Learning theory

• What is learning theory?

  An explanation that behavior is learned
• What are the two types of learning theories?

  Operant conditioning and social learning theory
• Who developed operant conditioning and when?

  Skinner in 1948
• What does operant conditioning suggest about behavior?

  Behaviors are repeated if reinforced
• What is positive reinforcement?

  Praise or rewards that encourage behavior
• What is negative reinforcement?

  Avoidance of unpleasant behavior strengthens actions
• How does punishment affect behavior?

  It makes us less likely to repeat it
• What is positive punishment?

  Receiving a negative consequence for behavior
• What is negative punishment?

  Taking away something pleasant
• Why might criminals commit crimes for primary reinforcers?

  To satisfy basic biological needs
• What are secondary reinforcers?

  Common reinforcers associated with primary ones
• How can operant conditioning explain crimes?

  It shows how punishment removes undesirable behaviors
• What is a limitation of operant conditioning?

  It is reductionist and ignores other factors
• What does social learning theory emphasize?

  Learning from role models through observation
• What is the identification and modeling process?

  Learning by observing and imitating others
• What are the steps in the identification and modeling process?

  1. Attention: Wanting to pay attention
  2. Retention: Storing behavior in memory
  3. Reproduction: Having skills to reproduce behavior
  4. Motivation: Desire to model behavior
  5. Identification: Adopting behaviors of role models
• What is intrinsic motivation in modeling behavior?

  Gaining pleasure from copying behavior
• What is vicarious reinforcement?

  Seeing role models rewarded for behavior
• What is a strength of social learning theory?

  Research support from Bandura's experiments
• What is a weakness of social learning theory?

  It lacks ecological validity in long-term effects
• Why can't some criminal behaviors be explained by observational learning?

  Some behaviors, like murder, are rarely witnessed
• What types of crime are driven by financial gain?

  Fraud