Approaches Flashcards
(199 cards)
What are the different approaches
Behaviour Social learning theory Cognitive Biological Bipsychology Psychodynamic Humanistic
What are the key features of the behaviourist approach
- observable behaviour only
- lab experiments
- advocate use of animals
- classical conditioning
- operant conditioning
- positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement and punishment
Why was introspection rejected by behaviourists
Concepts were vague and difficult to measure
Why did behaviourists use lab experiments
They tried to maintain more control and objectivity
What is introspection
Studying and reporting thought processes
Why do behaviourists advocate the use of animals in research
The processes that govern learning are the same in all species so non human animals can replace humans as experimental subjects
How do you learn classical conditioning
Through association
How does classical conditioning work
Before conditioning: unconditioned response to unconditioned stimulus.
During conditioning:
Neutral stimulus and unconditioned stimulus presented at same time.
After conditioning:
The neutral stimulus before a conditioned stimulus and produces a conditioned response
What did Skinner suggest that learning is
An active process whereby humans and animals operate on their environment
In operant conditioning what is behaviour done
Shaped and maintained by its consequence
What is positive reinforcement
Receiving a reward when a behaviour is performed
What is negative reinforcement
When an animal or humans produces a behaviour that avoids something unpleasant
What is punishment
An unpleasant consequence of behaviour
What do positive reinforcement, negative reinforced and punishment do
P and N reinforment increase the likelihood that bevaiour will be repeated and punishment decreases the liklihood of the behaviour
Procedure of Skinner study
Experiment with rats in specially designed cages. Animals were kept at about three quarters of normal weight to ensure it was hungry. All aspects were controlled.
Every time the rat pulled a lever it was rewarded with food.
In other variations the rat had to perform the behaviour to avoid unpleasant stimulus like electric shock.
Key study for operant conditioning
Skinners box
Findings of Skinners box
Rewards led to behaviour being repeated (positive reinforcement)
Negative reinforment led to repeated behaviour to avoid negative stimulus
Study for classical conditioning
Pavlov
Procedure of pavlovs study
Before learning food ( UCS) would produce the innate response of salivation (UCR).
During learning Pavlov would sound a bell ( NS) every time he presented the dog with food. This was done multiple times
Findings of Pavlovs study
After learning the dog would salivate (CR) every time the bell was presented on its own (CS).
Through classical conditioning the dog has learnt to associate the sound of the bell with food.
Limitation of the behaviourist approach
Using animals has ethical issues. Skinners box allowed behaviourists a high degree of control however Animals involved were exposed to stressful conditionings which may have effected how they reacted to the experimental situation. Means validity of findings might be questionable.
Strength of behaviourist approach (prisons)
Real world applications. Token economy systems (based on OC) have been used successfully in prisons. These work by rewarding appropriate behaviour with tokens can be exchanged for privledges. Therefore there’s a good application to help behaviour
Limitation of behaviourist approach (mechanistic)
Based on mechanistic view of behaviour. Says we have little conscious insight into our behaviour. Other approaches such as social learning theory and cognitive approach char placed more emphasis on mental events that occur during learning. May suggest that people okay a much more active role in their own learning than the behaviourists day.
Key features of social learning theory
- learning occurs indirectly
- observing consequences of behaviour
- mediational (cognitive) processes play crucial role
- recognised distinction between learning and performance
- identification with role roles
- two types of modelling