Chapter 6 : Behaviorism & Learning Theory

Behaviorism & Learning Theory

• De-emphasizes (or rejects) the importance of unobservable hypothetical constructs:

  • Traits, defense mechanisms, unconscious conflicts, etc.

• Grew out of the empirical tradition.

  • Emphasizes scientific approaches to the study of observable behavior.

• Behavior develops primarily through experience and interaction with the environment (i.e., “learning”).

• Associationism:

  • S – S associations (stimulus – stimulus).

  • S – R associations(stimulus – response).

Classical Conditioning 

Ivan Pavlov.  (1890s.)

• Russian physiologist.

• Studied digestive responses of dogs.

• Developed the classical conditioning model of learning theory.

  • aka., respondent conditioning.

Pavlov’s initial experiment:

• Presented food to dog, which naturally elicited salivation.

• The sound of a bell does not naturally elicit salivation.

• Repeatedly paired the presentation of food with sound of a bell 

=elicited salivation.

• Eventually, presented the sound of a bell alone, which then elicited salivation.

Labeling the parts:

• Neutral stimulus (NS): does not naturally elicit a response.

• Unconditioned stimulus (UCS): naturally elicits a response.

• Unconditioned response (UCR): the response that is naturally elicited by the UCS.

• Conditioned stimulus (CS): the formerly NS, which now (after conditioning) elicits the response.

• Conditioned response (CR): the formerly unconditioned response, which is now elicited by the conditioned stimulus.

After classical conditioning has occurred:

• Stimulus generalization: Occurs when the CR is elicited by other stimuli, similar to the CS.

  • The power to elicit the CR has “generalized” from the CS to other, similar stimuli.

  • Ex) A boy is repeatedly stung by bees develops a fear reaction to all flying insects.

• Stimulus discrimination: Occurs when the organism learns to not respond to stimuli similar to the CS.

  • The person has learned to discriminate (“tell the difference”) btw stimuli.

  • Ex) The same boy is fearful only of flying insects, not all insects. He fears mosquitoes but not ants.

Extinction: If the CS is later presented repeatedly, without the UCS, the CS will eventually lose the power to elicit the CR.

• Ex) if the bell is presented repeatedly without presenting food, the bell loses the power to elicit salivation.

• The association has been “extinguished.”

Classical Conditioning explains:

Likes & dislikes.

Emotional reactions.

Anxiety & fear responses.

Many responses with a physiological basis.

Origins of Behaviorism 

• John Watson (US, 1920s).  

  • Rejected introspection.

  • Founder of behaviorism: Approach that focused on scientific study of observable behavior.

  • “Little Albert” experiment.  11 month-old boy, not naturally afraid of white rat, dog, rabbit, or monkey.

  • When loud noise (hammer on steel rod) paired w/ white rat, Albert developed fear of white rat alone.

  • Conditioned fear reaction.

  • Generalized to similar objects (e.g., white rabbit, dog, fur coat).

Watson’s “Little Albert” Experiment

Radical Behaviorism

B.F. Skinner: active 1940s-1960s.

Influenced by the pioneering experimental psychologist, Edward Thorndike.

“Law of effect”: the consequences of a behavior will either strengthen or weaken that behavior.

Skinner developed operant conditioning, as a model to explain how consequences influence behavior.

aka., instrumental conditioning.

Based on work with animal training.

Operant Conditioning 

Reinforcer: consequence that increases probability of behavior recurring in future.

Punisher: consequence that decreases probability of behavior recurring in future.

Operant Conditioning 

Escape and avoidance learning: Learning to perform a certain behavior in order to remove an aversive stimulus.

Ex) shielding one’s eyes from the sun.

Ex) avoiding (or escaping) crowds, to reduce fear of crowds.

Fundamental to most anxiety-based conditions.

Based on the process of negative RFT.

Extinction: When a previously reinforced behavior no longer reliably results in a consequence, the behavior gradually decreases in frequency.

Ex) Child’s whining no longer results in getting his/her way. Whining gradually decreases.

Criticism of the Behaviorism