Major Approaches in Psychology - The Behaviourist Approach

Behaviourist Approach

  • Focuses on learning through environmental responses.
  • Emphasizes observable behavior over mental processes.
  • Learning occurs via stimulus-response or reinforcement.

Classical Conditioning (Pavlov)

  • Learning through association.
  • Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) leads to Unconditioned Response (UCR).
  • Neutral Stimulus paired with UCS becomes Conditioned Stimulus (CS), leading to Conditioned Response (CR).
  • Extinction: Weakening of CR when CS is not followed by UCS.
  • Spontaneous Recovery: Reappearance of extinguished CR after a period.
  • Blocking Effect: Lack of CR to a CS if another CS already predicts the response.
  • Generalization: Responding to similar stimuli.
  • Stimulus Discrimination: Differentiating between stimuli.
  • Little Albert Experiment: Demonstrated conditioned fear.

Operant Conditioning (Skinner)

  • Strengthening or weakening voluntary behaviors through reinforcement or punishment.
  • Law of Effect: Behaviors leading to satisfaction are repeated.
  • Reinforcement: Increases behavior frequency.
    • Primary Reinforcer: Related to survival (e.g., food).
    • Secondary Reinforcer: Associated with primary reinforcers (e.g., pay rise).
    • Positive Reinforcer: Adding desirable stimulus (e.g., hug).
    • Negative Reinforcer: Removing unpleasant stimulus (e.g., stopping lessons).
  • Punishment: Decreases behavior frequency.
    • Positive Punishment: Adding an aversive stimulus (e.g., spanking).
    • Negative Punishment: Removing a pleasant stimulus (e.g., taking away TV time).

Schedules of Reinforcement

  • Continuous Reinforcement: Reinforcing every instance of a behavior.
  • Partial Reinforcement: Reinforcing some instances of a behavior.
    • Fixed Ratio: Reinforcement after a set number of responses.
    • Variable Ratio: Reinforcement after a variable number of responses.
    • Fixed Interval: Reinforcement after a set time period.
    • Variable Interval: Reinforcement after a variable time period.
  • Shaping: Rewarding successive approximations of desired behavior.
  • Superstitious Behavior: Coincidental behavior reinforced by a following event.

Additional Concepts

  • Latent Learning: Learning without explicit reward, evident later.
  • Observational Learning (Social Cognitive Theory): Learning by observing others.

Comparing Classical & Operant Conditioning

  • Classical: Involuntary responses, learning before response.
  • Operant: Voluntary responses, learning after response.

Behavior Therapy

  • Applies classical and operant conditioning principles.
  • Examples:
    • Token Economy: Tokens for desired behaviors.
    • Aversion Therapy: Pairing unwanted behavior with aversive stimulus.
    • Programmed Learning: Self-instruction with immediate reinforcement.