Behaviourism Flashcards
(19 cards)
What is behaviourism?
Theory that behaviour is learnt from experience, only observable behaviour is measured scientifically.
What is classical conditioning?
Learning through association, between a previously neutral stimulus & a reflex reaction.
What is pavlov’s study?
Showed how a neutral stimulus (bell) can lead to a new learned response.
What is stimulus generalisation?
Association is made to a new stimulus that is slightly similar to the original, there is a cut off point- stimulus discrimination.
What is temporal contiguity?
The association only occurs if the unconditioned stimulus and neutral stimulus are presented at the same time or around the same time.
What is classical conditioning?
Learning is an active process whereby humans and animals operate on their environment.
What is positive reinforcement?
Receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed.
What is negative reinforcement?
Avoiding something unpleasant (e.g avoidance of electrified floor).
What is punishment?
Unpleasant consequence of behaviour.
How does operant conditions affect the likelihood of behaviour?
Positive and negative reinforcement increase the likelihood a behaviour will be repeated.
Punishment decreases the likelihood a behaviour will be repeated.
What is the Skinner box?
A puzzle box, first time to escape took as long as chance to press the lever, after the animal learnt to press the lever strange away in the same conditions, this becomes a learnt behaviour.
What is the ABC of operant conditioning?
Antecedents- what happens prior to tea behaviour being performed.
Behaviours- skinner called these the operants.
Consequences- after the operant, the result.
What is continuous reinforcement?
Repeated every time it happens, e.g a child gets a sticker every time they get a question right.
What is variable interval reinforcement?
Provided after random intervals of time, e.g health inspections.
What is fixed interval reinforcement?
Provided after a fixed amount of time since the last, e.g. weekly pay checks.
What is fixed ratio reinforcement?
Provided after a fixed number of responses have occurred. e.g. a child must do 5 chores before receiving money.
What is variable ratio reinforcement?
Provided after an unpredictable number of responses have occurred. e.g. door to door sales go to every house but don’t know when they will find an untested buyer.
What are the strengths of the behaviour approach?
• use of scientific methodology gave psychology credulity- highly controlled and replicable.
• real life application (token economy systems- exchange tokens for rewards).
What are the weaknesses of the behaviourist approach?
• Deterministic- assume people are passive puppets of the their circumstances, ignores free will.
• ignored wider influences of cognitive processing.
• ethical issues- Skinner box is harmful.
• assumes animals studies are similar to humans.
• spontaneous behaviour is not easily explained.
