Summary
A grade Psychology - summary Learning theories
- Course
- Institution
a full and detailed summary of learning theories for edexcel AS psychology, covering every single part of the specification , with everything needed for the exam
[Show more]
Seller
Follow
erikakumar
Reviews received
Available practice questions
learning theories a-level psychology methods
Flashcards
56 Flashcards
$3.86
0 sales
Flashcards
56 Flashcards
$3.86
0 sales
Some examples from this set of practice questions
1.
tallying
Answer: when and how many times a certain behaviour occurs
2.
time sampling
Answer: observations at different times intervals
3.
time sampling weaknesses
Answer: not representative of true frequency of behaviour : certain behaviours may be missed if only some behaviours occur at certain times
4.
event sampling
Answer: record behaviour every time it occurs
5.
event sampling weaknesses
Answer: too many instances of behaviour happen at once :cannot record all instances of that behaviour
6.
naturalistic observations
Answer: happens within the participants\' own natural environment
7.
naturalistic observations strengths
Answer: gain real insight into natural behaviour
8.
structured observations
Answer: staged observations within an environment that researcher has more control over
9.
strengths of structured observations
Answer: gain numerical and objectuve data. behaviour is naturally-occurring. more reliable as coding systems can be made which increases replicability.
10.
weakness of structured observations
Answer: hard to ensure all observers interpret the same behaviour in the same way
Content preview
LEARNING THEORIES● Humans born a “blank state” (tabula rasa)
● All behaviour is a response to to a stimulus in the environment, not taking
into account cognitions
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
LEARNING BY ASSOCIATION
● Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) = Unconditioned response (UCR) based on
biology
● Neutral stimulus (NS) that normally doesn’t affect us, paired with
Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) = both become associated (conditioning)
● NS = Conditioned stimulus (UCS): produces SAME reaction of UCS
● Conditioned response (CR): artificial learned response to CS
● EXTINCTION: conditioned stimuli gradually lose their association with the
original unconditioned stimuli, so revert back to NS
Prevented : CS + old UCS again to strengthen association
● SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY: association never truly forgotten so CR can still
reappear
● STIMULUS GENERALISATION: tendency of CR to appear in response to
things not original CS (stimuli similar to CS produce CR)
Enables us to apply what we’ve learned in 1 context to other similar contexts
1
,Strengths
Theory only looks at behaviors : every step in conditioning process is observable
=scientific credibility
Challenging evidence
Generalising conclusions from animal research to humans learning isn’t so clear b/C
animals different anatomy + physiology and day-to-day experiences
Difficult to tell whether one learning theory is largely responsible when something
is learned
E.g. even when associations are formed, person is being rewarded / punished at
the same time
Reductionist: reduces ALL behavior to learning through association
2
,Underestimate role of biological factors e.g. genetic differences + instincts
Focuses on nurture but some may be born with predispositions towards
behaviours rather than learning them through conditioning
Ignores cognitions (personality, willpower + motivation) = simplistic and not
complete explanation of why some behave the way they do
Use of laboratory experiments with animals: caused unnecessary suffering to dogs
Weighed against benefits of research & whether ends justify means by furthering
understanding of behaviour
Other explanations
Freud : most of self-destructive behavior comes from hidden thought-processes in
unconscious mind so are not learned + un-learnt easily
Usefulness
Therapy to treat “irrational / instinctive” phobias + addictions
Aversion therapy associates dysfunctional behaviour with a UCR (e.g. nausea) = new
CS that produces nauseous CR with NS leading to that behaviour
Only when patient is willing + wants to succeed
Systematic desensitisation associates troubling CR (e.g. phobia) with CS (e.g. spider)
in relaxing + safe environment = stop associating fear with spider which goes back
to being NS producing no reaction (extinction)
PAVLOV (1927) study into salivation in dogs
3
, Aim: if a reflexive behaviour can be produced in new situations through learning (if
associating reflex with neutral stimulus like sound = learning, producing
conditioned reflex)
IV: dogs' natural reflexive behaviour (salivating when food is in their mouths);
dogs' behaviour after they have been conditioned to associate food with a
different stimulus
DV: how many drops of saliva the dog produced
Sample: 35 dogs of various breeds
Procedure: (repeated measures design)
Placed dog in sealed room : can’t see, smell or hear anything outside, preventing
other stimuli (extraneous variables)
Dog strapped into a harness to stop it moving and its mouth was linked to a tube
that drained saliva away into a measuring bottle
Control condition: dog was presented with food (meat powder) through a hatch=
dog salivated
Experimental control: dog was presented with neutral stimulus sound (tuning fork,
an electric buzzer or a metronome (a machine producing regular ticking)
=dog didn’t salivate
To condition dog: sound was paired with presentation of food
After conditioning: dog was presented with sound but no meat
Results: conditioned dog salivated 9 seconds after hearing the sound
By 45 seconds: 11 drops of saliva.
4
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller erikakumar. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $7.09. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
70055 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now