What do you think?STARTER

What might be the reason for this behaviour?

Do you think humans are born this way?

What do you see happening in this picture?

What factors might influence human behaviour?

They attempt to explain behaviour!!!

But how do they explain it?

Many different APPROACHES or PERSPECTIVES to explaining behaviour.

Lesson Objective:AO1 - To explore and understand Behaviourist Approach and

Classical Conditioning.

.

AO3 – To look at research into classical conditioning and to evaluate Classical Conditioning as an explanation of behaviour.

OBJECTIVES

“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 (1919)

•What claim is Watson making about human nature?•Which approach to psychology do you think Watson represents?

This perspective believes that we are born a blank slate.

We learn our behaviour as a result of our experiences in our environment.

Therefore this is a NURTURE explanation.

Question:What do you think?

AO1 - To explore and understand Behaviourist Approach and Classical Conditioning.

Behaviourist assumptions

• People are products of their environment.

• All complex behaviours have been learned.

• Learning – and consequently behaviour – is under the control of the environment.

• Doing psychology means understanding what people have learned and how.

• Only observable behaviour should be studied, speculation about mental processes should be eliminated.

AO1 - To explore and understand Behaviourist Approach and Classical Conditioning.

Key assumptions of behaviourism

• When born our mind is 'tabula rasa' (a blank slate).

Key assumptions of behaviourism

• People have no free will – a person’s environment determines their behaviour. We are puppets on strings!

Key assumptions of behaviourism

• Psychology should be seen as a science. Theories need to be supported by empirical data obtained through careful and controlled observation and measurement of behaviour.

Key assumptions of behaviourism

• Behaviourism is primarily concerned with observable behaviour, as opposed to internal events like thinking and emotion. Observable (i.e. external) behaviour can be objectively and scientifically measured.

Key assumptions of behaviourism

• There is little difference between the learning that takes place in humans and that in other animals. Therefore research can be carried out on animals as well as humans.

Key assumptions of behaviourism

• All behaviour is learnt from the environment. We learn new behaviour through classical or operant conditioning.

Behaviourism starts...

With this old guy!Ivan Pavlov.

What did Pavlov get up to in his lab?

There are lots of Pavlov’s dog cartoons...

Classical Conditioning• Classical conditioning was first observed by

Ivan Pavlov in the late 1800’s.

• He was studying how dogs salivation helps digest food, whilst studying this he noticed that dogs would salivate sometimes before their food arrived.

• Pavlov then realised that the dogs had ASSOCIATED food with other stimulus.

• He later made the dogs associate food with bells.

• Pavlov applied this learning by association learning by association to humans.

AO1 - To explore and understand Classical Conditioning.AO3 – To analyse the research surrounding Classical Conditioning.

Classical Conditioning

• First Pavlov established that meat caused the dog to salivate.

Behaviourism: SR reflexes

S RStimulus is detected by an organism

Organism emits a

response

AO1 - To explore and understand Behaviourist Approach and Classical Conditioning.

Classical Conditioning

• Then Pavlov established that a tone did not cause the dog to salivate

Classical Conditioning

• He then presented the tone with the food • Note that the dog is salivating in response to the

food at this time.

Classical Conditioning

• After several pairings of the tone and food, Pavlov found that the dog would salivate to the tone when it was presented alone.

Pavlov’s Dogs

AO1 - To explore and understand Classical Conditioning.AO3 – To analyse the research surrounding Classical Conditioning.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0vLy41Hubw

A modern day version of Pavlov’s dog...

The Case Study of ‘little Albert’

Raynor & Watson (1920) carried out a famous

experiment using classical conditioning to demonstrate

the origins of fears and phobias.

They looked at the behaviour of a little boy called Albert.

They found the only thing that he was frightened of was a loud

noise which would make him cry.

AO1 - To explore and understand Classical Conditioning.AO3 – To analyse the research surrounding Classical Conditioning.

