The Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
What are the Assumptions?
- All behaviour is learned from experience & therefore can be changed.
- Only measurable 📏 & observable 👓 behaviour should be considered.
- It’s useful to study animals 🐅 to understand behaviour as the same processes produce learning for both humans 👩🏻 and other animals 🐅.
What is meant by the Theory : Classical Conditioning
CC is learning through association - 2 stimuli are paired to produce the same response.
What happens Before Learning?
An UnConditioned Stimulus (UCS) produces a reflex response called an UnConditioned Response (UCR).
A stimulus that produces NO response is called a Neutral Stimulus (NS).
What happens During Learning?
A NS is paired with an UCS i.e. they both occur together.
The UnConditioned Response (UCR) occurs in response to the UCS.
What happens After Learning?
Through associating the NS with the UCS, the NS now elicits (produces) the same response.
This response is now referred to as the conditioned response (CR).
The NS is now called the conditioned stimulus (CS) .
What does Unconditioned and Conditioned mean?
‘Unconditioned’ means prior to learning.
‘Conditioned’ means learning has occurred.
Research study : Pavlov’s 👨🏻🔬 Dog 🐕
Ivan Pavlov 👨🏻🔬 was researching 🔬 digestion in dogs 🐕 and had designed apparatus to measure salivation 💦.
He noticed that when he entered the room the dog’s salivation increased 📈, whereas initially the dog would only salivate💦 at the presence of food 🥘 .
Pavlov 👨🏻🔬 aimed 🎯 to investigate why this had happened by ringing a bell 🔔 (NS) at the same time ⏱ as presenting food 🥘 to the dog 🐕(UCS).
The dog 🐕 would salivate 💦 in response to the food 🥘 (UCR).
Pavlov 🔬 found that following repeated ‘pairings’ of the bell 🔔 (NS) and food 🥘 (UCS), when he rang the bell 🔔 without any food 🥘 being present (CS), the dog 🐕 still salivated 💦 (CR).
Pavlov 👨🏻🔬 was able to show that through the learning of an ‘association’ between two stimuli (NS 🔔 + UCS 🐕) a ‘conditioned response’ (CR💦) can be produced.
Pavlov’s 👨🏻🔬 findings led to the theory of classical conditioning.
Pavlov 👨🏻🔬 also discovered that once an animal 🐅 has bee conditioned, they will also respond to other stimuli that are similar to the CS - known as STIMULUS GENERALISATION. In addition, extinction can also take place. Pavlov 👨🏻🔬 discovered that, unlike the UCR, the CR does not become permanently established as a response. After a few presentations of the CS in the absence of the UCS, it loses its ability to produce the CR.
What is meant by the Theory : Operant Conditioning
OC is learning by consequence.
Reinforcement is 1 way in which learning by consequence occurs - it strengths learning, increasing the frequency of behaviour.
There are 2 types of reinforcement.
What 2 types of reinforcement are there?
Positive ➕ reinforcement and Negative ➖ reinforcement.
What is meant by Positive ➕Reinforcement?
Is when you gain something rewarding as the result of our behaviour.
An example would be that as a consequence of doing well in a test 📝 you gain a sense of pride.
This increases the frequency of a given behaviour i.e. increases likelihood that the behaviour is repeated so you will revise again.
What is meant by Negative ➖ Reinforcement?
Still increases likelihood of repeated behaviour as it is reinforcement.
However, it is ‘negative’ ➖as the consequence of your behaviour takes away something unpleasant.
E.g. hitting the stop on the alarm ⏰ clock to stop the unpleasant ringing, and restore the restful pre-alarm state.
What’s the extra reinforcement?
Punishment - as a consequence of your behaviour something bad happens to you so it reduces the frequency of a given behaviour.
E.g. not handing in your homework and being given a detention.
Research study: Skinner’s box 🐀 📦
A Skinner’s box 📦 is a piece of equipment used to investigate OC - it supported the theory that learning by consequence can occur by positive ➕ and negative ➖ reinforcement.
