Behavioral Psychology PDF

BEHAVIOURIAL PSYCHOLOGY IVAN PAVLOV, JOHN WATSON, & B.F. SKINNER PAVLOV’S DOG GOT YOUR TONGUE? LEARNING GOALS I will be able to explain the key contributions of behaviorism theorists. I will be able to explain the key ideas of behaviorism theories. I will to b...

BEHAVIOURIAL PSYCHOLOGY IVAN PAVLOV, JOHN WATSON, & B.F. SKINNER PAVLOV’S DOG GOT YOUR TONGUE? LEARNING GOALS I will be able to explain the key contributions of behaviorism theorists. I will be able to explain the key ideas of behaviorism theories. I will to be able to explain how behaviorism principles can change human behavior. Curriculum connections C1, C2, C 1.1, C1.2) KEY TERMINOLOGY Stimuli Operant Conditioning Negative Schedules of Stimulus Reinforcement reinforcement Generation Timing Responses Spontaneous Recovery Positive Reinforcement Extinction BEHAVIOURISM Behaviourists believe that all behaviours are acquired through conditioning, and conditioning occurs through the interaction with the environment. Behaviourists believe that psychologists can predict and control or modify human behaviour by manipulating factors and understanding what motivates human behaviour Behaviourists believe that our actions are shaped by environmental stimuli. Behavioural theory says that only observable behaviour should be studies, as cognition, emotions and mood are too subjective. Social learning theorists believe that a social element is also involved, where people can learn new information and behaviours WHAT IS BEHAVIOURAL PSYCHOLOGY It is based on the belief that psychologists need empirical evidence in order to understand and change human behaviour. Behavioural psychologists use experimentation to obtain empirical evidence. It emphasizes the importance of observable behaviours and phenomena, as well as using scientifically proven intervention procedures. Behavioural psychology can be applied to individuals with a wide variety of mental disorders, as well as groups such as those in the workplace. BEHAVIOURAL THEORISTS How do we learn? How does learning shape our behaviour? How can we influence or control behaviour? Ivan Pavlov John B. Watson B.F. Skinner 1849-1936 1878-1958 1904-1990 Pavlov’s Dog Little Albert The Skinner Box IVAN PAVLOV Pavlov was a Russian scientist. He was awarded a Nobel Prize for his contributions to behavioural psychology. Pavlov is most known for his work with classical conditioning: It is a type of learning where a once neutral stimulus comes to produce a particular response after pairings with a conditioned stimulus. IVAN PAVLOV- CLASSICAL CONDITIONING EXAMPLES OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING Pavlov presents the food (Unconditioned stimulus) to the dog (UCS) The dog salivates (unconditioned response) to the sight of the food (UCR) The bell, a neutral stimulus (conditioned stimulus) is paired with the food (CS) After a couple of presentations, the dog salivates to the bell (conditioned response – CR) The Office Classical Conditioning BASIC MODEL OF CLASSICAL CONDITIONING FACTORS THAT IMPACT CLASSICAL CONDITIONING Factors that impact association Prominence of stimuli and the timing of the presentation can play an important role in how quickly an association is formed. Factors that impact extinction When an association disappears, this is known as extinction. Strength of the original response can play a role in how quickly extinction occurs. The longer a response has been conditioned, the longer it will take to become extinct. 70’S SHOW EXAMPLE JOHN B WATSON Watson is famous (or infamous) that given enough control over the environment, he can take any baby, and regardless of the child innate abilities and features, he can mold the child into becoming anything or anyone that he, Watson, wanted. “Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in and I’ll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select- doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar- man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors.” John B. Watson LITTLE ALBERT Watson was interested in the conditioning of emotional responses, and his “experiment” with Little Albert is well-known. He devised a procedure to classically-condition Albert for a fear of animals. B.F. SKINNER He believed that if the subject is correctly rewarded it will give the appropriate response (positive reinforcement results in encouraging behaviour) Operant conditioning is based on some type of operation or behaviour which is then rewarded  Skinner in the 1930’s introduced radical behaviourism, stating that all behaviour can be explained based on operant conditioning principles. He did not deny the