What are the BEHAVIOURIST assumptions?
- Humans are born like a blank slate.
- Behaviour is learnt through conditioning.
- Humans learn in similar ways to animals.
What does ‘tabula rasa’ mean?
Blank Slate
What’s an example of the assumption: Humans are born like a blank slate?
Bandura’s Bobo Doll Study:
Children observed an adult aggressively play with a bobo doll. The children were then more likely to replicate the behaviours.
What is classical conditioning?
Learning through association.
Give an example of classical conditioning.
Pavlov’s Dogs:
Ringing a bell provoked salivation in dogs.
What is operant conditioning?
Learning through consequence/ reinforcement.
What is positive reinforcement?
Receiving a reward (desired outcome) when a certain behaviour is performed, to encourage that behaviour.
What is negative reinforcement?
Taking away something bad when a certain behaviour is performed, to increase a behaviour.
What is vicarious reinforcement?
When a person’s behaviour changed based on consequences that happen to an observed model.
What’s an example of classical conditioning applied to humans?
Little Albert Study:
Phobia of a white rat conditioned into a child through association.
What is punishment?
Weakens behaviour and decreases the chances of it occurring again.
