behaviourist

• What is one assumption of behaviorism?

  All behavior is learned
• What is another assumption of behaviorism?

  Research on animals is directly applied to humans
• What are the two methods of learning in behaviorism?

  1. Classical conditioning
  2. Operant conditioning
• What is classical conditioning?

  Learning by association
• What is the unconditioned stimulus in classical conditioning?

  A stimulus that naturally triggers a response
• What is the unconditioned response in classical conditioning?

  A natural reaction to an unconditioned stimulus
• What happens during the classical conditioning process?

  An unconditioned stimulus is paired with a neutral stimulus
• What is the conditioned stimulus in classical conditioning?

  A previously neutral stimulus that, after association, triggers a conditioned response
• How can classical conditioning be applied to a dog?

  By associating food (unconditioned stimulus) with a bell (conditioned stimulus) to elicit salivation (conditioned response)
• What is operant conditioning?

  • Learning through consequences
  • Involves reinforcement and punishment
• What is Skinner's box used for?

  To investigate types of reinforcement in operant conditioning
• What is positive reinforcement?

  A positive consequence that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated
• What is negative reinforcement?

  A negative condition that is removed when a desired behavior is performed
• What is punishment in operant conditioning?

  A consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated
• What are the strengths of behaviorism?

  • Objective responses, e.g., classical conditioning
  • Can explain and treat phobias
• What is a limitation of behaviorism?

  • Research conducted on animals may not apply to humans
  • Decreases scientific credibility of the behaviorist approach
• Who conducted the experiment with Little Albert in 1920?

  Watson and Rayner
• What role does classical conditioning play in Little Albert's phobia?

  It is involved in the acquisition and maintenance of the phobia.
• What happens to Little Albert's phobia when the loud bang is no longer paired with the sight of the rat?

  The phobia is extinguished.
• What is the conditioned stimulus in Little Albert's experiment?

  The loud bang.
• How does Little Albert's phobia generalize beyond white rats?

  It generalizes to other white, fluffy objects.
• What are the two types of conditioning discussed in the study material?

  Classical conditioning and operant conditioning.
• How do classical and operant conditioning differ?

  They involve different mechanisms and scenarios.
• In what scenarios have classical and operant conditioning been demonstrated?

  In different learning scenarios.
• What is the process of extinction in classical conditioning as demonstrated in Little Albert's case?

  • The conditioned stimulus (loud bang) is no longer paired with the unconditioned stimulus (sight of the rat).
  • The conditioned response (crying) diminishes over time.
• What are the key characteristics that differentiate classical conditioning from operant conditioning?

  • Classical conditioning: Involves association between stimuli.
  • Operant conditioning: Involves reinforcement and punishment to shape behavior.
• What is a key feature of the behaviourist approach in terms of research methods?

  It uses highly scientific research methods, particularly the laboratory experiment.
• How do strictly-controlled conditions in behaviourist research affect the findings?

  They reduce and control for the effects of confounding and extraneous variables.
• Why does the behaviourist approach increase the scientific credibility of psychology?

  By focusing on observable and measurable behaviour.
• What are the real-life applications of the behaviourist approach?

  • Development of treatments for mental disorders
  • Use of token economies to modify behaviour
  • Positive impacts on the lives of individuals, such as inmates
• What is a limitation of the behaviourist approach regarding human behaviour?

  It does not account for free will or conscious choices.
• How might the behaviourist approach be limited in explaining human behaviour compared to social learning theory?

  It fails to account for emotions, motivations, and reasoning skills.
• What ethical concerns are raised by the use of animals in behaviourist research?

  Experiments like Skinner's box caused physical harm to rats, breaching ethical guidelines.
• What was a significant ethical issue in Watson and Rayner’s experiments on Little Albert?

  They failed to protect him from psychological harm and did not offer him the opportunity to withdraw.
• What might a cost-benefit analysis reveal about behaviourist research involving animals?

  The benefits of understanding learning types may outweigh the ethical costs.