behavioural approach

• behaviourism is the idea that all human behaviour can be explained by learning from experience
• Behaviourism rejected the vagueness of introspection, instead focusing on observable behaviour under circumstances would usually occur. this approach could be referred to as the learning theory
• They believed human behaviour could be explained in basic terms of learning known as conditioning
• All animals (including humans) are made up of a number of natural reflexes, these being made up of a stimulus (food) and its naturally associated response (salivation)
• Classical conditioning is the process of learning to associate two stimuli that are not normally associated with each other
• Pavlov noticed that dogs not only salivated when food was placed in their mouths but also reacted to stimuli that coincided with the presentation of food (the bowl or their feeder)
• natural stimulus: unconditioned stimulus (UCS) and the natural response: unconditioned response (UCR).
• The neutral stimulus(NS) doesn't elicit the UCR. The NS is presented shortly after the UCS. After many pairings of the NS+UCS they begin to elicit the same response. Once the NS elicits the same response as the UCS in it's absence, the NS becomes the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the response becomes the conditioned response (CR)
• In Pavlov's experiment, the dog salivating was the UCR to the food bowl: UCS. The bell was at first the NS, but after airings with the food bowl became the CS and the salivating to the bell became the CR
• Timing is a factor to consider: if the timing between the NS and UCS is too great, the two wont be associated and classical conditioning cannot take place
• Extinction is a factor to consider: the CR does not become permanently established, so after a few presentations of the CS without the UCS, it looses the effect
• Spontaneous recovery is a factor to consider: even though extinction has occurred, if the CS and UCS are paired again, the link between them will be made quicker
• stimulus generalisation is a factor to consider: once an animal is conditioned they will also respond to other stimuli that are similar to the CS
• Operant conditioning is the process of learning through being rewarded or punished. The organism produces spontaneous behaviour that is either positive (desirable) or negative (undesirable). Whether they repeat the behaviour is based on the consequences
• skinner developed a cage for rats (skinners box). the rat moves around and accidently presses a leaver that drops a food pellet (the reinforcer). The rat begins pressing the leaver to obtain food, but when it stops dropping pellets they abandon it (extinction)
• reinforcement- something in the environment that increases the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated by reinforcing it.
• there are 2 types of reinforcement:
• positive reinforcement- a reward that is GIVEN after a good behaviour. e.g. food to a dog
• negative reinforcement- REMOVAL of something unpleasant. e.g. not having to do the dishes
• an important feature of operant conditioning is schedules of reinforcement. Although a CONTINUOUS reinforcement schedule is effective in reinforcing a behaviour, scheduled reinforcement (allowing the rat food every 3 leaver presses) avoids extinction
• punishment can be positive or negative

  negative punishment: taking away a child's phone

  positive punishment: slapping a naughty child