Psychlotron.org.uk “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?
Psychlotron.org.uk Today’s session You will learn how to...You will learn about... Describe the assumptions of psychological approaches Describe and apply psychological approaches & theories Behaviourism Classical conditioning The work of Ivan Pavlov and John Watson
Psychlotron.org.uk 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
Psychlotron.org.uk Behaviourism: SR Units (reflexes) SR Stimulus is detected by an organism Organism emits a response
Psychlotron.org.uk What are the responses? SR
Psychlotron.org.uk Classical conditioning A theory about how humans (and other animals) learn. A process for creating new SR units from existing ones
Psychlotron.org.uk Pavlov’s (1901) Study
Psychlotron.org.uk Classical Conditioning SR FoodSalivation Food Bell UCR CR UCS NS CS + A new SR unit
Psychlotron.org.uk Classical Conditioning SR UCR CR UCS NS CS UCS+ A new SR unit An existing SR unit
Psychlotron.org.uk ‘Little Albert’ NoiseFearUCR CR UCS NS CS + Rat NoiseFear RatFear
Psychlotron.org.uk Classical conditioning Stimulus generalisation Stimulus discrimination Extinction