Theoretical approahe's to psychology
Psychology, the study and exploration of the limitless psyche. For many years people have dedicated their entire life's work to uncover the causes and motives behind the behaviour of both humans and animals
Various theories have been constructed based on incalculable research. The most contemporary of perspectives include Behaviourism, the assumption that all behaviour is learned. Influenced by the environment, behaviourists believe that we are born a blank canvas and that we are susceptible to manipulation by any chosen stimulus.
In 1902 while experimenting on dogs, a Russian physiologist named Ivan Pavlov discovered that the dogs began to salivate whenever the lab assistant appeared. Coincidence or not the lab assistant was usually the one who fed the dogs. Pavlov concluded that this association was as a result of learning and so proceeded to investigate further.
He sought to find out if ringing a bell (NS) immediately before serving the dogs food (US) prompted the dogs to salivate (UR). After several trials, the bell ringing (NS) caused the dogs to salivate thus becoming a learned response (CS) because the dogs now associated the bell ringing with the arrival food (US). This started the (CR) salivation even before the dogs could see or smell the food.(K,Cherry)
Operant conditioning discovered by B F Skinner (1940) brought forth suggestions on behaviour modification. Having invented the 'Skinner box' in which a hungry rat was placed, Skinner introduced the the term positive reinforcement. Inside the box was a lever which ultimately when pressed accidentally by the rat would release food pellets. Eventually the rat realised that by pressing the lever it would reap rewards in the form of food. The reinforcement was positive as it increased a desired behaviour with the notion of something pleasant. Skinner concluded that reinforcement including negative reinforcement ( an increase in behaviour to avoid anything unpleasant ) was the primary
Various theories have been constructed based on incalculable research. The most contemporary of perspectives include Behaviourism, the assumption that all behaviour is learned. Influenced by the environment, behaviourists believe that we are born a blank canvas and that we are susceptible to manipulation by any chosen stimulus.
In 1902 while experimenting on dogs, a Russian physiologist named Ivan Pavlov discovered that the dogs began to salivate whenever the lab assistant appeared. Coincidence or not the lab assistant was usually the one who fed the dogs. Pavlov concluded that this association was as a result of learning and so proceeded to investigate further.
He sought to find out if ringing a bell (NS) immediately before serving the dogs food (US) prompted the dogs to salivate (UR). After several trials, the bell ringing (NS) caused the dogs to salivate thus becoming a learned response (CS) because the dogs now associated the bell ringing with the arrival food (US). This started the (CR) salivation even before the dogs could see or smell the food.(K,Cherry)
Operant conditioning discovered by B F Skinner (1940) brought forth suggestions on behaviour modification. Having invented the 'Skinner box' in which a hungry rat was placed, Skinner introduced the the term positive reinforcement. Inside the box was a lever which ultimately when pressed accidentally by the rat would release food pellets. Eventually the rat realised that by pressing the lever it would reap rewards in the form of food. The reinforcement was positive as it increased a desired behaviour with the notion of something pleasant. Skinner concluded that reinforcement including negative reinforcement ( an increase in behaviour to avoid anything unpleasant ) was the primary