Psychologists- Learning Theoriest

Theories and Terms-Behaviourism Theory

-Social Learning Theory-Humanistic Theory

Watson- Behaviourism

• Emphasizes that learning involves interaction with the environment- it is through interaction that kids learn various types of behaviour (how to get along with others, pass tests, or cope)

• Experience= “conditioning”• Behaviour is a by-product of conditioning• Watson wanted psychology to be more ‘scientifically

based’ and only concentrate on things that could be measured… that which takes place inside the person (thoughts, feeling) should be secondary

Ivan Pavlov

• Using dogs, Pavlov found that he could stimulate the salivary glands by placing food in the dogs mouths… to his surprise, the dogs started to salivate in anticipation when they saw their keepers (heard the bell ringing)… this lead him to ask “why?”… Classic Conditioning (learning)

• Reflex reaction: an unlearned response to a natural stimulus (salivating with food)… these are Unconditioned responses

• Conditioning (learning) will take place when a neutral stimulus is paired continuousily with the Unconditioned stimulus…. Thus the dogs started salivating upon hearing the bell ringing (neutral stimulus) in anticipation of the food

• Pavlov’s theory is used to understand how fears are learned

B.F. Skinner• Studied reinforcement and reinforcing stimuli• “Skinner Boxes”… designed in such a way that a reward (food

pellet) would be dispensed in a lever or button was correctly manipulated by the subject.

• Skinner found that through trial-and-error responses, animals could indeed learn to operate the proper mechanisms in the box to receive a reward… Operant Conditioning

• Operant Conditioning: based on positive reinforcement… a response followed by a reward is more likely to be repeated when the person finds himself in a similar situation

• People do learn through trial-and-error, but deeper learning takes place with reinforcement

• Instrumentally conditioned responses are called operants

Reinforcement • Positive reinforcement is a stimulus that strengthens and increases the likelihood of a desired

response (gold star makes kids want to complete homework• Negative reinforcement occurs when we behave in a way that reduces or eliminates as

aversive stimulus (misbehaving to be punished in order to get out of something a kid doesn’t want to do)… not the same as punishment

• Primary reinforcement – satisfying stimulus related to natural drives (drink for thirst, food for hunger)

• Secondary reinforcement – stimulus that was previously neutral but when paired with primary reinforcer becomes a reinforcement

• Shaping behaviour: shaping desired behaviour using operant conditioning• Punishment- is not discipline, negative reinforcement or non-reward situations… Punishment

is aversive reinforcement• Punishment on gives temporary supression … once punishment is removed, the behaviour

returns• Punishment:

– Unpleasent stimulus (a spanking)– Witholding a pleasant stimulus (no dessert)

Bandura

• Social learning theory• Believe that laboratory experiments do not explain many

aspects of complex social behaviour• Use direct observation in structured and non-structures

situations• Bandura does not agree with Skinner- agrees that shaping

can occur, but asserts that this is only a partial explanation of behaviour and that other aspects of learning are more important

• Kids learn through observation and imitation modeling• Many actions are imitated without being reinforced

Cognitive Social Learning Theory

• People and environment constantly interact (both ways)

• Learn through observation• Reinforcement may guide or influence

behaviour, but it is not the only factor• Our cognitive expectations and perceptions

affect what we do… awareness of consequences guides our behaviour

• We actively process information (no reactive)

Humanistic Theory

• Emphasizes the individual’s uniqueness, personal potential, and inner drives

• Self-concept and human potential• People are not just reacting to external forces

… people are free and creative and capable of growth and self-actualization

• Maslow