Behaviourism

• Classical conditioning is the idea that behaviour is learnt through association.
• An example of classical conditioning is Pavlov’s dog’s experiment.
• Pavlov’s Dogs (1902)

  food = salivation (before learning)

  bell + food = salivation (during learning)

  bell = salivation (after learning)
• Classical conditioning:

  1. Unconditioned stimuli = unconditioned response
  2. Neutral stimuli + unconditioned stimuli = unconditioned response
  3. Conditioned stimuli = conditioned response
• Watson and Rayner completed the Little Albert study in 1920, where they attempted to induce a fear through classical conditioning.
• Little Albert (1920)

  • Albert was introduced to the NS (the rat)
  • Watson + Rayner introduced a loud noise each time Albert was near the rat, as there found this made him frightened (NS+UCS=UCR)
  • After a while, Albert became scared of the rat as he learnt to associate it with fear (CS=CR)
  • Albert seemed to become afraid of all things white and furry.
• Operant conditioning is the ides that behaviour is learnt through reinforcement. 2 types of reinforcement: positive reinforcement negative reinforcement.
• Skinner in 1948, studied operant conditioning through rats in his ’Skinner Box’.
• In 1938, Skinner coined the term ‘operant conditioning’.
• Neutral operants - responses from the environment that neither increase nor decrease the probability of a behaviour being repeated.
• Reinforcers - responses from the environment that increase the probability of behaviour being repeated.
• Punishers - Responses from the environment that make a behaviour less likely to be repeated.
• Skinner (positive reinforcement)

  • Skinner placed a hungry rat in his box.
  • There was a lever in this box that if the rat pulled, it received a treat.
  • The rats learned that by pulling the lever they would receive a treat, and began to repeat this behaviour.
• Skinner (negative reinforcement)

  • Skinner placed a rat into a box that emitted an uncomfortable electric current.
  • As the rat moved around the box it would accidentally knock the lever that turned the electricity off.
  • The rats learned would learnt that by hitting the lever, it would no longer be in pain.
  • The behaviour of pulling the lever is repeated more.
• Punishment is the opposite of a reinforcer. It is designed to weaken or limit an unwanted response.
• Punishment has problems such as:

  • Punished behaviour is n to forgotten and returns when the punishment is removed.
  • Causes increased aggression.
  • Creates fear.
• Skinner discovered that unpredictable reinforcement was more sucessful for conditioning a behaviour than continuous reinforcement.
• Parents are negatively and positively reinforced by their children. (e.g. if the child is crying they will take away the thing that causes the unpleasant emotion)
• Strengths:

  • Practical applications - led to development of treatments (SD)
  • Scientific method
• Weakness:

  • Studies are based off animals - Skinner’s rats and Pavlov’s dogs.
  • Reductionism - focuses on nurture rather than nature.