behaviorist approach

behaviourism - key

• only observable behaviours should be measured and studied

• we’re born as a blank slate = no genetic influence

• all behaviours are learnt from our environment

• basic processes are the same across species = can study animals

unconditioned stimulus

• a stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a reflex response without any prior learning

unconditioned response

the automatic, unlearned reflex reaction produced by the UCS

neutral stimulus

a stimulus that initially produces no specific response or relevant reflex

conditioned stimulus

• thru repeated pairing with the UCS, the former NS becomes a CS, now capable of triggering a learned response on its own

conditioned response

the learned reflex response triggered by the CS

classical conditioning

• initiated by pavlov

• we learn through association

• pairing a response naturally caused by one stimulus with another, previously neutral stimulus

pavlovs research

• dogs saliva quantity measured

• P paired the bell sound w food

• he conditioned a dog to salivate to the sound of a bell

• dog learnt to associate the food with the bell

• a reflex action becomes a conditioned response

pavlov evaluation

✅ practical application = strengthens value of the research because it demonstrates that the psychological concepts have real life utility in improving peoples lives beyond theoretical settings. eg, treating phobias.

❌ reductionist = limits the theory because it ignores complex interactions between cognitive, emotional and social factors in explaining behaviours

pavlovs findings

1. stimulus generalisation: will respond to stimuli that are similar to the original CS

2. stimulus discrimination: if stimuli is too varied - no response

3. time contiguity: if the time between the CS and getting the UCS is too long - no response

4. extinction: is the CS is presented repeatedly without the UCS - CR decays

5. spontaneous recovery: after extinction the CS & UCS is paired again - CR links up faster

operant condtioning

• proposed by skinner

• behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences

• involves active behaviour

• behaviour followed by pleasant consequences = more likely to be repeated

• behaviour followed by unpleasant consequences = less likely to be repeated

types of consequences

• pos reinforcement = receiving a reward

• neg reinforcement = avoiding smt unpleasant

• punishment = receiving smt unpleasant

continuous reinforcement

• reinforcing every time the behaviour occurs

good for establishing new behaviour quickly

intermittent reinforcement

• reinforcing only some of the time

much more resistant to extinction

skinners box

• placed rat in a box

• when rat pressed the lever = it was rewarded with a pellet

• pressing the level caused the electric current from the floor to stop

• rat learnt to press the lever to avoid the unpleasant shock = continuous reinforcement

skinner evaluation

✅ practical application = strengthens value of the research because it demonstrates that the psychological concept has real life utility. Eg, reinforcement in schools.

❌ reductionism = limits the theory because it ignores complex interactions between cognitive, emotional and social factors as physiological reflex loop.

Little albert

• demonstrated classical conditioning

• exposed to animals (neutral stimuli)

• showed no innate fear response

• whenever the animals were presented, researchers produced a loud frightening noise (unconditioned stimulatus)

• after a while, whenever boy was presented with just the animals = showed clear signs of fear

• neutral stimuli became a conditioned stimuli and produced a conditioned response

Little albert evaluation

✅ real life therapeutic applications = strengthens value of the research because it demonstrates that the psychological concepts have practical utility in improving peoples lives beyond theoretical settings. Eg, treating phobias.

❌ ethical issues = limits research because the little boy was placed under unnecessary distress, compromising the ethical integrity of the investigation