The Learning Approches

Question 1

What main idea did Watson, Pavlov and Skinner focus on?

Answer 1

Environmental determinism

Question 2

What is environmental determinism?

Answer 2

The idea that traits and behaviours are governed by external force such as experience, upbringing, learning,school. The environment is the main influence on all our behaviour.

Question 3

What did John Locker claim we are all born as?

Answer 3

Tabula Rasa (Blank mind)

Question 4

What did the learning approach focus on?

Answer 4

Creating a psychology that was highly scientific, founded on empiricism.

Question 5

What three ways does the learning approach assume we learn behaviour from?

Answer 5

• classical conditioning
• social learning theory
• operant conditioning

Question 6

Who’s work is classical conditioning based on?

Answer 6

Ivan Pavlov

Question 7

What did Ivan Pavlov’s work consist of?

Answer 7

He noticed he dog would salivate every time he entered the room, even when he wasn’t bringing them food.
Having noticed this Pavlov carried out research to see if they would salivate in response to a bell. He started from the idea that there are some things that a dog does not need to learn like salivating is a reflex that is ‘hard wired’ into the dog (to help them digest and breakdown food).
In behaviourist terms, it is an unconditioned response.

Question 8

What is classical conditioning also known as?

Answer 8

Reflexing learning

Question 9

Who’s work is operant conditioning based on?

Answer 9

Skinner

Question 10

What is Skinners theory?

Answer 10

The likelihood of future behaviour is determined by the
consequences of past behaviour. This means
‘behavioural expression is determined by its consequences’. Throughout his research he used what has become known as ‘skinner boxes’ with pigeons and rats.

Question 11

Positive reinforcement

Answer 11

Increase in the frequency of the behaviour by giving pleasant consequences.

Question 12

Negative reinforcement

Answer 12

The effect of increasing the frequency of a behaviour by using consequences that are pleasant when they stop.

Question 13

Punishment

Answer 13

The effect of decreasing the frequency of a behaviour by using consequences that are unpleasant when they happen.

Question 14

Primary reinforcers

Answer 14

Occur naturally without having to make an effort, they don’t require learning and are often biologically important.

Question 15

Social learning theory

Answer 15

Focuses on learning via imitation.

Question 16

What are the key aspects of the social learning theory?

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Imitation

Answer 17

When an individual observes a behaviour from a role model and copies it.

Question 18

Identification

Answer 18

When an individual is influenced by another because they are similar in some way or wish to be like them.

Question 19

Modelling

Answer 19

An influential person is known is a model. When an individual imitates that model it is called modelling.

Question 20

Vicarious reinforcement/punishment

Answer 20

Whatever consequence the person sees the model receiving (punishment or reward) will influence whether or not they imitate the behaviour.

Question 21

What are the 4 criteria needed to be met before imitation can occur?

Answer 21

• Attention
• Retention
• Reproduction
• Motivation

Question 22

Attention

Answer 22

Attention to role model. These are factors that influence
whether a learner pays attention to a role model. These may include the learner’s interpretation of the role model’s power, attractiveness and similarity.

Question 23

Retention

Answer 23

Retention of the observed behaviour. These are factors that influence whether a learner identifies with a role model and remembers the behaviours their role model produces. These include the appropriateness of the behaviour to the role model.

Question 24

Reproduction

Answer 24

Reproduction of the target behaviour. These are factors that influence whether a learner believes they should imitate the behaviour they have acquired. These includes physical ability, but also the learner’s self-esteem and self-efficacy.

Question 25

Motivation

Answer 25

Motivation to imitate the observed behaviour. Factors that influence how a learner responds to reinforcement. These can include responses to experience and expectations about future benefits.

Question 26

What are four strengths of the learning approach?

Answer 26

• It has made a significant contribution to help society
• Praised for being extremely scientific
• Credible evidence to support the learning approach
• Social Learning Approach take an interactionist approach to explaining learned behaviour

Question 27

What is a weakness of the learning approach?

Answer 27

Environmental determinism

Question 28

describe classical conditioning

Answer 28

Classical conditioning refers to the process of learning through association. When a neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus, we can become conditioned to respond to the neutral stimulus. This neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus and produces a conditioned response.

For example using Pavlov’s dog study:
Food (usc)=salivation (ucr)
Food (usc)+ bell(ns)=salivation (ucr)
Bell (cs)= salivation (cr)

Question 29

what is a stimulus and what is a response?

Answer 29

a stimulus= something that causes a response eg a spider may cause fear in response.
a response=a reaction to a specific stimulus.

Question 30

evaluate classical conditioning in terms of studies

Answer 30

Watson and Rayner’s little albert study showed how a baby could learn to fear a white rat through classical conditioning. This study supports the idea that behaviour can be learnt through association.

Pavlovs study on dogs showed that dogs would learn to salivate to the sound of a bell through the association of food and a bell. This supports the idea that behaviour can be learnt through association.