BEHAVIOURISM (PART 1)

UNIT 11
PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES
RECAP

 Define psychology
 Describe what you will be learning
 Explain how you will be assessed for this unit
 INTENT

Embedding :-
Equality and diversity (inc. British Values):
Integral to all units, gender neutral tasks,
diverse case studies Explain factors that can influence human behaviour
Describe behaviourism and how it effects human
Literacy: Research, reading and note Explore classical and operant
and development.
Task –conditioning and how
development and 1behaviours
taking, word processing assignments LObehaviour
they affect A&
B
Numeracy: Data analysis

ICT: ICT based activities internet research

BEHAVIOURISM

 What do you think this perspective is about?

 It is an approach to psychology based only on what can be
directly seen. Behaviorists focus on relationships between
stimuli and responses.
 Behaviourist Theory

• Behaviour is learned from the environment.

• Only observable behaviour should be studied if psychology is to be

an objective science.

• We learn new behaviour through classical conditioning (Pavlov)

and operant conditioning (Skinner).

• Therefore, when born our mind is 'tabula rasa' (a blank slate).

ACTIVITY 1 - INTERACTIVE: MIND MAP –
10MINS

Group work

Brainstorm various factors that can influence our behaviour as

a child and effect us as an adult?
 Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning is concerned with learning by association and refers to

the conditioning of reflexes

The principles were first outlined by Pavlov (1849-1936), a physiologist who

whilst studying the salivation reflex found that dogs would start to salivate
before the food had reached their mouths - often at the sight of the bucket.

 Stimulus = something
happening to the person Example
causing a response Stimulus = change in
 Response = the reaction temperature
of the individual to the Response = reaction = put
stimulus on more clothes
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING: VIDEO

 Watch the video

 Identify what ‘stimulus’ and
‘response’ is?
 What’s the difference between
conditioned and unconditioned?

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cP5lCleK-PM&fea
ture=related
– 3mins

8
 Classical Conditioning

• UCS - unconditioned stimulus – natural stimulus not learned or conditioned

(dog food)
• UCR – unconditioned response – natural response, not learned or
conditioned (salivate)
e.g. Dog food (UCS) lead to salivation (UCR).
• NS – neutral stimulus – (the bell) at this point has no impact until it is paired
with the unconditioned stimulus (dog food) until an association is made then
it becomes a:
• CS Conditioned stimulus – (bell) trained stimulus to create learned response
• CR Conditioned response – (salivate) learned response

* Hint: replace “conditioned” with “learned”.

 STAGE 1 Stage 2
At the beginning of the However, if food (UCS) was presented to
experiment, if a bell was rung the dog, it would salivate (UCR).
near the dog, it did not salivate.

UCS

STAGE 3 - CONDITIONING Stage 4 - Testing

Over a number of trials, the bell (CS) is After a number of conditioning trials, if the CS is
rung just before the food is delivered. presented alone, it will typically lead to a
conditioned response (CR).
CLASSICAL AND OPERANT
CONDITIONING – EXAMPLES

Watch the video and answer the questions

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6LEcM0E0io – 4 mins

Can you think of a time in your life when

you were a part of classical conditioning?

What factors may have influenced your

behaviour as a child and effected you as an
adult?

Share ideas with the class

11
 Activity 2 - Applying Pavlov’s ideas to care
settings – 10mins
Amy is 5 years old and has gone to the hospital to visit her grandmother who is unwell.
When Amy arrives at the hospital she does not like the strong smell on the wards and starts
to vomit. The next day when Amy’s mum says shall we visit grandma Amy instantly feels
sick again.

How would Pavlov explain this? – Identify the…

 UCS? Hospital
 UCR? Vomiting
 CS? Grandma
 CR? Feeling sick Remember
UCS - Unconditioned Stimuli
What factors may have influences Amy’s UCR – Unconditioned Response
behaviour and could effect her as an adult? CS – Conditioned stimuli
CR – Conditioned Response
 OPERANT CONDITIONING

 Operant conditioning involves choice – learning through the consequences of

behavioural responses.

 Skinner is regarded as the father of Operant Conditioning, but his work was based
on Thorndike’s (1905) law of effect.
 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 (1948) studied operant conditioning by conducting experiments using animals
which he placed in a 'Skinner Box' which was similar to Thorndike’s puzzle box.
 Operant Conditioning

• Skinner (1948) studied operant conditioning by conducting

experiments using animals which he placed in a 'Skinner Box'
which was similar to Thorndike’s puzzle box.

• How does operant conditioning work?

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxkaLQwl34c
– 6 mins

• A rat in a box had to press a lever to get food

• Rewards are reinforces – rat more likely to press
lever again!
 ACTIVITY 3 - APPLYING SKINNERS IDEAS TO CARE
SETTINGS – 10 MINS

What factors may have influences their

Read the case studies and answer the
behaviour and could effect her as an adult?
questions…

1 2
 Jane works as paediatric nurse
(children's nurse) and do regular blood
tests on children. One of her patients
struggles with blood tests and kicks and
screams when having it. Jane has started
giving her patient a sticker every time he
sits nice and still for his blood test.
Although he has said he is scared about
his blood test, he is excited to get his
sticker and has not been screaming or
kicking. He now has 4 stickers for being
good for his blood tests. What type of
reinforcement is being used?
 Jane works as paediatric nurse
(children's nurse) and do regular
blood tests on children. One of her
patients struggles with blood tests and
kicks and screams when having it.
His mum has taking away his ipad
time if he kicks and scream during
the blood tests. Although he has said
he is scared about his blood test, he
does not want to miss out on iPad
time. What type of reinforcement is
being used?
CONSEQUENCES OF BEHAVIOUR

• What is positive and negative reinforcement and

punishment?

 Positive reinforcement-happens when we add something favourable or

pleasant to increase the behaviour,

 Negative reinforcement-takes place when we remove something unpleasant

in order to reinforce the behaviour,

 Punishment-used to decrease the behaviour,

SUMMARY
Can you…

Describe behaviourism and how it effects human development and

behaviours

Explain factors that can influence human behaviour and development.

Explore classical and operant conditioning and how they affect behaviour