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Questions and Answers
What does the neutral stimulus (NS) do before conditioning?
What does the neutral stimulus (NS) do before conditioning?
Which of the following represents the unconditioned stimulus (US) in classical conditioning?
Which of the following represents the unconditioned stimulus (US) in classical conditioning?
What happens to the neutral stimulus (NS) during conditioning in Pavlov's experiment?
What happens to the neutral stimulus (NS) during conditioning in Pavlov's experiment?
Which term refers to the response that occurs naturally before any conditioning occurs?
Which term refers to the response that occurs naturally before any conditioning occurs?
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In Pavlov's experiment, what response does the dog exhibit after conditioning when it hears the tone?
In Pavlov's experiment, what response does the dog exhibit after conditioning when it hears the tone?
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What is the conditioned response (CR) in a scenario where the sound of a door squeak leads a dog to wag its tail?
What is the conditioned response (CR) in a scenario where the sound of a door squeak leads a dog to wag its tail?
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What does it mean when a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus?
What does it mean when a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus?
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Which of the following illustrates the unconditioned response (UR) in the example provided about the nurse?
Which of the following illustrates the unconditioned response (UR) in the example provided about the nurse?
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What psychological concept is demonstrated when Little Albert developed a fear of rats after the experiment?
What psychological concept is demonstrated when Little Albert developed a fear of rats after the experiment?
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According to John B. Watson, the primary focus of psychology should be on which of the following?
According to John B. Watson, the primary focus of psychology should be on which of the following?
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What term refers to the idea that an infant is born as a 'blank slate'?
What term refers to the idea that an infant is born as a 'blank slate'?
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What is the expected outcome when behavior is reinforced, according to Skinner's operant conditioning?
What is the expected outcome when behavior is reinforced, according to Skinner's operant conditioning?
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In Watson's experiment with Little Albert, what was the neutral stimulus (NS) introduced?
In Watson's experiment with Little Albert, what was the neutral stimulus (NS) introduced?
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Which of the following best describes what happens to punished behavior, according to operant conditioning?
Which of the following best describes what happens to punished behavior, according to operant conditioning?
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What physiological responses does Watson believe encompass all mental experiences?
What physiological responses does Watson believe encompass all mental experiences?
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What did Skinner focus on in his study of behavior?
What did Skinner focus on in his study of behavior?
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What is the primary purpose of reinforcement in operant conditioning?
What is the primary purpose of reinforcement in operant conditioning?
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Which of the following exemplifies positive reinforcement?
Which of the following exemplifies positive reinforcement?
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What is the effect of positive punishment on behavior?
What is the effect of positive punishment on behavior?
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Which scenario best illustrates negative reinforcement?
Which scenario best illustrates negative reinforcement?
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In operant conditioning, what does negative punishment involve?
In operant conditioning, what does negative punishment involve?
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What is an example of positive punishment in a real-life scenario?
What is an example of positive punishment in a real-life scenario?
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Which statement accurately describes operant conditioning?
Which statement accurately describes operant conditioning?
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Which of the following is NOT an example of a reinforcement?
Which of the following is NOT an example of a reinforcement?
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Study Notes
Behavioral Theory
- Behavioral theory is comprised of three main sub-theories: Classical conditioning, Behaviorist theory, and Operant conditioning.
Classical Conditioning
- Proposed by Ivan Pavlov
- Pavlov initially studied salivation in dogs.
- He discovered that salivation triggered by eating food could be triggered by neutral stimuli as well.
- This included seeing the food, the dish, the person bringing the food and even hearing the person's footsteps.
Pavlov's Conditioning Process:
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Before Conditioning:
- Neutral stimulus (NS): A stimulus that does not initially trigger a response.
- No Response: The neutral stimulus does not elicit a response.
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Before Conditioning:
- Unconditioned stimulus (US): A stimulus that naturally triggers a response without prior conditioning.
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Unconditioned response (UR): The natural response to the unconditioned stimulus.
- Example: Yumy dog food (UCS) makes a dog salivate (UR).
