learning approaches exam questions

Question 1

outline skinner research into reinforcement (3 MARKS)

Answer 1

• skinner placed rats into a skinner box. He conditioned rats to press a lever and a food pallet would come out. this is positive reinforcement. negative reinforcement was shown when the rat learnt to press down the lever to avoid the unpleasant consequence of an electric shock

Question 2

what do social learning theorists mean by imitation (1 MARK)

Answer 2

imitation means copying behaviour of a role model

Question 3

discuss 2 limitations of social learning theory (6 MARKS)

Answer 3

• there is difficulty demonstrating cause and effect - although Bandura research controlled variables and demonstrated behaviour was imitated it is difficult to show cause and effect in real life
• sees behaviour as environmentally determined whereas some behaviours may be innate