The behaviourist approach

Question 1

Defining features of learning theories:

Answer 1

• behaviour is learned through experiences and interactions with the environment
• Pavlov and Skinner lead theorists

Question 2

what are stimulus response mechanisms?

Answer 2

• only possible to scientifically investigate what can be directly observed and measured
• what you do to something living and how it reacts

Question 3

how are internal mental processes rejected?

Answer 3

• mind cant be directly observed
• argue it is a ‘black box’
• not suitable for scientific study

Question 4

what is environmental determinism?

Answer 4

• behaviour is the result of experience
• behaviour can be predicted and controlled by manipulating the environment

Question 5

what is classical conditioning by pavlov?

Answer 5

• learning by association
• unconditioned response can be triggered by a neutral stimulus through repeated pairing
• soon the neutral stimulus alone triggers a conditioned response

Question 6

what was pavlovs research?

Answer 6

• neutral stimulus (metronome) that didnt give significant response
• unconditioned stimuli (food) that naturally gave a reflexive response (salvation)

Question 7

Pavlovs procedure:

Answer 7

• paired neutral stimulus w unconditioned stimulus over several trials
• neutral stimulus presented just before unconditioned stimulus
• recoded dogs salivary responses

Question 8

Pavlovs findings:

Answer 8

• dogs began to salivate bc of metronome and not just food
• even when food wasnt present
• dogs learned to associate the neutral stimulus with food

Question 9

what is operant conditioning?

Answer 9

• learning by reinforcement
• does voluntary responses and learns by the consequences of those actions
• rewards= reinforce behaviour
• punishment= behaviour performed less

Question 10

What was Skinners research?

Answer 10

• involved rats and pigeons
• used ‘skinner box’
• controlled environment used to study operant conditioning

Question 11

Skinner’s procedure:

Answer 11

• animals placed in skinner box without prior training
• observed how the animals learned to operate leavers to gain rewards or avoid punishment

Question 12

Skinner’s findings:

Answer 12

• behaviour is influenced by the consequences that follow
• rewarding consequences= more likely to be repeated
• undesirable consequences= less likely to occur

Question 13

types of reinforcement?

Answer 13

• positive reinforcement
• negative reinforcement
• punishment

Question 14

what is positive reinforcement?

Answer 14

• adding a pleasant stimulus to encourage a desired behaviour

Question 15

what is negative reinforcement?

Answer 15

• removing an unpleasant stimulus to encourage the behaviour
• e.g. skinner gave an uncomfy electric shock but when the animal pushed the lever the shock stopped

Question 16

what is punishment?

Answer 16

• discourages behaviour
• positive= adding unpleasant stimulus following undesired behaviour
• negative= removing a pleasant stimulus

Question 17

what is extinction?

Answer 17

• if the reinforcing consequences stop
• then the person or animal will stop performing the behaviour

Question 18

what is behaviour shaping?

Answer 18

• it is possible to train animals to perform complex behaviours through operant conditioning
• simple behaviours are rewarded
• then behaviours that are closer to the desired behaviour are rewarded

Question 19

Classical conditioning: involuntary response

Answer 19

• unconditioned and conditioned reflex like responses are automatic
• not under control of the organism
• dogs doesn’t decide to drool at metronome it just happens

Question 20

Operant conditioning: voluntary response

Answer 20

• behaviours are controlled by the organism
• produce behaviour with an understanding that certain consequences follow
• operates on environment
• to gain reward or avoid consequence

Question 21

classical conditioning: acquisition of response

Answer 21

• explains how automatic responses happen through association with new stimuli
• initial learning phase
• two stimuli linked together= new learned response

Question 22

operant conditioning: maintenance of responses

Answer 22

• explains how behaviours are continued or modified over time based on the types of reinforcement

Question 23

Evaluations: strength, scientific

Answer 23

• studies objective variables and measurable stimulus response mechanisms
• measure systematically in highly controlled lab experiments
• use standardised procedures
• pavlov and skinners work=replicated

Question 24

Evaluations: limitations, lack generalisatability

Answer 24

• animal findings may not be generalisable to human behaviour
• complex social and cultural forces behaviour
• humans= more illegent
• simple S-R mechanisms may not adequately explain human behaviour

Question 25

Evaluations: strength, practical applications

Answer 25

- several practical applications - counter conditioning treatments - token economy - effecting in reducing maladaptive behaviour - suggests behaviourist principles they’re based on are valid

Question 26

Evaluations: strengths, unethical to apply to humans

Answer 26

- behvaioural modification techniques from studying animals is unethical to apply to humans - manipulative and potentially harmful

Question 27

Evaluations: limitations, reductionist

Answer 27

- behaviourists explaining behaviour through just S-R= reductionist - human behaviours like justice, culture and self sacrifice are too complex to be bc of reinforcement - environmentally reductionist explanation ignores other explanations that have evidence

Question 28

Evaluations: limitations, reductionist

Answer 28

- behaviourists explaining behaviour through just S-R= reductionist - human behaviours like justice, culture and self sacrifice are too complex to be bc of reinforcement - environmentally reductionist explanation ignores other explanations that have evidence