The behaviourist approach

Question 1

Main assumptions in behaviourist approach

Answer 1

-only interested in studying observable & measurable behaviour
-Humans are born ‘Tabula rasa’ blank state
-environment shapes behaviour rather than innate
-valid to study behaviour of of animals as they share same principles of learning as humans (OC & CC)

Question 2

Who demonstrated classical conditioning in dogs?

Answer 2

Ivan Pavlov

Question 3

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 3

learning through association

Question 4

What did Pavlov’s study show?

Answer 4

-How dogs could be conditioned to salivate at the sound of a bell if that sound was repeatedly paired at the same time they received food
-Pavlov’s dog learnt to associate sound of bell (NS) with food (UCS)- produced salivation response every time they heard sound

Question 5

Before conditioning of Pavlov’s dogs?

Answer 5

Food (UCS)» Salivation (UCR)
Bell(NS)&raquo_space; no response

Question 6

During conditioning of Pavlov’s dogs?

Answer 6

Food(UCS) + Bell (NS)&raquo_space;Salivation (UCR)

Question 7

After conditioning of Pavlov’s dogs

Answer 7

Bell (CS)&raquo_space; Salivation (CR)

Question 8

What did Skinner say that learning is ?

Answer 8

An active process whereby humans and animals operate on their environment

Question 9

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 9

Learning through consequences
3 types

Question 10

What is positive reinforcement?

Answer 10

receiving a reward when a behaviour is performed e.g. receiving a sticker from teacher for good essay

Question 11

What is negative reinforcement?

Answer 11

A behaviour is performed to avoid something unpleasant
e.g. hurrying to lessons so teacher does not shout at you

Question 12

What is punishment?

Answer 12

-an unpleasant consequence for behaviour e.g. detention for being late to lesson

Question 13

Outline Skinners research (Positive reinforcement)

Answer 13

-hungry rat placed in cage called skinners box
-every time lever was pressed, food appeared in dispenser= positive reinforcement ( food provided reward)» increase in lever pressing

Question 14

Outline Skinners research (Negative reinforcement)

Answer 14

• Skinner experiment with unpleasant environmental stimuli such as loud noises which could be switched of by pressing the lever ( negative reinforcement)
  -led to increase in lever pressing

Question 15

Outline Skinners procedure (punishment)

Answer 15

Experimented with use of punishment by delivering an electrical shock anytime the leaver was pressed
-led to decrease in lever pressing

Question 16

What is a strength of the behaviourist approach?

Answer 16

-approach is based on well-controlled research
-B’s focus on measuring observable behaviour within controlled lab settings
-break down behaviour into basic-stimuli response units = EVs removed =cause & effect established
-e.g. Skinner clearly demonstrated how reinforcement influence a rats behaviour >scientific credibility

Question 17

What is a counter point for the well-controlled research?

Answer 17

-problem is B’s may have oversimplified the learning process by reducing behaviour to such simple components -ignore important influence (human thought)
-other approaches e.g. cognitive & SLT have acknowledge mental processes involved in learning
-learning much more complex

Question 18

Why does operant conditioning have real-life application?

Answer 18

-OC is the basis of token economy systems, successfully used in institutions e.g. prions & psychiatric wards
-reward appropriate behaviour with tokens that can be exchange with privileges
-particularly successful for patients who lack insight into their (schizophrenia) behaviours
-increase in value

Question 19

What is the limitation that behaviourist see all behaviours as conditioned by our past conditioning experiences?

Answer 19

-Skinner suggested that everything we do is the sum total of our reinforcement history
-When we think we have made the decision to do something, Skinner says our past conditioning history determined the outcome-ignores free will
-thus extreme & ignores influence of conscious decision making systems

Question 20

Why does classical conditioning have real life application?

Answer 20

-contributed to our understanding of phobias
-e.g. little Alert showed how phobias can be learnt through classical conditioning
-pairing a loud noise with a rat resulted in a conditioned fear response