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, th...