How was Positive ➕ reinforcement used in Skinner’s box? 🐀📦
Every time the rat 🐀 activated the lever 🕹 within the box 📦 it was rewarded with a food 🥜 pellet.
The rat 🐀 would be positively ➕ reinforced for pressing the lever 🕹(by receiving food 🥜) so this behaviour is likely to be repeated and becomes learned behaviour.
The food 🥜 pellets act as a positive ➕ reinforcer for pressing the lever 🕹.
How was Negative ➖ reinforcement used in Skinner’s box? 🐀📦
Skinner showed how rats 🐀 could be conditioned to perform the same behaviour to avoid an unpleasant stimulus, e.g. an electric ⚡️shock.
The rat 🐀 was electrocuted ⚡️ through the use of an electric grid in the box 📦 . However, when the rat 🐀 pressed the lever 🕹, the electric 📦 shocks stopped 🤚🏼.
The rat 🐀 was negatively ➖ reinforced by pressing the lever 🕹 and so this behaviour is likely to be repeated and becomes a learnt behaviour; the rat 🐀 learnt that that by pulling the lever 🕹, the electric ⚡️ shock would stop🤚🏼, so it will continue to pull the lever 🤚🏼 to avoid an unpleasant shock.
What are the Evaluation points for the Behaviourist Approach?
- Scientific Methodology ✅
- Practical applications ✅
- Explanation of animal research ⛔️
- It is reductionist ⛔️
Outline the evaluation point Scientific Methodology ✅
Strength ✅ of behaviourist approach is the use of scientific methodology .
Behaviourist approach, studies observable 👓 and measurable 📏 behaviours - said to be objective - means free from researcher bias and findings will not be affected by personal judgement - improves validity of findings.
In addition, another way methodology is scientific is that research is replicable since research is carried out in well controlled lab 🔬 based studies. This means that the research can be repeated and results can be checked for consistency.
This is a strength ✅ because there have been hundreds of studies supporting the success of classical and operant conditioning - so seen to be reliable explanation for behaviour.
Outline the evaluation point Practical applications ✅
Strength ✅ of behaviourist approach is that it has practical applications.
Many studies shown how behaviour can be changed using conditioning, this knowledge has been used to modify behaviour in the real world 🗺 .
Systematic desensitisation is effective in treating phobias and is structured from principles of classical conditioning.
Token economy uses principles of operant conditioning and is widely used in institutions to encourage certain behaviours. Token economy involves reinforcing desirable behaviour with a token that can then be exchanged for some kind of reward.
An example of a token would be within the walls of the prison in which desirable behaviour may take many forms but likely to include avoiding conflict, following prison rules, keeping 1’s cell orderly etc.
This is a strength ✅ as both classical and operant conditioning have been used in practical ways to help modify maladadaptive behaviour.
Outline the evaluation point Extrapolation of animal research ⛔️
Limitation ⛔️ of behaviourist approach is the extrapolation of animal 🐅 research.
Using animal 🐅 research and then applying findings to humans 👩🏻 is a limitation ⛔️ of this approach.
Some psychologists 👩🏼💼 argue that as humans 👩🏻 are qualitatively different to other animals 🐅 this is unsuitable.
Humans 👩🏻 have very complex behaviours such as language acquisition & abstract cognitions that means we are not the same as rats 🐀 and pigeons 🐦.
However, behaviourists justify using animals 🐅 as humans👩🏻 and animals both learn through conditioning techniques.
It’s a limitation ⛔️ to use findings of animal 🐅studies to explain human 👩🏻behaviour because of the differences that exist.
Outline the evaluation point it is reductionist ⛔️
Limitation ⛔️ of behaviourist approach is that it’s reductionist - means that behaviourist approach simplifies very complex behaviour to simple stimulus response connections.
Limitation ⛔️as human 👩🏻 behaviour may best be explained by looking at entire behaviours and not just the bits that make up it up.
Reductionism could result in only partial understanding of behaviour being studied.
Therefore reductionism leads to over simplistic and incomplete explanations being offered for very complex behaviours.
