the learning approach Flashcards
John Locke
(1632-1704) argued that the mind is a ‘blank slate at birth upon which learning and experience writes: the result of the environment’
who argued that the mind begins as a blank slate?
John Locke (and the behaviourist approach later based on his ideas)
the behaviourist approach
- believe that we are born a blank slate, based on John Locke’s ideas
- focus on nurture not nature
- classical and operant conditioning
key assumptions of the behaviourist approach
- behaviour is the result of the environment and we learn through experiences (extreme ‘nurture’ end of nature-nurture debate)
- only interested in observable and measurable behaviour
- relies on lab experiments as its method of research as these are the most scientific, controlled, and objective
- the basic processes that cause learning are the same in all species (so would test on animals, assuming it would be the same as in humans)
two main forms of learning in behaviourism
classical and operant conditioning
classical conditioning
(dogs)
- learning through ASSociation (clASSical) discovered by Pavlov, a Russian physiologist
- he said we learn through associating two stimuli together
- classical conditioning takes place when two stimuli are repeatedly paired together
overview process of classical conditioning
- unconditioned stimulus (food) > unconditioned response (salivation)
- neutral stimulus (bell) > no response
- neutral stimulus (bell) + unconditioned stimulus (food) > unconditioned response (salivation)
- (repeated)
- conditioned stimulus (bell) > conditioned response (salivation)
worded explanation of Pavlov’s classical conditioning
An unconditioned stimulus (US) such as food is presented to the dog triggering the unconditioned response (UR) of salivation. The bell begins as a neutral stimulus (NS) because it triggers no response from the dog. The bell (NS) is then rung at the same time as giving the dog food (US), producing an unconditioned response of salivation as the two stimuli are associated. After several pairings the conditioned stimulus (ringing of the bell) will produce a conditioned response (salivation) even without the presence of food (the US).
neutral stimulus
something in the environment which does not initially cause a response eg. the bell
unconditioned stimulus
anything that naturally has the power to produce a response in a human or animal eg. food
unconditioned response
a natural reflex response to an unconditioned stimulus eg. salivation
conditioned stimulus
the neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned stimulus when it acquires the ability to produce a specific response in the human or animal eg. bell
extinction (in terms of classical conditioning)
when a conditioned stimulus (eg. the bell) is experienced without the unconditioned stimulus (food) for some time the conditioned response (salivation) disappears - it is extinguished
spontaneous recovery
when, after extinction, a previously conditioned association (for example, salivating to the sound of a bell) reoccurs without more conditioning. The response to the stimulus reoccurs spontaneously.
stimulus generalisation
when stimuli similar to the CS produces the CR (eg. the dog will salivate to stimuli similar to bells such as the doorbell)
what is the type of conditioning in which an individual learns through association?
clASSical conditioning (ASSociation)
operant conditioning
(rats)
- skinner (1953) suggested learning is an active process whereby humans and animals operate on their environment
- we learn through consequences
- we form a link between a behaviour and an event
- the idea is that when people behave in a particular way and are rewarded for that behaviour, they will repeat it (called reinforcement). If they are punished for that behaviour they will stop it.
Skinner’s box
when placed in the Skinner box the animal has to press a lever in order to open a food lever and thus obtain reinforcement in the form of food. First, by accident, the lever is pressed and food was presented. This meant the rat got reinforced to repeat the behaviour as he got rewarded with food (positive reinforcement).
possible consequences in operant conditioning
positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, or negative punishment
positive reinforcement
- receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed, this behaviour is reinforced, likely to do this behaviour again
- eg. the rat receiving food for pressing the lever
negative reinforcement
- something unpleasant is removed from the individual following a behaviour, the behaviour is reinforced and likely to be repeated
- eg. stopping the electric shocks when a lever is pressed
punishment
- an unpleasant consequence for carrying out a behaviour, the behaviour is weakened, the probability of repeating the behaviour is decreased
- eg. the rat presses a lever and receives an electric shock