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During Conditioning:
- The neutral stimulus (NS) is repeatedly paired with the unconditioned stimulus (US).
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After Conditioning:
- The neutral stimulus becomes a Conditioned stimulus (CS).
- The conditioned stimulus (CS) elicits a conditioned response (CR) by itself, without the unconditioned stimulus (US) being present.
- Example: After repeated pairing of the bell (NS) with food (US), the bell (CS) will cause the dog to salivate (CR).
John B. Watson and Behaviorism
- Watson believed psychology should focus on observable and measurable behavior.
- Watson proposed that mental experiences like thinking, feeling and self-awareness are simply physiological responses to conditioned experiences.
- He argued that infants are like a “tabula rasa” (blank slate), and all experiences are learned.
- Watson believed he could train any infant to become any profession.
The "Twelve Infants" Quotation
- John Watson famously argued that he could take any healthy infant and, through conditioning, raise them to become any profession, regardless of their genetic background.
Little Albert Experiment
- Watson conducted the Little Albert experiment to demonstrate classical conditioning in humans.
- He paired a white rat (NS) with a loud noise (UCS), conditioning the baby to fear rats (CS).
- The experiment suggests that fear can be learned through association.
- This experiment was based on Pavlov's research on classical conditioning.
Little Albert Experiment:
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Before Conditioning:
- Neutral Stimulus (NS): White rat.
- No Fear: Little Albert showed no fear of the rat initially.
- Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): A loud noise made by striking a steel bar with a hammer
- Unconditioned Response (UR): Fear (natural reflex).
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During Conditioning:
- The white rat (NS) was repeatedly paired with the loud noise (UCS).
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After Conditioning:
- Conditioned stimulus (CS): White rat.
- Conditioned response (CR): Fear.
Skinner's Operant Conditioning
- Skinner focused on how behavior is affected by consequences.
- He believed that behavior can be reinforced or punished, ultimately leading to a change in frequency.
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How it Works:
- A voluntary behavior (response) is followed by rewards or punishments.
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Results:
- Reinforced behaviors are more likely to be repeated.
- Punished behaviors are less likely to be repeated.
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Example:
- Response: Balancing a ball
- Consequence: Receiving food
- Result: The behavior is strengthened (more likely to be repeated)
Skinner's Experiments
- Skinner used operant conditioning in his experiments with a "Skinner box" to teach pigeons to perform complex behaviors for rewards, like pecking at a specific spot or turning in a circle.
- Skinner believed reinforcement and punishment were key factors in shaping behavior.
- He applied this model to human communities, suggesting that societal behavior can be shaped by reinforcement and punishment systems.
Skinner's Types of Reinforcement:
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Reinforcement: Anything that increases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.
- Positive Reinforcement (Adding Something Desirable): Adding something desirable to the environment (ex: giving a child a cookie for saying "please").
- Negative Reinforcement (Taking Away Something Unpleasant): Removing something unpleasant from the environment (ex: ceasing to scold a child when they stop yelling "gimme!").
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Punishment: Anything that decreases the likelihood of a behavior being repeated.
- Positive Punishment (Adding Something Aversive): Introducing something unpleasant to the environment (ex: spanking a child).
- Negative Punishment (Taking Away Something Pleasant): Removing something pleasant from the environment (ex: taking away TV time).
Examples of Skinner's Reinforcement and Punishment:
- Positive Reinforcement: “After you practice, we’ll play a game!”
- Negative Reinforcement: “I will stop staring at you and bugging you as soon as I see that you are practicing.”
- Positive Punishment: “You’re playing video games instead of practicing the piano, so I am justified in YELLING at you.”
- Negative Punishment: “You’re avoiding practicing, so I’m turning off your game.”
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Description
Explore the principles of behavioral theory with a focus on classical conditioning, as proposed by Ivan Pavlov. Understand how neutral stimuli can trigger responses through conditioning, illustrated by Pavlov's experiments with dogs. This quiz delves into key concepts and processes in classical conditioning.
