Learning approaches (Behaviourist and SLT)

Behaviourist approach: classical and operant conditioning, Pavlov's research, Skinner's research, types of reinforcement. Social learning theory: imitation, identification, modelling, vicarious reinforcement, role of mediational processes, Bandura's research

evaluate the behaviourist approach AO3 - treatment of phobias

advantage - classical conditioning has been applied to treatments for the reduction of anxiety associated with various phobias. Systematic desensitisation is a therapy based on classical conditioning. It works by eliminating the learned anxious response (CR) associated with a phobic stimulus (CS) and replacing it with a relaxation response so the patient is no longer anxious in the presence of the phobic stimulus. This has been found effective for treating arachnophobia and aerophobia.

evaluate the behaviourist approach AO3 - over reliance on animal studies

disadvantage - Classical conditioning of the salivary response in dogs was investigated by Pavlov (1927) and Skinner (1938) studied operant conditioning through reinforcement with rats using the ‘Skinner box’. Other psychologists say results from animals studies tell us little about human behaviour because humans have free will unlike animals. Therefore findings from animal studies like Pavlov and Skinner are not generalisable to humans. On the other hand, Skinner argued free will is an illusion and behaviours are actually a product of external influences and it is more ethical to study animals rather than humans.

evaluate the behaviourist approach AO3 - scientific credibilty

advantage - the method of data collection in studies supporting the behaviourist approach like Skinner and Pavlov is scientific because its systematic, objective, and reliable. Their results have been replicated by other researchers reducing the chance of bias and increasing accuracy, and their experiments were conducted in controlled lab conditions where confounding variables were controlled. This increases the behaviourist approach’s scientific credibility. COUNTER - lacks ecological validity

evaluate the behaviourist approach AO3 - reductionist

disadvantage - behaviourists have been criticised for ignoring the influence of nature and cognition on behaviour. This means evidence for other explanations for behaviour could be overlooked such as free will and biological factors. This can lead to an incomplete/inaccurate understanding of human behavior.

behaviourist approach AO1

suggests that all behaviour is learnt and maintained through classical or operant conditioning, Classical conditioning occurs through associations made between UCS and NS by the 2 stimulus being repeatedly paired together, Pavlov (1927) demonstrated this with the salivary reflex in dogs, extinction occurs when CS is no longer paired with UCS so the CR disappears, spontaneous recovery occurs after extinction when CS and UCS are paired and the association is made much quicker, stimulus generalisation means after conditioning an animal will respond to similar stimuli to CS, timing - if time interval between NS and UCS conditioning does not happen. Operant conditioning occurs when the environment reinforces a behaviour increases the likelihood of the behaviour reoccurring, punishment decreases the likelihood of a behaviour reoccurring, 2 types of reinforcement: positive - receive reward for behaviour, negative - do behaviour to avoid negative consequence, Skinner’s box (1938) showed positive reinforcement when rat pressed on lever to get food (reward) then repeated action (if food stops extinction occurs), shows negative reinforcement when rat learnt to press lever to avoid electric shock

method for Pavlov’s research (1927)

He paired the NS (bell) with UCS (food) and this elicited an UCR (dog salivate). After many pairings, the NS is able to produce the same response in the absence of the UCS so the NS is now referred to as CS which produces a CR. Before this conditioning occurred he observed that the dog did not salivate when bell is rung (NS) but after conditioning the dog salivates (CR) when the bell is rung (CS).

method for Skinner’s research (1938)

Skinner developed a special cage called a Skinner box. The rat moves around the cage when it accidently presses the lever causing a food pellet to fall into the cage. In a variation, the rat is shocked unless it presses down on the lever.

Pavlov’s findings (1927)

if a NS is paired with an UCS many times the hungry dog will salivate even in the absence of the UCS because the NS has become a CS that produces a CR

Skinner’s findings (1938)

the rat learnt quickly to press the lever for food due to positive reinforcement, the rat learnt to press the lever to avoid being shocked due to negative reinforcement because its removing the unpleasant feeling of being shocked

method for Bandura et al research (1961)

Bandura did an experiment investigating the imitative learning of children who observed an aggressive or non-agressive model interacting with a Bobo doll. Condition 1: half the children observed model aggressively interacting with Bobo doll, like striking it with a mallet and verbal aggression (saying POW). Condition 2: half the children observed model non-aggressively interacting with Bobo doll. In both conditions, children were then taken to a room with a Bobo doll and their interactions with it observed. In a follow up study, models were rewarded or punished or had no consequence for their aggression.

