Behaviourism Study Guide
1. Key Theorists & Theories
Ivan Pavlov – Classical Conditioning
• Concept: Learning through association.
• Famous Experiment: Dogs began to salivate at the sound of a bell after it was repeatedly
paired with food.
Stages of Conditioning:
• Before Conditioning:
- Bell = No response
- Food (Unconditioned Stimulus) → Salivation (Unconditioned Response)
• During Conditioning:
- Bell + Food → Salivation
• After Conditioning:
- Bell (Conditioned Stimulus) → Salivation (Conditioned Response)
Human Example:
• Hospital smell + vomiting during treatment → Eventually, just entering the hospital
may cause vomiting.
John Watson – Little Albert Experiment
• Applied Pavlov’s theory to humans.
• Albert initially had no fear of a white rat.
• Loud noise (scary) was paired with the rat → Albert developed a fear of the rat.
• Key Idea: Phobias can be learned by associating something neutral with something
frightening.
B.F. Skinner – Operant Conditioning
• Concept: Learning through consequences.
• Behavior is shaped by what happens after it.
Types of Consequences:
• Positive Reinforcement (Add pleasant reward):
- Example: Giving a child a lollipop for good behavior.
• Negative Reinforcement (Remove unpleasant thing):
- Example: Doing homework to avoid detention.
• Punishment (Add unpleasant consequence to reduce behavior):
- Example: Grounding a child for misbehaving.
Skinner Box Experiments:
1. Key Theorists & Theories
Ivan Pavlov – Classical Conditioning
• Concept: Learning through association.
• Famous Experiment: Dogs began to salivate at the sound of a bell after it was repeatedly
paired with food.
Stages of Conditioning:
• Before Conditioning:
- Bell = No response
- Food (Unconditioned Stimulus) → Salivation (Unconditioned Response)
• During Conditioning:
- Bell + Food → Salivation
• After Conditioning:
- Bell (Conditioned Stimulus) → Salivation (Conditioned Response)
Human Example:
• Hospital smell + vomiting during treatment → Eventually, just entering the hospital
may cause vomiting.
John Watson – Little Albert Experiment
• Applied Pavlov’s theory to humans.
• Albert initially had no fear of a white rat.
• Loud noise (scary) was paired with the rat → Albert developed a fear of the rat.
• Key Idea: Phobias can be learned by associating something neutral with something
frightening.
B.F. Skinner – Operant Conditioning
• Concept: Learning through consequences.
• Behavior is shaped by what happens after it.
Types of Consequences:
• Positive Reinforcement (Add pleasant reward):
- Example: Giving a child a lollipop for good behavior.
• Negative Reinforcement (Remove unpleasant thing):
- Example: Doing homework to avoid detention.
• Punishment (Add unpleasant consequence to reduce behavior):
- Example: Grounding a child for misbehaving.
Skinner Box Experiments:
