Behavourism

• Classical Conditioning - Pavlov

  • Suggests that behaviour is learnt through association.
• Classical Conditioning

  • 2 Stimuli are repeatedly paired together ( UCS and NS)
  • This will then produce an unconditioned response. ( UCR )
  • Through Association the NS will produce the same response as the UCS creating a CONDITIONED RESPONSE
• Experiment for Classical Conditioning: Dog Experiment
• Additional Findings:

  • Stimulus Generalisation - when stimuli similar to a CS will produce a CR. (e.g. a bell with a similar pitch will still produce a conditioned response )
  • Temporal Contiguity - the UCS and NS have to be paired together at the SAME TIME for association to occur.
• Operant Conditioning

  • behaviour is learnt through consequences
• Two Types of Reinforcement:

  • Positive Reinforcement - receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed
  • Negative Reinforcement - doing a certain behaviour to avoid something unpleasant
• Punishment - an unpleasant consequence of behaviour ( e.g. receiving a detention for not doing homework )
• Experiment for Operant Conditioning - Skinners Box

  • Rats and Pigeons were trapped within a box and were rewarded whenever they pressed a lever. Positive Reinforcement has occurred.
  • However, Skinner then changed the reward to a Punishment. The Rats and Pigeons stopped pressing the lever.
  • Shows that behaviour can be conditioned to avoid certain or encounter certain stimulus.