existence of inner causes of our behaviour, but challenged the extent we can observe B.F. SKINNER them. Very much like Freud, he said that people often are not aware of the causes of their behaviours. They are manipulated by operant conditioning of which they are not always cognizant. OPERANT CONDITIONING It is a type of learning that uses rewards and punishment to achieve a desired behaviour. Behaviour that is followed by pleasant consequences is likely to be repeated, and behavior followed by unpleasant consequences is less likely to be repeated. BIG BANG EXAMPLE OF OPERANT CONDITIONING BIG BANG EXAMPLE #2- OPERANT CONDITIONING B.F. SKINNER Skinner is credited with having developed true behaviourism. He was concerned with only observable behaviours, not the mental processes behind them. Using rats and pigeons, Skinner examined how the use of rewards and punishment can influence behaviour. This became known as operant conditioning. THE SKINNER BOX Skinner developed an operant conditioning chamber, also known as the Skinner box. A rat was placed in the box. Over time, the rat would learn that he or she would receive food for pushing a lever. If the rat did not get any food for pushing the lever, extinction would occur. Skinner introduced a new term into the Law of Effect - Reinforcement: behaviour which is reinforced tends to be repeated (i.e., strengthened); behaviour which is not reinforced tends to die out-or be extinguished (i.e., weakened).  Skinner showed how positive reinforcement worked by placing a hungry rat in his POSITIVE Skinner box. The box contained a lever on REINFORCEMENT the side, and as the rat moved about the box, it would accidentally knock the lever. Immediately it did so a food pellet would Example: drop into a container next to the lever. Your teacher gives you $5 each time you The rats quickly learned to go straight to complete your homework (i.e., a reward) the lever after a few times of being put in you will be more likely to repeat this the box. The consequence of receiving food behavior in the future, thus strengthening if they pressed the lever ensured that they the behavior of completing your would repeat the action again and again. homework. Positive reinforcement strengthens a behavior by providing a consequence an individual finds rewarding.  The removal of an unpleasant reinforcer can also strengthen behaviour. NEGATIVE This is known as negative reinforcement because REINFORCEMENT it is the removal of an adverse stimulus which is ‘rewarding’ to the animal or person. EXAMPLE: Negative reinforcement strengthens behaviour If you do not complete your because it stops or removes an unpleasant homework, you give your teacher $5. experience. You will complete your homework to Skinner showed how negative reinforcement avoid paying $5, thus strengthening worked by placing a rat in his Skinner box and the behavior of completing your then subjecting it to an unpleasant electric current homework. which caused it some discomfort. As the rat moved about the box it would accidentally knock the lever. When it knocked the lever, the electric current would be shut off. The rat quickly learned to go straight to the lever to escape the current. PUNISHMENT Punishment is defined as the opposite of reinforcement since it is designed to weaken or eliminate a response rather than increase it. It is an aversive event that decreases the behaviour that it follows. Like reinforcement, punishment can work either by directly applying an unpleasant stimulus like a shock after a response or by removing a potentially rewarding stimulus, for instance, deducting someone’s pocket money to punish undesirable behaviour. POSITIVE PUNISHMENT EXAMPLES Because you're late to work one morning, you drive over the speed limit through a school zone. As a result, you get pulled over by a police officer and receive a ticket. Your cell phone rings in the middle of a class lecture, and you are scolded by your teacher for not turning your phone off before class. NEGATIVE PUNISHMENT EXAMPLES losing access to one's phone or being grounded something good is being taken away because of the individual's undesirable behaviour WHAT ARE SOME PROBLEMS WITH PUNISHMENT Punished behaviour is not forgotten, it's suppressed - behaviour returns when punishment is no longer present. Causes increased aggression - shows that aggression is a way to cope with problems. Creates fear that can generalize to undesirable behaviours, e.g., fear of school. Does not necessarily guide toward desired behaviour - reinforcement tells you what to do, punishment only tells you what not to do. CLASSICAL VS. OPERANT CONDITIONING OPERANT CONDITIONING AND GAMING