AQA A-LEVEL: Approaches - The Learning Approach

THE LEARNING APPROACH
ASSUMPTIONS - Focused on environmental determinism according to Watson 1913 we are born as "tabula rasa" (blank slate) - our behaviours, personalities and abilities are learnt via the environment. The approach is VERY scientific and only focuses on observable external factors.

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING (CC) "Learning via Association"

  • Based on Pavlov's dog research, manipulating the reflex action of salivation (UCS)
  • STAGE 1
    • FOOD (UCS)  = SALIVATION (UCR)
  • STAGE 2 - Contingency Pairing 
    • BELL (NS)   +  FOOD (UCS) = SALIVATION (UCR)
  • STAGE 3
    • BELL (CS)   =   SALIVATION (CR)
  • In stage 1 the dog in the presence of food the unconditioned stimulus will naturally salivate in the presence of it which is a unconditioned response.
  • After the neutral stimulus of the bell has been paired enough with the unconditioned stimulus of food the dog learns to associate the sound of the bell with food. 
  • Eventually, the presence of food is longer needed and the dog with salivate with just the bell. Which turns the reflex action of salivation into a conditioned response to the bell.

PHOBIAS AND CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

If someone had a phobia of dogs it might be due to a traumatic event such as being bitten which causes pain 
  • STAGE 1
    • PAIN (UCS)  = FEAR/STRESS (UCR)
  • STAGE 2 - Contingency Pairing 
    • DOG (NS)   +  PAIN (e.g. bitten) (UCS) = FEAR/STRESS (UCR)
  • STAGE 3
    • DOG (CS)   =  FEAR/STRESS (CR)
EXTINCTION - If the CS is continually presented without the UCS then the Conditioned Response will gradually die out 

SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY - If a Conditioned Response is not reinforced it becomes extinguished but after a period of time the response may suddenly reappear

ONE TRIAL LEARNING - When conditioning occurs immediately after one trial/ pairing only

DISCRIMINATION - Only the CS will result in the CR no other stimuli will

GENERALISATION - When the CS is over generalised to other stimuli e.g. Little Albert had a fear of rats (CS) due to it being paired with a loud bang sound (UCS) but Little Albert ended up having a fear of anything white and fluffy, be it a rabbit or Santa's beard.

OPERANT CONDITIONING "Learning via Consequences"

  • Future behaviour is determined by the consequences of past behaviour
  • POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT - Being given something pleasant as a reward for behaviour which increases the frequency of the behaviour 
  • NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT - Using consequences which are pleasant when they stop (taking away something unpleasant) to increase the frequency of behaviour 
  • PUNISHMENT - Decreasing the frequency of behaviour bu using unpleasant consequences when the behaviour occurs
  • PRIMARY REINFORCERS - Things which are a biological need, food, air, sex, water 
  • SECONDARY REINFORCERS - Money can be used to reinforce behaviours because it can be used to acquire primary reinforcers such as food

SOCIAL LEARNING THEORY "Learning via Imitation"

  • Live Models - What we see - Teachers, Parents 
  • Verbal Instructional Models - What we hear e.g. coaching, tutorials
  • Symbolic Models - Superheroes 
  • Imitation - Copying behaviour from models 
  • Identification - If we want/aspire to be like that model we may copy to identify with them
  • Modelling - Displaying behaviour that can be copied by other people
  • VICARIOUS REINFORCEMENT - Seeing role models get rewarded for a behaviour so the likelihood of us performing that behaviour increases as we want to get the same reward too
  • VICARIOUS PUNISHMENT - Seeing role models get punished for a behaviour so the likelihood of us performing that behaviour decreases as we don't want to get the same punishment 

COGNITIVE MEDIATING PROCESSES

ATTENTION - Paying attention to your role model. The status, similarity and attractiveness of each role model are all important factors of the likelihood that we will pay attention to them 
RETENTION - Being able to remember the behaviour the role model exhibits
REPRODUCTION - Being able to perform the behaviour 
MOTIVATION - You have to be motivated to reproduce/carry out the behaviour

