Approaches Psychology

What is the behaviourist approach?

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

Who are the key psychologists in the behavorist approach ?

-Pavlov and Skinner

What is classical conditioning ?

Learning by association. Occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired together - an unconditioned (unlearned) stimulus (UCS) and a new 'neutral' stimulus. The neutral stimulus eventually produces the same response that was first produced by the unlearned stimulus alone.

What is Operant conditioning ?

A form of learning in which behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences. Possible consequences of behaviour include positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement or punishment.

What is reinforcement?

A consequence of behaviour that increases the likelihood of that behaviour being repeated. Can be positive or negative.

What was Pavlovs reasearch about ?

Pavlov revealed that dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell if that sound was repeatedly presented at the same time as they were given food.

Pavlov demonstrated classical conditioning using dogs. The dogs learned to associate a bell with food, eventually salivating when they heard the bell alone.

What did Skinner demonstrate?

Skinner investigated operant conditioning, which is learning through the consequences of behaviour. He used rats in a Skinner box, which contained a lever that the rat could press.

When a rat pressed the lever, it received food as a reward.

rat learned to press the lever more frequently because the behaviour was followed by a positive consequence

This demonstrated positive reinforcement, where a desirable stimulus is added to increase the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated.

What is positive reinforcement?

Adding a desirable consequence to increase the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated.
Example: A student receives praise for completing their homework, making them more likely to complete it again.

What is negative reinforcement?

Removing an unpleasant consequence to increase the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated.
Example: A student completes their work to avoid receiving extra homework.

What is punishment?

A consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated.
Example: A student receives a detention for disrupting a lesson.

What is the difference between reinforcement and punishment?

Reinforcement → increases behaviour
Punishment → decreases behaviour

What is a strength of the Behaviourist Approach?

It uses controlled laboratory experiments, allowing researchers to establish cause-and-effect relationships. This makes the approach scientific and objective.

What is a strength of the Behaviourist Approach in terms of real-life applications?

The behaviourist approach has real-life applications because punishment can be used to reduce unwanted behaviour. For example, prison sentences punish criminal behaviour, which aims to discourage people from committing crimes again.

What is a weakness of the Behaviourist Approach?

The Behaviourist Approach can be criticised for being too simplistic because it focuses mainly on observable behaviour and ignores the role of thoughts and mental processes in explaining behaviour.

What is social learning theory?

A theory that suggests that behaviour can be learned directly through classical and operant conditioning and indirectly through observing and immitating others.Unlike behaviourist approach SLT recognises that cognative processes influence whether an observed behaviour is actually imitatated.

What are the 3 concepts which explain learning through observation?

immitation, identification, vicarious reinforcement

What is immitation?

The process of copying the behaviour of a role model.An individual is more likely to immitate a role model they identify with especially when they observe the role model gets a reward(vicarious reinforcement)

What is identification?

Occors when an observer relates to a role model and wants to be more like them making them more likely to imitate their behaviour

What is vicarious reinforcement ?

an indirect form of learning where an individual observes the consequences of a role models behaviour .If the model is rewarded, this increases the likelihood that the observer will imitate the behaviour in anticipation of a similar reward

Does leaning through observation automatically mean the behaviour will be imitated?

No as SLT suggests that cognative procsesses known as mediational processes influence whether the observed behaviour is actually reproduced.

What are the four mediational processes ?

Attention , Retention, motor reproduction, motivation

Describe and explain the 4 mediational processes.

1. Attention- the observer must notice the behaviour

2. Retention- the observer must remember the behaviour

3. Motor reproduction- the observer must have the ability to perform the behaviour

4. Motivation- the will to perform the behaviour often determined by whether the behaviour was rewarded or punished

What was the aim of banduras bobo doll study (1961)

To investigate whether children would imitate agressive behaviour after observing an agressive adult role model.

What were the participants in the banduras bobo doll study?

72 children ages 3-6 years from stanford university nursery

What was Banduras procedure?

The children were divided into 3 groups an agressive model group, non agressive model group, control group. The children were then placed in a room containing the bobo doll and other toys and researcheres then observed their behaviour .

What were Banduras findings ?

Children who observed the aggressive model showed more aggressive behaviour and were more likely to imitate the specific aggressive behaviour they had observed . Boys were generally more physically aggressive than girls

What was Banduras conclusion?

Children can learn behaviour through observation and imitation without directly experiencing reinforcement .This supports social leaning theory and the importance of role models in learning behaviour.

What is a strength of social learning theory ??

-it recognises the role of cognitive processes in learning

-unlike behavourist approach slt argues that people do no simply respond automatically to their enviornment but use mediational processes such as … to immitate a behaviour

-makes slt more a complete explanation of human behavoiur

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