The Learning Approach - Behaviourism Flashcards
what type of approach should be used when studying behaviour?
an objective and scientific approach which can be observed and measured
what cannot be studied and why?
Mental processes because they can not be observed so they should not be studied. (introspection was rejected for this reason)
what type of experiments are used in this approach and why?
behaviourists used lab experiments to maintain control and objectivity
people are ______ ____ at birth
tabula rasa
behaviours can be explained at?
the S-R level
what is the behaviourist approach?
a way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable and in terms of learning.
what is classical conditioning?
learning by association which occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired together (unconditioned and neutral)
what is reinforcement?
a consequence of behaviour that increases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated.
how did pavlov present classical conditioning?
pavlov showed how dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell if the bell was sounded repeatedly every time the dogs were given food.
what is the order of classical conditioning?
unconditioned stimulus > unconditioned response > neutral stimulus > no conditioned response > (conditioning) > conditioned stimulus > conditioned response.
what is extinction?
when the conditioned response no longer occurs after repeated pairings without the unconditioned stimulus.
what is spontaneous recovery?
spontaneous recovery is where a previously learned behaviour recurs, in the absence of a new reinforcer.
what is generalisation?
occurs when there is a small difference in the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus.
what is discrimination?
the opposite of generalisation. discrimination happens when a conditioned response does not occur when there is a difference between the presented stimulus and the original conditioned stimulus (if there were a bell with a different tone and not awarded with food then the dog would not salivate to the bell)
what is operant conditioning?
a theory of learning where behaviour is influenced by its consequences
who created the theory of operant conditioning?
BF Skinner
what is positive reinforcement?
behaviour that is followed by something unpleasant (e.g praise for a good essay)
what is negative reinforcement?
a behaviour that is followed by the removal of something unpleasant (e.g going home on time to avoid being grounded)
what is punishment
(not a type of reinforcement) a behaviour which is followed by something unpleasant (e.g being grounded for being home late)
what increases the likelihood of behaviour being repeated?
positive and negative reinforcement. (punishment decreases it)
what is the meaning of fixed ratio?
reinforcement depends on a definite number of responses (being paid £10 for every 10 items produced)
what is the outcome of fixed ratio?
activity slows after reinforcement and then picks up
what is the meaning of variable ratio?
number of responses needed for reinforcement varies (sometimes winning on a fruit machine)
what outcome does variable ratio have?
what outcome does variable ratio have?
what is the meaning of fixed interval?
reinforcement depends on a fixed time (getting paid every friday)
what is the outcome of fixed interval?
activity increases as deadline nears
what is the meaning of variable interval?
time between reinforcement varies (waiting for a big wave to surf on)
what is the outcome of variable interval?
steady activity results.
one strength of the behaviourist approach?
scientific credibility - behaviourism focussed on the measurement of observable behaviour within highly controlled lab settings. as it focusses on objectivity and replication, it has influenced the development of psych as a science.
another strength of the behaviourist approach?
it can be applied to many areas such as gambling, phobias and practical applications. e.g operant conditioning and token awarding systems in prisons and psychiatric hospitals.
one weakness of the behaviourist approach?
most of the data that has been collected was used on animals; therefore, it is hard to generalise the same to humans because it ignores important mental processes such as innate predispositions so it’s better for explaining non- animal behaviour rather then human behaviour.
another weakness of the behaviourist approach?
it is environmentally deterministic. this means that it does not acknowledge the nature side of the debate like the role of our genes and therefore cannot explain all human behaviour through learning.
