Individual Differences - Learning Theories

Question 1

What are individual differences?

Answer 1

Characteristics that vary from one person to another

Question 2

What do individual differences refer to in learning theories?

Answer 2

In learning theories, individual differences refer to differences in people because of different environmental influences and experiences

Question 3

What individual differences are there in classical conditioning?

Answer 3

Systematic desensitisation and flooding treatments for phobias based on the principles of classical conditioning

There are individual differences in which treatment a client chooses

Question 4

What is the supporting evidence for individual differences in classical conditioning?

Answer 4

APA (2006)

Evidence to support the general idea that client individual differences are important in understanding effective treatments for mental health problems

Question 5

What is the weakness for individual differences in classical conditioning?

Answer 5

Behaviourists would argue all behaviours are learnt the same way and therefore it doesn’t really account for individual differences

Question 6

What did Skinner suggest about individual differences ?

Skinner operant conditioning and schedules of reinforcement

Answer 6

Suggested our differences in our learning experiences are the main reason behind our individual differences in our behaviour

We learn these patterns of behaviour either directly or indirectly

Some behaviours can be explained by reinforcement schedules experienced by some people and not others

The behavioural approach suggests that all behaviours are a product of behaving and the evironment

Question 7

What individual differences are there in SLT?

Answer 7

SLT explains individual differences in socail behaviour as we observe models in our environment and learn to imitate them

Individual differences in vulnerability to eating disorders may be due to the observation and desire to imitate the media images of impossibly thin celebrities

Individual differences may be explained by vicarious reinforcement or vicarious punishment

Question 8

What is the supporting evidence for individual differences in SLT?

Answer 8

Bandura (1961)

Established that individuals differ as a result of the behaviour of the role models observed

Question 9

What is the weakness of individual differences in SLT?

Answer 9

Not everyone who experiences a certain role models imitates that behaviour