Approaches AO1

• Identify two learning approaches


  Behaviourist approach

  Social learning theory
• What is the basic assumption of the behaviourist approach


  Mind is a blank slate at birth; persons direct experience of environment shapes their behaviour
• What was Pavlovs aim?


  To investigate effect of new stimulus on salivation reflex in dogs
• What was Pavlovs procedure?


  Dogs repeatedly shein food when bell rang; rang without food, amount of saliva produced by dogs in response to bell measured before & after pairing with food
• What were Pavlovs findings?


  Bell (NS)=no salivation (no UCR)

  Food (UCS)=salivation (UCR)

  Dog associated food (UCS) with bell (NS) due to repeated parings

  Over time, bell (CS) caused salivation (CR)
• What were Pavlovs conclusions?


  Suggests existing involuntary reflexes can become associated with a new stimulus
• What is classical addiction?


  Type of learning where existing involuntary reflect is associated with new stimulus
• What is a neutral stimulus?


  Something that doesn't automatically trigger reflex response
• What is an unconditioned stimulus?


  Something that triggers natural reflex response
• What is an unconditioned response?


  Natural response which doesn't need to be learnt
• What is a conditioned stimulus?


  Something that triggers learnt response
• What is an unconditioned response?


  Response that's been learnt via association
• What was Skinners aim?


  Investigate effect of reinforcement/punishment on rat's lever pressing
• What was Skinners procedure?


  Rats placed in Skinner box containing response lever which prompted release of food pellets, floor was metal which held capacity to be electrified. Then measured frequency of animal pressed lever over time
• What were Skinners conclusions?


  Suggests rats' lever pressing was shaped by consequences it received or avoided
• What is operant conditioning?


  Suggests voluntary behaviour is result of learning through consequences
• What is positive reinforcement and an example of it?


  Behaviour followed by pleasant consequence, increases likelihood behaviour will be repeated, as person wants same consequence

  
  

  E.g. Skinner found rats learnt to press lever for food
• What is negative reinforcement and an example of it?


  Behaviour followed by avoidance of unpleasant consequence, increases likelihood behaviour is repeated as person will avoid same consequence

  
  

  E.g. Skinners found Fays learnt to press lever to avoid being electrocuted
• What is punishment and what is an example of it?


  Behaviour followed by unpleasant consequence, decreased likelihood behaviour is repeated as person doesn't want same consequence

  
  

  E.g. Skinner found frequency of lever pressed by rats decreased when lever press was followed by electric shock
• What does the behaviourist approach assume?


  Mind is blank slate at birth, persons direct experience of environment shapes behaviour
• Who founded behaviourist approach?


  Pavlov explored relationship between learning & behaviour,

  Bell (NS)= no salivation (No UCR)

  Food(UCS)=salivation (UCR)

  
  

  Dog learnt to associate food (UCS) + Bell (NS) due to repeated parings

  Over time bell (CS)= salivation (CR)
• What theory did association cause Pavlov to develop?


  Classical conditioning, type of learning where existing involuntary reflex is associated with new stimulus
• What theory did Skinner propose to develop CC?

  Operant conditioning, voluntary behaviour result of learning through consequences
• What is positive reinforcement in skinners research?


  Behaviour followed by pleasant consequence, increases likelihood behaviour will repeat, e.g. Skinner found rats learnt to presses lever for food
• What are the basic assumptions of the SLT?


  Learning occurs directly like behaviourists AND via observation & imitation

  
  

  Acknowledges role of mediational thought processes, unlike behaviourists, they intervent in learning process to determine if behaviour is imitated
• What was the aim of Banduras research?


  Investigate effect if observational learning in aggressive behaviours in children
• What was the procedure of Banduras research?


  Children split into 3 groups: 1 watched adult punch/hit bobo doll with mallet, 2 saw adult ignore bobo doll/play non aggressively with toys, 3 control never encountered the model.

  
  

  Children placed alone in aggressive then non aggressive toys with bobo doll for 20mins. Imitative behaviours amount recorded
• What were the findings of Banduras research?


  Children who observed the aggressive model produced more aggressive acts than non aggressive control conditions
• What were the conclusions of Banduras research?


  Suggests behaviour can be learned through observation of a model
• What is observational learning?


  Process of learning by watching behaviour of others
• What is imitation?


  Copying observed behaviours
• What is a role model?


  People with high status or are highly attractive
• What is modelling?


  Copying role models behaviour
• What is identification?


  Occurs when person sees themself similar to model, due to same gender or age, increases likelihood of imitation as person wants to be like them
• What is vicarious reinforcement?


  Reinforcement that isn't directly experienced, occurs via observing someone else being rewarded for behaviour.

  Increases likelihood of imitation as expect to be rewarded in same way observed
• What are mediational processes?


  Thought processes that intervene in learning process to determine if behaviour is imitated
• Identify the mediational thought processes?


  Attention, retention, motor reproduction, motivation
• How is a behaviour learnt with attention?


  Just capture attention to learn behaviour, funny or unusual, or performed by role models identify with
• How is learning affected by retention?


  Memory of behaviour formed, likely when behaviour observed is easy to encode, repeatedly seen stored in LTM
• How is motor reproduction needed?


  Physical abilities to copy behaviour observed, likely if behaviours easy to replicate