Watson and Rayner (1920): Little Albert

• AIM:• I. Can we condition fear of an animal, e.g., a white rat, by visually

presenting it and simultaneously striking a steel bar? • II. If such a conditioned emotional response can be established, will

there be a transfer to other animals or other objects? • III. What is the effect of time upon such conditioned emotional

responses? • IV. If after a reasonable period such emotional responses have not

died out, what laboratory methods can be devised for their removal?

Procedure

• Laboratory experiment/case study

• One participant aged 9 months• Simultaneous conditioning• Filmed his reactions

PROCEDURE RESULTING RESPONSE

A white rat was presented to Albert. (NEURTRAL STIMULUS)

He reached for it with his left hand.

As his left hand touched the rat a bar was struck behind his head making a very loud and unpleasant noise (sound = UCS)

Albert jumped and fell forward but did not cry (UCR)

Just as his right hand touched the rat the bar was struck again (sound = UCS)

Albert jumped violently, fell forward, and started to whimper (UCR)

Age 11 months 10 days: Experiment Continued

STIMULUS RESPONSECS: Rat + US: Sound Albert started to fall over immediately. He did not cry.

(UCR)

CS: Rat + US: Sound Fell to the right, did not cry. (UCR)

CS: Rat + US: Sound Fell to the right, did not cry (UCR)

CS (Rat) presented alone Puckered his face, whimpered, and fell to the left. (CR)

CS: Rat + US: Sound Fell to the right, began to whimper. (UCR)

CS: Rat + US: Sound Stared and cried; did not fall. (UCR)

CS (Rat) presented alone Albert started to cry immediately, turned and started to crawl away. (CR)

11 Months and 15 Days

STIMULUS RESPONSEBlocks alone (CONTROL) Played well.Rat alone (CS) Whimpered, turned away. (CR)Blocks (CONTROL) Played and smiled.Rat alone (CS) Leaned to the left, fell, and

crawled away. (CR)Blocks (CONTROL) Smiling and happy.

11 Months and 15 Days: GeneralisationSTIMULUS RESPONSERabbit Leaned away, whimpered, burst into tears (CR)

Blocks Played well and energetically.

Dog Not as violent a reaction as the rabbit, tried to crawl away but only cried when dog approached his head.

Blocks Played well.

Fur coat Withdrew to the left side and began to fret, began to cry when fur coat was bought nearer.

Cotton wool wrapped in paper with some cotton wool showing

Played with the paper but withdrew his hand from the cotton wool

Hair Upset when Watson tried to get Albert to play with his hair but he played with the observer’s hair

Santa mask Got upset – crying and trying to get away

11 Months and 20 Days.

STIMULUS RESPONSECS: Rat + US: Sound Violent reactionRat alone (CS) Fell to left side and strong

reactionRat alone (CS) Fell to left side and crawled

away, no crying, and gurgled happily

Rabbit alone Leaned to the left and whimpered a little

Blocks Played well

Change in Context: Lecture TheatreSTIMULUS RESPONSE

Rat (CS) No fear reaction but hands held away

Rabbit Slight fear reaction – turned away

Dog Turned away and cried

Rat (CS) Slight negative reaction

Rat (CS) + Sound (UCS) Jumped but did not cry

Rat moved near (CS) Began whimpering as rat got near

Blocks Played well

Rat (CS) Withdrawal and whimpering

Blocks Played well

Rabbit (CS) Pronounced reaction

Dog Did not cry until the dog barked

Watson and Rayner (1920): Little Albert

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FMnhyGozLyE

Evaluate Watson and Raynor (1920)

• Ethics• Validity• Reliability• Ecological validity• Generalisability

Task

Answer these questions:1.Explain what is meant by Classical Conditioning (3 Marks).

2.Outline the main findings of Pavlov’s research. (4 Marks).

3.Describe and evaluate Watson and Rayner’s study of Little Albert. (8)

ACTIVITY

Word Association• We will go around the class.• You each have to name one thing you have learnt this lesson.• BUT it has to be linked to what the last person said.

E.g. Classical Conditioning – Little Albert – Research etc.

PLENARY