Bandura et al (1961) research findings

Children who observed the aggressive model reproduced a lot of physical and verbal behaviour of the model. Children who observed the non-aggressive model displayed almost no aggression toward the Bobo doll. Children who observed the model being rewarded for aggressive acts were more likely to display aggression to the Bobo doll. SUGGESTS children are more likely to imitate violent acts and modelling aggressive behaviour is more likely is the behaviour is rewarded through vicarious reinforcement.

evaluate Bandura A03

advantage - good reliability due to controlled conditions in a lab and participant variables controlled as girls and boys were matched for aggression. disadvantage - low ecological validity as conducted in a lab. disadvantage - ethical issues raised as the children being purposefully distressed to provoke an aggressive reaction could have potential lasting effects. disadvantage - limit to generalisability as children might not be as aggressive towards a human if they observed a model being aggressive to another human even if they were rewarded.

vicarious reinforcement

learning through observing someone else being reinforced for a behaviour

imitation

the action of using someone/something else as a model and copying their behaviour

mediational processes

the internal mental processes that exist between environmental stimuli and the response of the individual to the stimuli, A=Attention, R=Retention, M=Motor reproduction, M=Motivation, for imitation to occur the individual must pay attention, then retain the information of the behaviour, then be able to perform the behaviour physically and mentally, then have the will to perform it (this is based on whether the behaviour has positive or negative consequences)

modelling

a form of learning where individuals learn a behaviour by observing another individual/model performing that behaviour

identification

an individual adopts a behaviour/attitude because they want to associated with a particular person/group, more likely to imitate behaviour of people they identify with, a role model is seen as possessing similar characteristics to the observer or are attractive or have high status

assumptions of social learning theory

people learn through observation and imitation of others, learning occurs through indirect reinforcement like vicarious reinforcement

evaluate social learning theory A03 - useful applications

advantage - SLT has useful applications to everyday life. For example, its principles can be applied to increase our understanding of criminal behaviour. Research has found the probability of an individual engaging in criminal behaviour increases when they have been exposed to models who commit crimes, identify with these models, and develop the expectation to be rewarded for their own criminal behaviour. Other research has found the strongest cause of violent behaviour in adolescence was association with peer groups where violence was modelled and rewarded. ALSO, health campaigns by the media feature models with similar characteristics of their target audience, greater identification with the models is expected to influence modelling.

evaluate social learning theory A03 - research support for identification

advantage - Fox et al (2009) found evidence for identification in their study where computer generated virtual humans engaged in exercise or loitering. The models looked either similar or dissimilar to the participants. Participants who viewed a model similar to them exercising engaged in more exercise in the 24 hours after the experiment than participants who viewed a similar model loitering. Suggests greater identification with a model leads to more learning because its easier to visualise oneself in the place of the model so the observer feels as if they are having the same experience.

evaluate social learning theory A03 - problem establishing causality

disadvantage - SLT explanations for deviant behaviour being related to increased associations with deviant peers increases the likelihood an individual will adopt the same attitudes. However, a study found that young people who possess deviant attitudes/values like low self control would seek out peers with similar attitudes as they are more fun to be with. The cause of delinquency could be explained by the possession to deviant attitudes prior to contact with deviant peers reducing the accuracy of SLT ability to establish causes.

evaluate social learning theory A03 - complexity of influences on behaviours

disadvantage - By focusing exclusively on SLT other influences on behaviour are disregarded. For example, SLT emphasises the importance of gender-specific modelling whereas in real life an individual is exposed to many different influences like gender predispositions, media portrayals, locus of control. This presents a problem for SLT researchers as if so many things can influence a behaviour its very difficult to show that SLT is a main causal influence of a behaviour