because they forget to hand in their homework so they will avoid forgetting again.
Pavlov’s study of dogs:
Through the learning of ‘association’ between two stimuli (NC + UCS) a CONDITIONED RESPONSE is produced, leading to the theory of CLASSICAL CONDITIONING.
Digestion in dogs - designed apparatus which measured saliva. He rang a bell at the same time as presenting food to the dog. The dog would salivate in response to food, and after repeated pairings of the bell and food, the dog would salivate at the sound of the bell even if no food was present.
Skinner’s study of rats:
Skinner invented the ‘Skinner Box’.
1. Positive reinforcement: if the rats pulled the lever while the light was on, they would receive a food pellet as reward - more likely to pull the lever when the light was on in the future because of this.
2. Negative reinforcement: rats were given mild electric shocks until they pulled the lever. Since the pulling of the lever removed the unpleasant experience of being shocked, this increased the likelihood of the rats pulling the lever in the future.
Pavlov
Classical
Skinner
Operant
Extinction: + example
when a CS is no longer presented alongside UCS, overtime we stop producing a CR in response to the CS. E.g. Pavlov stopped presenting food at the sound of the bell, the dogs eventually stopped salivating at the bell sound.
Spontaneous recovery: + example
The immediate return of a Conditioned response when the CS is presented alongside the UCS after a period of extinction. E.g after extinction, dogs immediately restart salivating to the bell when Pavlov presents food following the bell.
Generalisation: + example
When a CR is demonstrated in response to a stimulus that is similar to the CS. Eg. Pavlov’s dogs produced the CR (salvation) in response to a stimulus such as a bicycle bell which sounds similar to the sound of a bell.
Describe and evaluate the behaviourist approach (12)
- Assumption: we are all born “tabula rasa” and behaviour is a product of learning and experiences
- Classical Conditioning (before: UCS=UCR) (during: NS+UCS=UCR) (after: CS=CR) e.g, fear, pain, injection
- Operant Conditioning (positive and negative reinforcement and punishment) + examples
- Strength: many real life practical applications e.g operant conditioning such as positive reinforcement has created behaviour modification programmes such as token economy. (EXPLAIN TOKEK ECONOMY). This contribution to real life means the approach has a positive impact and is useful
- Strength: uses scientific methodology - free from researcher bias and is objective. Skinners box studies (operant conditioning) use highly controlled lab studies and is replicable. Results can be checked for consistency and reliability which is a strength because psych aims to understand human behaviour using scientific principles
- Weakness: extrapolates from animal research. Humans more cognitively and physically developed so isn’t applicable and therefore lacks validity (e.g skinner-rat, Pavlov- dog)
Behaviour modification program
Token economy
