Behaviourism

• What were the key assumptions?

  • only interested in behaviour that can be observed and measured - not concerned with mental processes (seen as irrelevant)
  • relied on lab studies to maintain control - rejected introspection as it involved too many concepts
  • believe all behaviour is learned - born a blank slate that is written on by experience
  • believe generalisations from animals can be made to humans
• What are behaviourists research methods?


  They are based on their assumptions:

  • behaviour is learnt - understanding the principles of learning
  • animals learn in the same way as humans - they used animals as research subjects (easier, no demand characteristics)
  • mind is 'irrelevant' - observe quantifiable behaviour
• Who came up with the idea of 'classical conditioning'?


  Ivan Pavlov
• What is classical conditioning?


  a form of learning through associating a neutral stimulus to an unconditioned response
• What was Pavlov originally interested in? 


  digestion in dogs
• How did Pavlov conduct his experiment?

  • he noticed dogs salivated (natural reflex response) to food (stimulus which elicits reflex response)
  • he rang a bell at the same time as the dogs were given food
  • gradually, dogs associated the sound of the bell with food and would salivate to the bell alone
• Draw a diagram to represent Pavlov's classical conditioning


  unconditioned stimulus ----> unconditioned response

  (food) (salivation)

  unconditioned stimulus + neutral stimulus ---> unconditioned response

  (food) (bell) (salivation)

  conditioned stimulus -----> conditioned response

  (bell) (salivation)
• Draw a diagram to represent John Watson's experiment on Little Albert


  unconditioned stimulus -----> unconditioned response

  (loud noise) (fear, e.g. crying)

  unconditioned stimulus + neutral stimulus ---> unconditioned response

  (loud noise) (rat) (fear, e.g. crying)

  conditioned response ----> conditioned response

  (rat) (fear)
• Who came up with the idea of 'operant conditioning'?


  B.F Skinner
• Who proposed the 'law of effect'?


  Thorndike
• What is the law of effect?

  the principle that we can get a behaviour to be repeated using pleasurable stimuli and stopped by using unpleasant stimuli
• What is operant conditioning?


  a form of learning whereby a behaviour is performed (or not) due to the consequence which follows it
• What is positive reinforcement?


  a technique used to increase the likelihood of a desired behaviour by providing a reward or positive consequence after the behaviour occurs
• What is negative reinforcement?


  is the removal of an unpleasant stimulus to increase the likelihood of a desired behaviour, e.g. applying sun cream to remove chance of being burnt
• What is punishment?


  aiming to weaken behaviour in the hopes it is not repeated (finding a way to avoid that would be negative reinforcement)
• What is reinforcement?


  aiming to increase behaviour in the hopes it is repeated
• How can you distinguish between classical and operant conditioning?


  classical conditioning - based on reflex responses

  operant conditioning - based on voluntary, learnt behaviours
• Generalisation 


  when stimuli similar to the original conditioned stimulus produce the conditioned response, e.g. when Little Albert developed a fear of other white fluffy creatures rather than just the white rat
• Discrimination


  when stimuli similar to the original conditioned stimulus don't produce the conditioned response, e.g. if Little Albert wasn't scared of other white fluffy creatures
• Extinction


  when the conditioned response (salivation) isn't produced as a result of the conditioned stimulus (bell) - this happens when the conditioned stimulus (bell) is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus following it (food)
• Spontaneous recovery


  when a previously extinct conditioned response (salivation) is produced in response to the conditioned stimulus (bell) - this happens when the conditioned stimulus (bell) is presented again after a period of time during which it's not used