BANDURA RESEARCH


  • AIM - Seeing if children could learn aggressive behaviour though observing an aggressive model who demonstrated violent behaviour 
  • HYPOTHESIS - Children would display more violent behaviour during play if they observed an aggressive model rather than a non-aggressive model
  • PARTICIPANTS - 36 boys + 36 girls (mean age 4yrs and 4months)
  • PROCEDURE
    • Children played in a room for 10 mins, baseline test to assess existing levels of violence within child then children w/ similar levels of aggression were matched
    • Children exposed to either 1 of the 3 conditions
      • Condition 1 - Exposed to an aggressive model, who was very violent w/ doll
      • Condition 2 - Exposed to non-aggressive model who showed no violence
      • CONTROL - Children shown no models
    • After exposure - Children were put into a room with toys that they weren't allowed to play w/ to anger them. Then they were put in a room w/ Bobo doll and a mallet for 20 mins and observed via a one-way mirror
  • RESULTS 
    • Condition 1 children showed the most levels of aggression such as punching and kicking
    • Children in Condition 2 displayed little aggression results not significantly less than children from the Control Group

EVALUATION

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS for mental health issues
  • Token Economy - Rewards such as chocolate (Positive reinforcement) for good behaviour means an increase of the frequency of that behaviour. Punishment such as taking away rewards for bad behaviour will decrease the likelihood it will be repeated.
Learning Approach is very SCIENTIFIC
  • Uses objective and falsifiable methods to study only observable behaviour, looking at stimulus-response rather than internal cognition. So it's trustworthy and reliable.
RESEARCH SUPPORT - Little Albert 1920
  • 9 month old with no previous fears. Through CC, the child was taught to have a phobia of rats which was generalised to other things that were white and fluffy. The approach has evidence to validate its claims so it is falsifiable.
ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINISM
  • The main assumption is that behaviour is driven by past events, which is an incomplete explanation as it rejects notions like free will and thought.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

AQA A-LEVEL: Biopsychology - Brain Plasticity and Recovery after Trauma

Image
BRAIN PLASTICITY AND RECOVERY AFTER TRAUMA BRAIN PLASTICITY: Brains ability to change and adapt mentally and functionally as a result of experience and new learning. EXPERIENCE EXPECTANT PLASTICITY: Changes in the brain taking place in infancy We have 15,000 synaptic connections by 2-3yrs through synaptogenesis which is double what we have as an adult. Not all synaptic connections are used so some are deleted by cognitive pruning which strengthens the frequently used synapses. EXPERIENCE DEPENDENT PLASTICITY: When the brain continues to create new neural pathways and alter existing ones as a result of learning and life experiences. Through...  Synaptogenesis - New synapses form through life but mostly in infancy Neurogenesis - New neurones form. Occurs in infancy and adulthood. Synaptic Pruning - Synapse elimination which occurs in early childhood and the onset of puberty - occurs less in adulthood.  COMPUTER GAMING - KUHN et al  ...
Read more

AQA A-LEVEL: Biopsychology - Localisation of Function

Image
LOCALISATION OF FUNCTION LOCALISATION: Theory that specific areas of the brain are associated w/ particular physical and physiological functions. M OTOR CORTEX contains the F rontal Lobe S OMATOSENSORY CORTEX contains the P arietal Lobe V ISUAL CORTEX contains the O ccipital Lobe A UDITORY CORTEX contains the T emporal Lobe Language systems are in the W ERNICKE'S AREA for Speech Comprehension and B ROCA'S AREA for Speech P roduction " M y F ather S ings P raise" " V iolets O nly A round T rees" "Women C an B ring P ower" HEMISPHERIC LATERALISATION: Dominance of one are of the brain for a particular physical and physiological function LASHLEY's Research - Localisation is incorrect, his research supports the idea of equipotentiality of the cortex. Simple functions are localised but complex functions are not MOTOR CORTEX Generates voluntary motor movements by sending messages to muscles via CNS In the frontal lobe, bo...
Read more

AQA A-LEVEL: Issues and Debates - Idiographic and Nomothetic Approach

Image
IDIOGRAPHIC AND NOMOTHETIC APPROACH Whether psychology should focus on the individual or on people in general IDIOGRAPHIC APPROACH Attempts to explain the NATURE of individuals. We should be studied as unique entities who have had our own subjective experiences, motivations and values which have contributed to out own individual development. Methods under the Idiographic approach tends to produce qualitative data that tries to describe the richness and detail of human experience  e.g. Interviews, questionnaires and case studies  The humanistic and Freud section of the psychodynamic are examples of idiographic approach NOMOTHETIC APPROACH Aims to produce GENERAL LAWS of human behaviour which can be used as a benchmark for people to be measured, classified or compared. From these general laws, future behaviour can be predicted or even controlled. The Nomothetic Approach has been said by Radford and Kirby (1975) to have produced 3 general laws...
Read more