• Learning approaches: i) the behaviourist approach, including classical conditioning and Pavlov's research, operant conditioning, types of reinforcement and Skinner's research; ii) social learning theory including imitation, identification, modelling, vicarious reinforcement, the role of mediational processes and Bandura's research. •

What are the Basic Assumptions of the Behaviourist Approach?

• All behaviour is learned from the environment.
• Humans are born as blank slates (tabula rasa).
• Psychology should study observable behaviour scientifically.
• Learning occurs through conditioning.

What is Tabula Rasa?

• Means “blank slate”.
• Behaviourists believe humans are born without innate knowledge and behaviour is learned through experience.

What is Classical Conditioning?

• Learning through association between two stimuli.
• Proposed by Pavlov.

Who was Pavlov?

• Behaviourist researcher who investigated classical conditioning using dogs.
• Demonstrated that behaviours can be learned through association.

Pavlov’s Research — Aim

• Investigated conditioned reflexes and learning through association.

Pavlov’s Research — Procedure

• Dogs presented with food which naturally caused salivation.
• Bell repeatedly paired with food.
• Eventually bell alone produced salivation.

Pavlov’s Research — Findings

• Dogs learned to salivate to the bell alone after repeated association.
• Supports classical conditioning.

What is an Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)?

• Stimulus that naturally produces a response.
• Example: food.

What is an Unconditioned Response (UCR)?

• Natural response produced by the unconditioned stimulus.
• Example: salivation to food.

What is a Neutral Stimulus (NS)?

• Stimulus that initially produces no response.
• Example: bell before conditioning.

What is a Conditioned Stimulus (CS)?

• Previously neutral stimulus that produces a learned response after conditioning.
• Example: bell after association with food.

What is a Conditioned Response (CR)?

• Learned response to the conditioned stimulus.
• Example: salivation to bell.

What is Operant Conditioning?

• Learning through consequences of behaviour.
• Proposed by Skinner.
• Behaviour followed by reinforcement is more likely to be repeated.

Who was Skinner?

• Behaviourist researcher who investigated operant conditioning.
• Believed behaviour is shaped by consequences such as reinforcement and punishment.

What was the Skinner Box?

• Controlled box used to study operant conditioning in rats and pigeons.
• Included levers, food dispensers and sometimes electric floors.

Skinner’s Research — Procedure

• Rats or pigeons placed inside Skinner Box.
• Animals learned behaviours such as pressing a lever through reinforcement or punishment.

Skinner’s Research — Findings

• Reinforced behaviour became more likely to be repeated.
• Punished behaviour became less likely to occur.
• Supports operant conditioning.

What is Reinforcement?

• Consequence that increases likelihood of behaviour being repeated.

What is Positive Reinforcement?

• Adding a pleasant consequence after behaviour.
• Increases likelihood behaviour will be repeated.
• Example: reward or praise.

What is Negative Reinforcement?

• Removing an unpleasant consequence after behaviour.
• Increases likelihood behaviour will be repeated.
• Example: stopping an electric shock or alarm.

What is Punishment?

• Consequence that decreases likelihood of behaviour being repeated.

What is Positive Punishment?

• Adding an unpleasant consequence after behaviour.
• Decreases likelihood behaviour will be repeated.

What is Negative Punishment?

• Removing a pleasant consequence after behaviour.
• Decreases likelihood behaviour will be repeated.

What are Schedules of Reinforcement?

• Patterns that determine when reinforcement is given.
• Continuous reinforcement leads to rapid learning.
• Partial reinforcement creates behaviour resistant to extinction.

Behaviourist Approach AO3 — Scientific Methods

• Behaviourists used controlled laboratory experiments.
• Increased objectivity, reliability and scientific credibility.

Behaviourist Approach AO3 — Real World Applications

• Behaviourist principles used in therapies, education and token economies.
• Demonstrates practical usefulness of the approach.

Behaviourist Approach AO3 — Environmental Determinism

• Behaviourism suggests behaviour is controlled entirely by environmental experiences.
• Ignores free will and personal choice.

Behaviourist Approach AO3 — Ignores Biological Factors

• Behaviourism assumes behaviour is entirely learned.
• Ignores influence of genetics, biology and innate factors on behaviour.

What are the Basic Assumptions of Social Learning Theory?

• Behaviour is learned through observation and imitation.
• Learning occurs indirectly through observing others.
• Cognitive processes are involved in learning.

What is Modelling?

• Demonstration of behaviour by a role model for an observer to imitate.

What is Imitation?

• Copying behaviour observed in another person.

What is Identification?

• Occurs when an individual relates to and wants to be like a role model.
• More likely with admired or similar models.

What is Vicarious Reinforcement?

• Learning through observing consequences of another person’s behaviour.
• Behaviour more likely imitated if model is rewarded.

What are Mediational Processes?

• Cognitive processes involved in observational learning.
• Mediate between stimulus and response.

What are the Four Mediational Processes?

• Attention — noticing behaviour.
• Retention — remembering behaviour.
• Motor — ability to perform behaviour.
• Motivation — wanting to imitate behaviour.

Who was Bandura?

• Researcher who developed social learning theory.
• Investigated observational learning using the Bobo doll study.

Bandura’s Research — Procedure

• Children observed aggressive or non-aggressive adult models interacting with a Bobo doll.
• Children’s behaviour was later observed.

Bandura’s Research — Findings

• Children exposed to aggressive models showed more aggressive behaviour.
• Aggression more likely to be imitated if model was rewarded.
• Supports imitation and vicarious reinforcement.

Social Learning Theory AO3 — Research Support

• Bandura’s research supports observational learning and imitation.
• Demonstrates role of modelling in behaviour.

Social Learning Theory AO3 — Cognitive Factors

• SLT recognises role of mental processes in learning.
• More complete explanation than strict behaviourism.

Social Learning Theory AO3 — Less Scientific

• Mediational processes cannot be directly observed.
• Makes some concepts difficult to measure objectively.

Social Learning Theory AO3 — Reciprocal Determinism

• Behaviour influenced by interaction between cognition, behaviour and environment.
• Provides more flexible explanation of behaviour than behaviourism.