The Learning Approach (from 1911)

Question 1

Introduction to Learning Approach:

Answer 1

• originally from America in early 20th century
• largely work of Pavlov, Skinner and Watson
• they rejected Freud and Biological approach of the time
• focused on environmental determinism
• they saw the environment as the main influence on all our behaviour

Question 2

What are some assumptions of the Learning Approach?

Answer 2

• all behaviour is learned, all we have at birth is capacity to learn
• a person is a product of their environment and born a blank slate
• this places learning on the (extreme) Nurture side of the argument
• in order for psychology to be scientific it should focus on observable behaviour which can be objectively measured, rather then on things like cognitive processes which can only be inferred

Question 3

What mnemonic is used to remember learning approach?

Answer 3

CIA

Question 4

What does CIA stand for

Answer 4

C - learning through CONSEQUENCES of behaviours (operant conditioning)
I - learning through the IMITATION of the behaviour of others (social learning theory)
A - learning through ASSOCIATIONS between stimuli (classical conditioning)

Question 5

What are the two sections of the learning approach?

Answer 5

1- Behaviourist Approach (Pavlov, Skinner and Watson)

2- Social Learning Theory (Bandura)

Question 6

What are the three stages of Classical Conditioning

Answer 6

1- UCS = UCR
2- NS + UCS = UCR
3- CS = CR

Question 7

Summarise Pavlov’s research into Classical Conditioning

Answer 7

• carried out research to find out if dogs could salivate in response to a bell
• based on idea some things dogs don’t need to learn (salivating at food)
• it is an unconditioned response
• Pavlov measured volume of saliva produced in response to food and/or bell

Question 8

Define : extinction

Answer 8

If the conditioned stimulus is continually presented without the unconditioned stimulus then the conditioned response gradually dies out

Question 9

Extinction using the example of pavlovs dogs =

Answer 9

Salivation died out after no food presented

Question 10

Define : spontaneous recovery

Answer 10

If a conditioned response is not reinforced, it becomes extinguished. But after a period of rest the response may suddenly reappear

Question 11

Spontaneous recovery using the example of pavlovs dogs =

Answer 11

Salivation returned to bell after re-pairing with food

Question 12

Define : Discrimination

Answer 12

The CR is produced only by presentation of the original stimulus, it does not extend to similar stimuli

Question 13

Discrimination using the example of pavlovs dogs =

Answer 13

Only salivated in response to a particular tone of bell, not all bells

Question 14

Define : Generalisation

Answer 14

Extension of the CS from the original stimulus to similar stimuli

Question 15

Generalisation using the example of pavlovs dogs =

Answer 15

Salivating at any bell

Question 16

Define : One trial learning

Answer 16

When conditioning occurs immediately, after one trial only

Question 17

Give an example of One trial learning

Answer 17

Food poisoning. You would never want the food again

Question 18

Briefly describe Skinner’s research into operant conditioning

Answer 18

• learning from consequences is ‘operant conditioning’
• skinners theory is that the likelihood of future behaviour is determined by the consequences of past behaviour
• throughout his research he used what has become known as “Skinner boxes’ with pigeons and rats, and carefully measured the frequency of selected behaviour

Question 19

Define : Primary reinforcers

Answer 19

Anything that fulfils a basic/biological need. It is something that is reinforcing in its own right. Any behaviour that leads to a basic need being met is likely to be repeated

Question 20

What is an example of a primary reinforcer

Answer 20

In the case of attachment bonds, the primary reinforcer is food because it satisfies hunger

Question 21

Define : secondary reinforcers

Answer 21

Do not inherently reinforce, it only becomes a reinforcer because it is associated with a primary reinforcer

Question 22

What is an example of a secondary reinforcer

Answer 22

In the case of attachment, food/milk is the primary reinforcer and the feeder/caregiver is the secondary reinforcer

Question 23

What is continuous reinforcement ?

Answer 23

when the desired behaviour is reinforced every single time it occurs e.g. a rat gets a food pellet every time it presses the lever

Question 24

What is partial reinforcement ?

Answer 24

When the response is reinforced only part or some of the time. There are different types of partial reinforcement schedules. Some increase repetition of behaviour mote than others e.g. a rat gets a food pellet after 5 lever presses (fixed ratio schedule) or after a number of lever presses thar changes all the time (variable ratio schedule)

Question 25

What is positive reinforcement?

Answer 25

Increasing the frequency of desired behaviour by giving pleasant consequences

Question 26

How is positive reinforcement demonstrated in Skinners research ?

Answer 26

by putting the rat in a cage with a lever it can press. The lever is rigged up to a mechanism that dispenses food, so when the rat presses the lever it gets a bit of rat food. Sooner or later, the rat will press the lever by accident and food will appear. After a few similar occurrences the rat will connect the two. It will then start pressing the lever to get food. The presentation of food has acted as a positive reinforcement

Question 27

What is negative reinforcement?

Answer 27

Increasing the frequency of a desired behaviour by removing something unpleasant

Question 28

How is negative reinforcement demonstrated in Skinners research

Answer 28

When the cage was set up so that the floor could be electrified and the lever now switches off the current. Once the floor is electrified the rat will start bouncing about, possibly hitting the lever. Eventually learning to hit the lever immediately when current on. Skinner was not rewarding the rat, he was reinforcing by taking away something bad - hence negative reinforcement

Question 29

What is punishment?

Answer 29

Decreasing the frequency of an undesired behaviour by giving unpleasant consequences

Question 30

How is punishment demonstrated in Skinners research ?

Answer 30

Skinner changes the mechanism so that when the rat presses the lever, instead of receiving a food pellet, it is given an electric shock to its paw. Very quickly, the rat will stop pressing the lever. The electric shock has acted as a punishment which had the effect of weakening then extinguishing the lever pressing behaviour

Question 31

Summarise evaluations of the behaviourism learning approach

Answer 31

• research to support- little Albert - Watson + Raynor
• praised for being scientific - used objective + falsifiable methods
• methodological issues - Pavlov used dogs - cannot extrapolate
• good practical applications - treatment of phobias etc
• environmental determinism- ignores influence of other factors e.g. genetics + free will

Question 32

What are the 5 main terms of SLT?

Answer 32

• Imitation
• Identification
• Modelling
• Vicarious reinforcement
• Vicarious punishment

Question 33

What does imitation mean?

Answer 33

This is when an individual reproduces the behaviour that they have observed a role model performing.

Question 34

what does identification mean?

Answer 34

Means that the observer respects/admirer the role model and aspires to be like them or sees themselves as similar to the role model. Identification increases the motivation to imitate a role model

Question 35

what does modelling mean?

Answer 35

Refers to things we see or hear models doing/saying etc. Models can be real people we have in our lives celebrities we see on TV etc and filmed models too. Attitudes as well as behaviours can be modelled

Question 36

What does vicarious reinforcement mean?

Answer 36

This occurs when an individual observes a role model being rewarded for a behaviour. They are then motivated to imitate this behaviour in the hope of receiving a similar rewarding consequence

Question 37

What does vicarious punishment mean?

Answer 37

Occurs when an individual observes a role model being punished for their behaviour. Observing a role model being punished for performing a particular behaviour reduces the motivation to imitate that behaviour because the observer does not wish to be punished like the role model was

Question 38

What are the 4 key cognitive elements in SLT?

Answer 38

• Attention
• Retention
• Reproduction
• Motivation

Question 39

What is the relevance of Attention to SLT

Answer 39

The observer has to concentrate on the models behaviour if it is to be imitated. Identification with the role model is important here

Question 40

What is the relevance of retention to SLT

Answer 40

The behaviour has to be remembered and stored if it is going to be imitated later

Question 41

What is the relevance of reproduction to SLT

Answer 41

The observer must be capable of imitating/reproducing the behaviour they have observed

Question 42

What is the relevance of motivation to SLT

Answer 42

The observer must be capable of imitating/reproducing the behaviour they have observed

Question 43

Summarise Bandura’s research

Answer 43

Bandura exposed young children to adult models who behaved either in an aggressive or unaggressive way towards an inflatable clown doll (bobo doll). Bandura wanted to see if the children imitated the behaviour they observed. They did, but what and how much they imitated was influenced by the gender of the child and role model

Question 44

Summarise evaluations of the SLT

Answer 44

• credible research - Banduras study (72 children - 36 b+g)
• lacks ecological validity - aggression highly scripted - difficult to show cause and effect
• soft determinism-claims theory isn’t inevitable- incomplete explanation
• useful practical applications- e.g. watershed
• cognitive factors have been inferred so cannot measure extent of their influence