THE LEARNING APPROACH

THE LEARNING APPROACH

1. Assumption 1: BEHAVIOUR IS LEARNED THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENT

   • Humans are born on a blank slate and that all of our behaviours are learnt from the environment
   • Behaviourists are strongly on the nurture side of the nature-nurture debate, and regard genetic influences on behaviour as minimal
   • We learn by responding to stimuli in the environment then we produce a response
     • E.g. Stimulus = Red light and the Response = Stop car

2. Assumption 2: BEHAVIOUR IS LEARNED THROUGH ASSOCIATION

   • Classical conditioning was developed by Ivan Pavlov who studied digestion systems of dogs by collecting their saliva
     • He noticed that the dog began to salivate before their food was brought to them. He guessed that somehow the dogs had learned to anticipate the food and this triggered their salivation
   • 1. Pavlov presented dog with bowl of food which triggered the salivation.
     • 2. The food was known as the unconditioned stimulus because it produced an unconditioned response. The response acts as a natural reflex as it has not been learned
       • 3. Pavlov rang a bell and the dog did not respond so this is a neutral stimulus
   • Every time the food was presented, Pavlov rang the bell so this was known as the learning stage which was repeated
     • Eventually the dog learned to salivate every time the bell was rung in the absence of food. This new response is called a conditioned response because it is a response of learning.
       • The bell is no longer a neutral stimulus but a conditioned stimulus
   • FOLLOW UP STUDY: Little Albert
     • Phobias can be learnt through classical conditioning
       • RAT

3. Assumption 3: BEHAVIOUR IS LEARNED THROUGH OPERANT CONDITIONING

   • B.F.Skinner recognised that most learning occurs through the consequences of behaviour
     • Skinner box in order to test the effects of rewards on behaviour. A hungry rat was placed in the box. The box contained a lever and as the rat moved about the box it would accidently knock the lever
       • Immediately a food pellet would drop into a container next to the lever. The rats quickly learned to press the lever to gain food
   • 3 TYPES OF CONSEQUENCES:
     • 1. Positive reinforcement - receiving a reward when a certain behaviour is performed
     • 2. Negative reinforcement - when an animal or human avoids something unpleasant happening
     • 3. Punishment - The opposite of reinforcement since it is designed to weaken or eliminate a response rather than increase it

4. SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY

   • Bandura agreed with the behaviourists that much of our behaviour is learnt through experiences
     • Proposed that we also learn through observation and imitation. It suggests that learning occurs directly, through classical and operant conditioning but also indirectly, as we observe the consequences of other peoples behaviour.

5. THE FOUR KEY CONCEPTS

   • 1. IMITATION - This term is used to describe when an individual observes behaviour from a role model and copies it
   • 2. IDENTIFICATION - When an individual is influenced by another because they are in some way similar or wish to be like them
     • The model is the person with whom they identify. We are more likely to identify with a model that possesses certain characteristics
   • 3. MODELLING - A model is someone who influences the behaviour of another person. If the individual then goes to imitate this persons behaviour, it is called modelling
   • 4. VICARIOUS REINFORCEMENT - Used to describe the reinforcement the observer sees the model receiving. They do not receive the reward themselves but sees the model receiving it.
     • The person learns by observing the consequences of another persons behaviour

6. THE FOUR MEDIATIONAL PROCESSES

   • ATTENTION - The observer must be paying attention and observing the model
   • RETENTION - The observer must remember the behaviour they have seen. Behaviour may be noticed, but is not always remembered
   • REPRODUCTION - The observer must be capable of reproducing the behaviour they have seen
   • MOTIVATION - The rewards and punishments that follow behaviour will be considered by the observer. If the possible rewards are greater than the costs, then the behaviour will be more likely to be imitated by the observer