The Learning Approach/ The Behaviourist Approach Flashcards
What does the specification say that the behaviourist approach includes?
Classical conditioning, Pavlov research, operant conditioning, types of reinforcement and Skinner’s research
Define the behaviourist approach?
A way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable and learning
Define classical conditioning?
Learning by association - occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly prepared together and an unconditioned stimulus acts as a new neutral stimulus. The neutral stimulus eventually produces the same response that was first produced by the unlearned stimulus.
(neutral stimulus when used with unconditioned stimulus the neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned stimulus)
Define operant conditioning?
A form of learning in which behaviour is shaped and maintained by it’s consequences. Possible consequences of behaviour = positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement or punishment
Define reinforcement?
A consequence of behaviour that increases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated. Can be positive or negative
What behaviour is the behaviourist approach interested in studying? (assumptions)
Behaviour that can be observed and measured (not concerned with mental processes)
What was the result of Watson rejecting introspection due to its vast number of concepts that were big and difficult to measure? (assumptions)
The behaviourist approach implemented more control and objectivity within their research and relied on lab experiments
Why do behaviourists often replace humans with animals in research?(assumptions)
It was suggested that the basic processes that cover learning are the same in all species
What is classical conditioning and who first demonstrated it?
It is learning through association and Pavlov first demonstrated it by showing that dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell if that sound was repeatedly present when they were given food.
What was the result of Pavlov’s experiment?
Dogs began to associate the sound of the bell (stimulus) with the food and would produce the salvation response every time they heard the noise
What did Pavlov’s experiment prove?
A neutral stimulus can result in a learned response/conditioned response through association.
Who and when was operant conditioning first demonstrated?
Skinner 1953- suggested that learning is an active process whereby humans and animals operate on their environment
What are the three types of consequences in operant conditioning?
Positive reinforcement
Negative Reinforcement
Punishment
What is positive reinforcement ?
Receiving an award but assertive behaviour is performed e.g praise from a teacher for answering correctly in class
What is negative reinforcement?
Occurs when a human or animal avoids something unpleasant e.g a student brings in the homework so they told get told off (the voidance of something unpleasant is the negative reinforcement)
What is punishment?
An unpleasant consequence of behaviour e.g being shouted at in a lesson for talking (less likely to do it again)
What does positive/negative reinforcement and punishment do?
Positive/negative reinforcement increases the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated
Punishment decreases the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated
What was Skinner’s experiment?
Skinner’s box- every time the rat in the box accidentally hit the lever in the box it would be rewarded with a food pellet and eventually the rat would continue to perform the behaviour on purpose
What was Skinner’s box a display of and what else did it show?
Positive reinforcement
Also showed rats could be conditioned to perform the same behaviour to avoid an unpleasant stimulus (electric shock- negative reinforcement)
What is a key strength of the behaviourist approach?
scientific credibility- able to print language and method of natural science into psychology
Focusing on measurement of sensible behaviour- was in highly controlled lab settings= allowed for replication
In what ways can the approach be applied to real life?
Operant conditioning is the basis of token economies in places like prisons and psychiatric wards
Classical conditioning has been applied to the treatment of phobias- these treatments have the advantage pf requiring less effort from the patient as they don’t have to think about their phobia
What is a key limitation of the approach?
Environmental determinism- sees all behaviour as determined by past experiences that have been conditioned. Skinner suggested everything we do is the total of our reinforcement history- therefore ignores any possible influence of free will on behaviour
What are the ethical and practical issues in animal experiments?
Although experiments like Skinner’s Box allows behaviourists to maintain a high degree of control over their subjects- many critics have questioned the ethics as animals involved are exposed to stressful and adverse conditions
What is a strength and limitation of the mechanistic view of behaviour?
Strength = process mediates between stimulus and response Limitation = sees animals as passive responders to the environment with little or no conscious insight into their behaviour however other approaches have emphasised importance of mental events during learning
What can behaviourism help to explain and how?
Gambling- because Skater discovered that if an animal was rewarded every time it activated a lever the behaviour would quickly die out/ become extinct however less so when reinforcement is given after a unpredictable number of responses.
What are the three main assumptions of behaviourism?
Nearly all behaviour is learnt
Animals and humans learn in the same way
The ‘mind’ is irrelevant
Explain Pavlov’s dog experiment ?
When dogs see food they salivate - unlearned response
Food= unconditioned stimulus and salivation = unconditioned response
Eventually the Bell became a conditioned stimulus and the salvation a conditioned response
What are the principles of classical conditioning?
Generalisation Discrimination Extinction. Spontaneous recovery Higher order conditioning
What was Watson and Rayners experiment 1920?n
Little Albert
A baby called Albert showed no fear to white fluffy objects like rats and rabbits
Researchers tried to create a conditioned response by placing rat infront of Albert and when he reached out loudly hitting a metal bar behind his head- this was repeated
What were the results and conclusions of the little Albert experiment?
When he was shown a rat he would start to cry - this extended to other white fluffy objects
A dear response to White fluffy objects was conditioned in Albert showing that abnormal behaviour can be learned
What is the evaluation of the little Albert experiment?
Very unethical
Lab study- lacks ecological validity as situation was artificial
Does support palvovs idea of classical conditioning
