Summary of the Behaviourist Approach (PY1 - Approaches in Psychology)
25 views 0 purchase
Course
PY1 - Approaches in Psychology
Institution
WJEC
A summary of all the information needed to answer questions on the behaviourist approach for the unit 1 exam of WJEC AS Level Psychology. Includes: - Assumptions (humans are born like a blank slate, behaviour learned through conditioning, humans and animals learn in similar ways) - Application to r...
Behaviourist
Assumptions
Humans are born like a blank slate
o When we are born our mind is like a ‘tabula rasa’ – a blank slate
o We are born without emotions
o Environmental determinism – our behaviour is determined by the environment we
grow up in
Behaviour learned through conditioning
o Classical conditioning
New behaviours are learnt through conditioning (Ivan Pavlov, 1902)
Before conditioning:
Food = unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
Salivation = unconditioned response (UCR)
During conditioning:
Bell = neutral stimulus (NS)
After Conditioning:
Bell = conditioned stimulus (CS)
Salivation = conditioned response (CR)
o Operant conditioning
New behaviours are learnt through reinforcement
BF Skinner demonstrated via the Skinner box that an animal can
learn to behave in a certain way because of a reward
Positive reinforcement – this is when behaviour is rewarded, and it is likely
they will complete the behaviour again
Negative reinforcement – this is when you behave in a certain way to avoid
something unpleasant happening
Punishment – this is where certain behaviours receive an unpleasant
consequence to discourage them from preforming this behaviour again
Humans and animals learn in similar ways
o We can study animals in labs and make generalisations about human behaviour
o Token system economies is where positive behaviour is rewarded with tokens that
can be used to purchase items
Application to Relationships
Operant conditioning –
o Positive reinforcement – attention, compliment or even having company
o Negative reinforcement – helps us to avoid feeling of loneliness and rejection
We may also feel punished for not being in a relationship (receiving nasty
comments and feeling excluded)
Classical conditioning –
o If being with a person makes you happy you are more likely to spend time with them
when you are unhappy
A previously neutral stimulus is now positively valued
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller gabriellalockwood. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.12. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
