Learning approaches: The behaviourist approach

Question 1

The behaviourist approach is only interested in studying behaviour that can be…

Answer 1

observed and measured

Question 2

True/False: The behaviourist approach is not concerned with investigating mental processes of the mind

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Early behaviourists accepted/rejected introspection

Answer 3

rejected

Question 4

Why is the behaviourist approach not concerned with investigating mental processes of the mind?

Answer 4

These were seen as irrelevant

Question 5

Why did early behaviourists reject introspection?

Answer 5

It involved too many concepts that were vague and difficult to measure

Question 6

Behaviourists tried to maintain what with their research?

Answer 6

Control and objectivity

Question 7

How did behaviourists achieve control and objectivity with their research?

Answer 7

Relying on lab studies

Question 8

Behaviourists believe that all behaviour is…

Answer 8

learned

Question 9

How would behaviourists describe a baby’s mind?

Answer 9

A ‘blank slate’ that is written on by experience

Question 10

The behaviourist approach suggests that the basic processes that govern what are the same in all species?

Answer 10

Learning

Question 11

In behaviourist research what replaces humans as experimental subjects?

Answer 11

Animals

Question 12

How many important forms of learning are identified in the behaviourist approach?

Answer 12

2

Question 13

Name the two forms of learning as identified by the behaviourist approach

Answer 13

Classical and operant conditioning

Question 14

Classical conditioning is learning through…

Answer 14

association

Question 15

Who was classical conditioning first demonstrated by?

Answer 15

Pavlov

Question 16

How did Pavlov first demonstrate classical conditioning?

Answer 16

Showing how dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell

Question 17

Pavlov showed that dogs could be conditioned to salivate to the sound of a bell if…

Answer 17

that sound was present at the time they were given food

Question 18

What did Pavlov’s dogs gradually learn?

Answer 18

To associate the sound of the bell with the food

Question 19

The bell and food in Pavlov’s experiment were what?

Answer 19

Stimuli

Question 20

In Pavlov’s experiment, the bell and food would produce..

Answer 20

the salivation response every time they heard the sound

Question 21

Pavlov was able to show how a neutral stimulus…

Answer 21

can elicit a new learned response (conditioned response

Question 22

What was the neutral stimulus in Pavlov’s experiment?

Answer 22

The bell

Question 23

Skinner suggested that learning is an active/passive process

Answer 23

active

Question 24

Skinner suggested that learning is an active process whereby humans and animals do what?

Answer 24

Operate on their environment

Question 25

Positive reinforcement

Answer 25

Receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed

Question 26

Praise from a teacher for answering a question correctly in class is an example of what in terms of operant conditioning?

Answer 26

Positive reinforcement

Question 27

A student handing in an essay to avoid being told off is an example of what in terms of operant conditioning?

Answer 27

Negative reinforcement

Question 28

Negative reinforcement occurs when...

Answer 28

an animal (or human) avoids something unpleasant and is therefore in receipt of a positive experience

Question 29

A rat may learn through what that pressing a lever leads to avoidance of an electric shock?

Answer 29

Negative reinforcement

Question 30

Punishment

Answer 30

An unpleasant consequence of behaviour

Question 31

Finding way to avoid being shouted at by a teacher is an example of what?

Answer 31

Negative reinforcement

Question 32

Operant conditioning states that behaviour is shaped by what?

Answer 32

Its consequences

Question 33

Positive and negative reinforcement increases/decreases the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated

Answer 33

increases

Question 34

Punishment increases/decreases the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated

Answer 34

decreases

Question 35

Give an example of where operant conditioning has been applied to real-world behaviours and problems

Answer 35

Token economies or treatment of phobias

Question 36

What is the basis of token economy systems?

Answer 36

Operant conditioning

Question 37

True/False: Operant conditioning has been used in token economy systems successfully, in institutions such as prisons and psychiatric wards

Answer 37

True

Question 38

How do token economy systems work?

Answer 38

By rewarding appropriate behaviour with tokens that can be exchanged for privileges

Question 39

Give an example of where classical conditioning has been applied to real-world behaviours and problems

Answer 39

Treatment of phobias

Question 40

The fact that principles of conditioning have been applied to real-world behaviours and problems does what for the behaviourist approach's widespread application?

Answer 40

Increases its value

Question 41

Procedures such as Skinner's box allowed behaviourists to maintain a high degree of what?

Answer 41

Control over their experimental 'subjects'

Question 42

Why may the ethics of procedures such as Skinner's box be questioned?

Answer 42

Animals were housed in harsh, cramped conditions and deliberately kept below their natural weight so they were always hungry

Question 43

True/False: In Skinner's procedure, he deliberately kept rats above their natural weight so they weren't hungry

Answer 43

False, he deliberately kept them below their natural weight so they were always hungry

Question 44

True/False: The behaviourist approach is based on well-controlled research

Answer 44

True

Question 45

The behaviourist approach focused on the measurement of observable behaviour within what?

Answer 45

Highly controlled lab settings

Question 46

How did behaviourists remove all other possible extraneous variables in their research?

Answer 46

By breaking down behaviour into basic stimulus-response units

Question 47

How were cause-and-effect relationships established in behaviourist research?

Answer 47

By removing all other possible extraneous variables through breaking down behaviour into basic stimulus-response units

Question 48

The fact that behaviourism is based on well-controlled research suggests...

Answer 48

that behaviourist experiments have scientific credibility

Question 49

How may have behaviourists oversimplified the learning process?

Answer 49

By reducing behaviour to such simple components

Question 50

What is the important influence on learning that behaviourists may have ignored?

Answer 50

Human thought

Question 51

The fact that other approaches such as social learning theory and the cognitive approach have drawn attention to the mental processes involved in learning suggests what about learning?

Answer 51

It is more complex than observable behaviour alone and private mental processes are also essential - something not addressed by the behaviourist approach

Question 52

Behaviourism sees all behaviour as what conditioned by what?

Answer 52

Past conditioning experiences

Question 53

Skinner suggested that everything we do is the sum total of our what?

Answer 53

Reinforcement history

Question 54

When something happens we may think 'I made the decision to do that'. According to Skinner, what determined this outcome?

Answer 54

Our past conditioning history

Question 55

What did Skinner say about free will?

Answer 55

It is an illusion

Question 56

Skinner's view that free will is an illusion is an extreme position that ignores what?

Answer 56

The influence of conscious decision-making processes on behaviour

Question 57

Behaviourism sees all behaviour as conditioned by past conditioning experiences. What is this an example of?

Answer 57

Environmental determinism