LEARNING THEORY

• WHAT IS LEARNING THEORY?

  behaviour learnt not innate
• WHAT IS CLASSICAL CONDITIONING?

  learning through association
• WHAT IS OPERANT CONDITIONING?

  learning through reciprocal reinforcement
• POSITIVES OF LEARNING THEORY?

  behaviourist approach
• NEGATIVES OF LEARNING THEORY?

  • Harlow
  • Schaffer and Emerson
  • evolutionary theory
• ARGUMENT FOR HARLOW?

  • food not primary reinforcer
  • monkeys attached for comfort
  • cautious when extrapolating
• ARGUMENT OF SCHAFFER AND EMERSON?

  • half attached to non-feeders
  • food overestimated
  • lacks explanatory power
• ARGUMENT OF EVOLUTIONARY THEORY

  • better explains social behaviours
  • learning theory incomplete
  • ignores biological influences