learning approach Flashcards
What is the learning approach otherwise known as?
The behaviourist approach
What are the three main components to the learning approach?
Classical conditioning, Operant conditioning and social learning theory.
Which psychologist is associated which classical conditioning?
Ivan Pavlov (1927)
Which psychologist is associated with operant conditioning?
Burrhus Skinner (1938)
Which psychologist is associated with social learning theory?
Albert Bandura (1961)
what is the basic principle of classical conditioning?
- We are all born with natural reflexes.
- these are made up of a stimulus and a naturally associated response.
- when other stimuli is continuously associated with this stimulus then eventually the new stimulus triggers the same response.
- the response has been learned( conditioned).
How did Pavlovs work with dogs show classical conditioning?
- he noticed when investigating salivary responses in dogs that the dogs started to salivate when they saw the technician who fed them before food was presented.
- he tested this
- before conditioning the dogs salivated when they saw food but had a neutral response when they heard a bell.
- the bell was paired with the food and was rung every time food was presented producing salivation
- after conditioning the dogs salivated when they heard the bell before food was presented and this conditioned stimulus had produced and conditioned response.
how can classical conditioning be shown in letters?
UCS= UCR
NS=NR
UCS + NS= UCR
CS( WAS NS) = CR
What did skinner use to test operant conditioning?
rats
what did skinner say caused whether or not a behaviour was repeated or not?
the nature of this behaviours consequences , ie was it reinforced.
whats the basic assumption of the learning theory? learning is a result of …?
experience
what was Skinners box experiment?
he developed a cage called skinners box. rats inside moved and when they accidently pressed a food pellet they received a food pellet. After a short while the rats began pressing the lever more to get more food. if the food stopped coming the rat abandoned the lever.
what was the reinforcement in skinners experiment?
the rat receiving the food pellet
two types of reinforcement?
positive and negative
what is positive reinforcement?
a behaviour produces a pleasant response
what is negative reinforcement?
removing something unpleasant- so they go back to a pre adverse state
As reinforcement increases the reoccurrence of the behaviour ….?
increases
Two types of punishment?
positive and negative
what is positive punishment?
adding something unpleasant as a consequence
what is negative punishment?
taking away something pleasent
strengths of classical conditioning?
- Lead to the development of treatments for phobias by eliminating the conditioned response e.g. systematic desensitisation
- examples can easily be seen in real life
- supported by research e.g. Pavlov’s dogs
Weaknesses of classical conditioning?
-Tested on animals- may be unethical as they cannot give informed consent and also cannot necessarily be generalised to human behaviour
-Different species face different challenges to survive so have different capabilities to learn through classical conditioning so a relationship between CS and UCS may be more difficult to establish
-Seligman said that animals are prepared to learn associations to help their survival.
Ignores the role that biological processes and cognitive framework has on behaviour.
Strengths of operant conditioning?
- Relies upon an empirical method- uses controlled conditions to discover causal relationships
- He could accurately measure the effects on the rats behaviour to establish a cause and effect relationship.
Weaknesses of operant conditioning?
Skinners study was done on animals so show little about human behaviour
Humans have free will whereas animals do not ( have behaviour determined by positive or negative reinforcement) so results cannot be generalised
Skinner argued that free will is an illusion and in fact it is external influences that guide our behaviour.
Ignores the role that biological processes and cognitive framework has on behaviour.