Behaviourism

• Classical conditioning is learning by association
• Operant conditioning is learning by consequence
• Assumption of behaviourism 1:

  humans are born on a blank slate
• Assumption of behaviourism 2:

  Behaviour is learnt
• Assumptions of behaviour 3:

  only observable behaviour can be scientifically studied
• (Classical Conditioning) Pavlovs dogs:

  -when a bell (Neutral Stimulus) was presented to the dogs and there was no salivation

  -when food (Unconditioned Stimulus) was presented there was salivation (Unconditioned Response)

  -when the bell (Neutral Stimulus) and food (Unconditioned Stimulus) were paired, after time there was salivation (Unconditioned Response)

  -eventually the presence of the bell (Conditioned Stimulus) caused salivation (Conditioned Response)
• Strengths of classical conditioning:

  -Showed learning could be investigated experimentally

  -Led to therapy for treatments of disorders (e.g phobias, addictions)
• Limitations of classical conditioning:

  -Human behaviour can be voluntary

  -Cc ignores role of cognitive and biological factors
• Types of consequence:

  -Positive reinforcement

  -Negative reinforcement

  -Punishment
• (Operant conditioning) Skinners Rats: Positive reinforcement


  A hungry rat was placed in a box with a lever

  when the rat accidentally touched the lever food was released

  the rat eventually learned the lever produced food
• (Operant conditioning) Skinners Rats: Negative reinforcement

  rat was placed in a box with a lever

  the lever caused the rat to recieve an electric shock when it was touched

  the rat learned to not touch the lever
• Partial reinforcement is when the response is only reinforced some of the time
• Continuous reinforcement is when the response is reinforced every time
• positive reinforcement is addition of a positive outcome or reward is given after a behaviour has been performed to increase the likelihood of it being repeated
• negative reinforcement is when an unpleasent stimulus is removed which increases the likelihood of a behaviour will be repeated