behaviourism

• Behaviourism assumptions:

  • we learn how to behave from experience (nurture)
  • only observable behaviour is measurable scientifically and it is only these behaviours that should be studied
  • it is valid to study the behaviour of animals as they share the same principles of learning
  • we are born a blank slate so no genetic influence on behaviour
  • two key principles :operant and classical conditioning
• Fill in the blanks for classical conditioning

  before conditioning:

  unconditioned stimulus -> unconditioned response

  during conditioning:

  unconditioned stimulus + neutral stimulus -> unconditioned response

  after conditioning:

  conditioned stimulus -> conditioned response

  
• classical conditioning definition:

  learning through association and repetition
• unconditioned stimulus:

  something that naturally triggers a reflexive response without prior learning or conditioning.
• unconditioned response:

  a automatic response to a stimulus
• neutral stimulus:

  a stimulus that at first elicits no response
• conditioned stimulus:

  a previously neutral stimulus that eventually triggers a conditioned response
• conditioned response:

  a learned response to a stimuls
• pavlov study:

  Pavlov demonstrated the concept of classical conditioning by using a bell to make a dog have an association with the beg to food, causing it to salivate.
• pavlov classical conditioning:

  before

  unconditioned stimulus (food) —> unconditioned response (salivating)

  during

  unconditioned stimulus (food) + neutral stimulus(bell) —> unconditioned response (salivating )

  after

  conditioned stimulus (bell) —> conditioned response (salivating)

  
• extinction definition (Pavlov)

  Pavlov discovered that the conditioned response does not become permanently established as a response. After a few presentations of the conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus the conditioned response is no longer seen.
• spontaneous recovery definition:

  following extinction, if the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus are paired once again the link between them is made much more quickly.
• operant conditioning

  • a form of learning in which behaviour is shaped and maintained by consequences
  • possible consequences include positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement and punishment which makes behaviour more likely to occur.
• positive reinforcement:

  receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is preformed

  e.g money
• negative reinforcement:

  when you carry out a behaviour to avoid something unpleasant
• punishment:

  an unpleasant consequence for carrying out behaviour so the behaviour is less likely to occur
• skinners research - laboratory experiment

  positive reinforcement = knocked the lever down so was awarded with food

  negative reinforcement = knocked the lever down so avoided an electric shock (avoided punishment)

  
• who did the rat experiment for operant conditioning:

  skinner 1953