learning approach : behaviourism

Question 1

define the behaviourist approach

Answer 1

• all behaviours are learnt from our environment
• studying observable behaviour

Question 2

assumptions:

Answer 2

• All animals are born with a blank slate and all behaviours are learned from experiences
• Only investigate things that can be observed and measured
• lab studies to maintain more control and objectivity within their research
• animals and humans learn in the same way
• all learning is acquired through classical/operant conditioning

Question 3

classical conditioning

Answer 3

= This is learning through association
- We learn to associate a previously neutral stimulus with a stimulus that already produces a response
- Through regular pairing, the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus producing a new learned response (conditioned response)

Question 4

classical conditioning = pavlovs dog

Answer 4

Pavlov conditioned dogs to salivate when a bell rings
Before conditioning: UCS = food, UCR = salivation, NS = bell
UCS → UCR
NS → No response
During conditioning: bell and food occur at the same time
NS + UCS
After conditioning: CS = bell, CR = salivation
CS → CR
- When the bell rang the dog started to salivate even when there was no food present
- Pavlov showed how a neutral stimulus (bell) can come to elicit a new learned response (conditioned stimulus) through association

Question 5

little albert

Answer 5

• Watson and Raynor
• Whenever Albert played with a white rat, a loud noise was made. The noise (UCS) caused a fear response (UCR).
• Rat (NS) did not create fear until the bang and the rat had been paired together several times.
• Albert showed a fear response (CR) every time he came into contact with the rat (now a CS).

Question 6

what is operant conditioning?

Answer 6

This is learning through the consequence

Question 7

operant conditioning: 3 types of consequences

Answer 7

1. Positive reinforcement - receiving a reward when behaviour is performed
2. Negative reinforcement - produces behaviour that avoids something unpleasant
3. Punishment - an unpleasant consequence of behaviour

Positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement increase the likelihood that behaviour will be repeated. Punishment decreases it.

Question 8

operant conditioning : skinners box

Answer 8

● Rats and pigeons in specially designed cages
● Positive reinforcement: when a rat activated a lever (or a pigeon pecked a disc) it was rewarded with a food pellet
- a desirable consequence led to behaviour being repeated
● Negative reinforcement: the rat would also press a lever to avoid an electric shock, and this behaviour would also be repeated