Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the main outcome of the Little Albert experiment?
What is the main outcome of the Little Albert experiment?
In what way does Skinner's operant conditioning primarily aim to influence behavior?
In what way does Skinner's operant conditioning primarily aim to influence behavior?
Which statement best describes Gesell's view on development?
Which statement best describes Gesell's view on development?
What was the unconditioned response in Pavlov's dog experiment before conditioning?
What was the unconditioned response in Pavlov's dog experiment before conditioning?
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What concept does Aaron Beck's theory mainly focus on?
What concept does Aaron Beck's theory mainly focus on?
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What is a characteristic of Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation?
What is a characteristic of Bowlby's theory of maternal deprivation?
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Which of the following is NOT a part of Maslow's hierarchy of needs?
Which of the following is NOT a part of Maslow's hierarchy of needs?
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What does the concept of accommodation refer to in Piaget's theory?
What does the concept of accommodation refer to in Piaget's theory?
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What does the disengagement theory propose about older adults?
What does the disengagement theory propose about older adults?
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According to Bandura's social learning theory, what mediational process affects whether a person imitates behavior?
According to Bandura's social learning theory, what mediational process affects whether a person imitates behavior?
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What does the term 'incongruence' refer to in Carl Rogers' theory?
What does the term 'incongruence' refer to in Carl Rogers' theory?
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What is a focus of Erikson's psychosocial theory?
What is a focus of Erikson's psychosocial theory?
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What is a key factor in providing a therapeutic environment according to Rogers?
What is a key factor in providing a therapeutic environment according to Rogers?
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What do schemas represent in Piaget's theory of cognitive development?
What do schemas represent in Piaget's theory of cognitive development?
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What was a significant finding in Bowlby’s study of 44 thieves?
What was a significant finding in Bowlby’s study of 44 thieves?
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Study Notes
Behavioural Theories
- Watson: Proposed that behaviour is learned through associating stimuli with responses. Examples include associating door knocking with opening a door, or a red light with stopping.
- Little Albert Experiment: Watson's experiment demonstrated this. A neutral stimulus (a rat) was paired with a fear-inducing stimulus (a loud noise), creating a conditioned fear response.
- Skinner: Developed operant conditioning. This theory explains how consequences (rewards or punishments) influence behaviour. Positive reinforcement encourages repeated behaviour, while negative reinforcement increases behaviour by removing unpleasant stimuli. Punishment aims to eliminate undesirable behaviour. Key to this perspective is the belief that behaviour is learned, the stimulus-response connection, and the similarities between animal and human brains.
- Pavlov: Developed classical conditioning, where learning occurs by associating two stimuli to create a new response. Pavlov's dog experiment demonstrated this, associating a bell with food to elicit salivation.
Biological Theories
- Gesell: Proposed a maturational theory. Biological factors drive development (e.g., genes, brain development). This theory suggests that developmental milestones (crawling, walking, talking) are largely determined by biological maturation and that environment plays a role. Delayed milestones can be identified through this approach.
Cognitive and Other Developmental Theories
- Beck: Emphasised the cyclical nature of thoughts, feelings, and actions. Negative thought patterns can lead to negative feelings and behaviours. Beck's theory focused on disrupting this cycle and encouraging positive patterns to result in positive outcomes. An example is the cycle of not attending class, feeling inadequate, and feeling anxious about attending.
- Piaget: Proposed that development involves the gradual construction of schemas (mental frameworks). Assimilation is using existing schemas to interpret new situations. Accommodation is adjusting or creating new schemas when assimilation fails. Cognitive development is stimulated by exposure to a variety of experiences.
Human Development Theories
- Bowlby: Focused on attachment theory, particularly the impact of early maternal deprivation. He suggested a strong innate bond forms between mother and child, vital for survival. His research, involving studies of 44 thieves, linked early separation from mothers with later behavioural problems.
- Bowlby's theory highlights the potential negative consequences of separation from caregivers in early childhood.
Social Theories and other developmental theories
- Cumming and Henry: Disengagement theory posits that older adults withdraw from society voluntarily, believing this will reduce emotional pain for themselves and others. Retirement, financial constraints, physical limitations, and reduced social circles were contributing factors.
- Maslow: Proposed a hierarchy of needs: physiological, safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualization. This theory argues that basic needs must be met before higher-level needs can be addressed.
- Rogers: Emphasised self-actualization as a driving force. Positive regard is needed from others for humans to realize potential. Congruence was considered a key to success, where self-image matches realistic goals, resulting in motivation to reach those goals. In contrast, incongruence (mismatched goals) can cause negative mental health implications. To encourage growth, a supportive environment is needed with four key components: person-centred approach, unconditional positive regard, non-judgmental stance, and empathy.
- Erikson: Psycho-social theory identifies stages of development characterized by specific conflicts. Successful resolution of these conflicts leads to positive personality traits; conversely, failure to resolve them negatively affects personality development.
Social Learning Theory
- Bandura: Proposed that observational learning is a crucial aspect of development. People learn by observing and imitating others' behaviour and attitudes. Mediational processes (cognition) play a vital role in determining whether someone imitates others. This approach expands on the idea of imitation by focusing on imitation of attitudes and values, not only behaviours.
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Description
Explore the foundational concepts of behavioural theories in psychology, focusing on the contributions of Watson, Skinner, and Pavlov. This quiz examines the principles of classical and operant conditioning, as well as key experiments such as Little Albert. Test your knowledge of how behaviour is learned through associations and reinforcements.
