behaviourism: learning theory (conditioning)

Question 1

What is the behaviourist approach?

Answer 1

we develop or learn behaviour through classical and operant conditioning

Question 2

What was Pavlov’s classical conditioning experiment?

Answer 2

• Pavlov studied salivation in dogs in a lab, by inserting a tube that collected saliva into their jaw
• Pavlov presented the dog with the (NS) of a bell - no response
• Food (UCS) produced salivation (UCR)
• Pavlov paired the presentation of the NS (bell) and the UCS (food) over and over until the presentation of the bell alone (now the CS) produced the (CR) of salivation in the dog
• The dog has learned via classical conditioning/association that the bell means food is coming

Question 3

What are the 3 types of operant conditioning and how do they affect behaviour?

Answer 3

• positive reinforcement = increases behaviour
• negative reinforcement = increases behaviour
• punishment = decreases behaviour

Question 4

What is Skinner’s operant conditioning experiment?

Answer 4

• Skinner experimented on rats in a ‘Skinner Box’ (highly controlled lab setting)
• There are 3 key features to his study: positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, punishment

Question 5

What was Skinner’s positive reinforcement experiment?

Answer 5

• a starved rat was introduced into the box
• when the lever was pressed by the rat, a small pellet of food was dropped onto a tray
• the rat soon learned that when he pressed the lever he would receive some food
• in this experiment the lever pressing behaviour is reinforced by food

Question 6

What was Skinner’s -ve reinforcement experiment?

Answer 6

• Rat was given an electric shock through the floor of skinner box.
• As the rat moved about the box it would accidentally knock the lever. Immediately the electric current would be switched off.
• The rats quickly learned to go straight to the lever after being put in the box.
• The consequence of escaping the electric current ensured that they would repeat the action again and again.

Question 7

What was Skinner’s punishment experiment?

Answer 7

• when the rat in the Skinner’s pressed the lever, the heat would be turned off.
• the rat is receiving punishment and would learn to avoid the lever

Question 8

What are the positives of the behaviourist approach?

Answer 8

• Scientific:
• Real life application:

Question 9

expand on the +ve AO3 Scientific

Answer 9

• the beginning of psychology as a science
• Pavlov, Skinner and Watson used objective, replicable, empirical methods based in a lab –> moved psychology forward from Wundt’s failed attempts at establishing psychology as a science

Question 10

expand on the +ve AO3 real life application

Answer 10

• Systematic Desensitisation has the highest international success rate in the treatment of phobias and uses the principles of classical conditioning.
• Token economy systems are successfully used in schools, hospitals and prisons (operant conditioning). –> The fact that these programs are successful shows the theory must be valid.

Question 11

What are the negatives of the behaviourist approach?

Answer 11

• Environmental reductionism
• Environmental determinism
• Cannot explain all behaviours
• Diathesis stress model
• extrapolation

Question 12

expand on the -ve AO3 point environmental reductionism

Answer 12

• The behaviourist view of human behaviour is oversimplified - assumes a simple stimulus-response mechanism (in the form of conditioning) is causing all behaviour.
• This is hugely oversimplified and a very passive explanation of human behaviour.
• What about other explanations for behaviour- cognition, emotion, unconscious?

Question 13

expand on the -ve AO3 point environmental determinism

Answer 13

• assumes you have no free will and that you are completely at the mercy of your environment
• your behaviour is entirely determined by classical and operant conditioning which is disputed by many psychologists (e.g. humanists who advocate personal choice)

Question 14

expand on the -ve AO3 point , cannot explain all behaviours

Answer 14

• E.g. Why is it that I was scratched by a cat across my face at the age of 3, but I am obsessed with cats?
• According to the behavioural approach this simple event could be enough to give me a phobia for life (through the dual process model). Yet it hasn’t.
• This shows that OTHER FACTORS other than behavioural concepts must be taken into consideration:

Question 15

expand on the -ve AO3 diathesis stress model

Answer 15

• This is the idea that I may be born with a biological predisposition that makes me more or less vulnerable to a certain behaviour (e.g. a gene)
• However my ENVIRONMENT dictates whether or not this behaviour is brought out.
• So perhaps I did not develop a cat phobia because I inherited a gene that reduces my anxiety.

Question 16

expand on the -ve AO3 extrapolation

Answer 16

• Pavlov + Skinner = animals. Approach assumes all animals are the same - not the case - humans a lot more complex
• We have the issue of extrapolation of data from animal research.
• Animals are not the same as humans- we are so much more complex given our cognitive and emotional abilities- so any results obtained must be used with caution.