The Behaviourist Approach - Conditioning

Question 1

What are the two types of conditioning?

Answer 1

classical
operant

Question 2

What is classical conditioning learning via?

Answer 2

classical conditioning involves learning a new behaviour via the process of association

Question 3

What is the basic idea behind classical conditioning?

Answer 3

the basic idea behind classical conditioning is that when 2 stimuli occur together at the same time, the response to one becomes the response to the other

Question 4

Who demonstrated classical conditioning? How?

Answer 4

Russian physiologist, Ivan Pavlov first demonstrated this with dogs

Question 5

Why did Pavlov use classical conditioning? (initial thoughts)

Answer 5

initially, dogs associated food with Pavlov’s assistant so would salivate
- he thought: “can the dog be trained to salivate at a bell”

Question 6

How did Pavlov explain the process of classical conditioning?

Answer 6

1) UCS (food power) -> UCR (salivating)
- BEFORE LEARNING

2)NS (bell) + UCS (food) -> UCR (salivating)
- DURING LEARNING
- IS REPEATED
- PAIRING

3) CS (bell) -> CR (salivating)
- AFTER LEARNING
- NEW BEHAVIOUR LEARNED
- STIMULI (food) REMOVED

Question 7

What does UCS, UCR, NS, CS and CR stand for?

Answer 7

UCS - unconditioned stimulus
UCR - unconditioned response
NS - neutral stimulus
CS - conditioned stimulus
CR - conditioned response

Question 8

What can classical conditioning be used to explain?
Example?

Answer 8

phobia development
- eg we learn to associate something we do not fear, such as a dog (neutral stimulus), with something that triggers a fear response, such as being bitten (unconditioned stimulus)
- after an association has formed, a dog (now a conditioned stimulus) causes a response of fear (conditioned response) and consequently, we develop a phobia

Question 9

What is operant conditioning learning via?

Answer 9

learning via consequences

Question 10

What does the principle of operant conditioning state?

Answer 10

states that when we perform a behaviour, it is either strengthened or weakened depending on the consequences it receives

Question 11

What does reinforcement do to behaviour?

Answer 11

reinforcement strengthens behaviour making it more likely to be repeated in the future

Question 12

What does punishment do to behaviour?

Answer 12

punishment weakens behaviour making it more likely to stop

Question 13

What are the 3 types of reinforcement and punishment?

Answer 13

positive reinforcement
negative reinforcement
punishment

Question 14

What is positive reinforcement?

Answer 14

ADDITION OF SOMETHING
- in positive reinforcement, a response or behaviour is strengthened by rewards, leading to the repetition of desired behaviour
- the reward is a reinforcing stimulus

Question 15

What is negative reinforcement?

Answer 15

REMOVAL OF SOMETHING
- behaviour is strengthened because performing that behaviour stops something unpleasant

Question 16

What is punishment?

Answer 16

punishment is the opposite of reinforcement since it is designed to weaken or eliminate a response rather than increase it
- it is an unpleasant event that decreases the behaviour that it follows

Question 17

What has operant conditioning been applied to?

Answer 17

operant conditioning has been applied as a way of modifying offending behaviour through TOKEN ECONOMY SYSTEMS

Question 18

How do token economy systems work in terms of operant conditioning for modifying offending behaviour?

Answer 18

• every time an offender performs a desired behaviour, they are given a sticker (known as a secondary reinforcer)
• when they have earned enough stickers, they are cashed in for something that the offender wants eg extra food or TV time (known as primary reinforcers)
• bad behaviour can be discouraged by removing the stickers

Question 19

How do token economy systems impact the offender’s behaviour?

Answer 19

in this way, the offender is less likely to reoffend because new, positing behaviours have been conditioned into them