4.2 learning approaches: behaviourist

Define the behaviourist approach

A way of explaining behaviour in terms of what is observable and in terms of learning

Define classical conditioning

Learning by association

Define operant conditioning

Learning by consequences

Define reinforcement

A consequence of behaviour that increases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated

What behaviourist rejected introspection and why

John B Watson- because it involved too many concepts that were vague and difficult to measure

What type of studies do behaviourists carry out

Lab studies because they study observable and measurable behaviour

What did behaviourists identify as the two forms of learning

Classical conditioning and operant conditioning

Who did research to support classical conditioning

Pavlov (the dogs)

Who did research to support operant conditioning

Skinner (the rats)

Explain Pavlovs research

Showed how dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of the bell, if the bell was associated with food

Draw the 4 stages of Pavlovs dogs (before, during and after conditioning)

.

Operant conditioning- define positive reinforcement

Recieving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed

Operant conditioning- define negative reinforcement

Avoiding something unpleasant to have a positive outcome

Operant conditioning- define punishment

Unpleasant consequence of behaviours

Do positive and negative reinforcement increase or decrease the likelihood of behaviour being repeated

Increase

Does punishment increase or decrease the likelihood of behaviour being repeated

Decrease

Explain skinners rats for positive reinforcement

Every time the rat activated the lever, food was given

Explain skinners rats for negative reinforcement

The rat was electric shocked, but when the rat activated the lever the shocks would stop

Evaluation- well controlled research

• highly controlled lab setting

• All extraneous variables were removed allowing a cause and effect to be established

• Suggesting that behaviourist experiments have scientific credibility

Counter- may be oversimplified, did not include human thought (like social learning and cognitive- focus on mental processes). Suggests that learning is more complex than observable behaviours alone

Evaluation- real world application

• operant conditioning used in institutions- prisons and psychiatric wards

• Classical conditioning has been applied to the treatment of phobias

Evaluation- environmental determinism

• Ignores free will

• says that our past conditioning determines the outcome

Define environmental determinism

Suggests that an individuals behaviour is solely caused by external environmental forces such as experiences, conditioning and social influences

Evaluation extra- ethical issues

• animals were housed in harsh cramped conditions

• They were deliberately kept below their natural weight so they were always hungry