Learning Theories

What Learning Theories covers

The fourth Paper 1 topic. It covers classical and operant conditioning, social learning theory and the Bobo doll experiments, how phobias are acquired and treated, and the observational, animal and analytical methods that behaviourist research rests on.

The 25 subtopics

Each one has its own page.

• The main features of classical conditioningRecall questions on the UCS, UCR, NS and CS, acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery and stimulus generalisation.Open →
• Pavlov's experiment with salivation in dogsRecall questions on the food, salivation and bell as unconditioned stimulus, unconditioned response and neutral then conditioned stimulus in Pavlov's experiment, how salivation was measured, how many pairings were needed, and the limits of extending it to humans.Open →
• The main features of operant conditioningRecall questions on positive and negative reinforcement, positive and negative punishment, and the difference between negative reinforcement and punishment.Open →
• Properties and schedules of reinforcementRecall questions on primary reinforcers such as food and warmth, secondary reinforcers such as money, praise, tokens and grades, schedules of reinforcement, and the response patterns of variable ratio, fixed ratio and fixed interval schedules.Open →
• Behaviour modification and shapingRecall questions on shaping by successive approximation, token economies, where they are used, and the ethical objections to them.Open →
• The main features of social learning theoryRecall questions on learning through observation, imitation and modelling, and on the attention, retention and reproduction stages and the motivation that decides whether an observed behaviour is performed.Open →
• The four stages of social learningRecall questions on attention, retention, reproduction and motivation, and what can prevent an observed behaviour being performed.Open →
• Bandura's original Bobo doll experimentsRecall questions on the 72 children, the three conditions, the mild frustration procedure, the imitation found, and the effect of model sex.Open →
• Bandura (1965) and vicarious reinforcementRecall questions on vicarious against direct reinforcement, the model-rewarded, model-punished and no-consequences conditions of Bandura's 1965 study, the reduced imitation after punishment, and the distinction between learning and performance.Open →
• How learning theories explain phobiasRecall questions on acquiring a phobia by classical conditioning, avoidance as negative reinforcement, vicarious experience and observational learning of fear, why people with similar experiences differ, and Mowrer's two-process model.Open →
• Systematic desensitisation and floodingRecall questions on reciprocal inhibition, the three stages of desensitisation, how flooding differs, and which suits which phobia.Open →
• Individual differences in learning theoriesRecall questions on biological preparedness, trait anxiety, personality and conditionability, and why not everyone imitates the same model.Open →
• Developmental psychology in learning theoriesRecall questions on development as continuous rather than staged, gender role acquisition, media models, and how this differs from Piaget.Open →
• Observational research with humansRecall questions on qualitative and quantitative observational data, event and time sampling, non-participant, structured and naturalistic observation, overt and covert, participant and non-participant observation, and content analysis.Open →
• Animal research and its ethicsRecall questions on why animals are used, what generalises to humans, the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, and the three Rs.Open →
• Chi-squared and levels of measurementRecall questions on when chi-squared is chosen, nominal data and contingency tables, degrees of freedom, and comparing observed with critical values.Open →
• Thematic analysis in learning researchRecall questions on the six stages of thematic analysis from familiarisation to the report, what codes and themes are, and the difference between inductive and deductive approaches.Open →
• The scientific status of psychologyRecall questions on replicability, reliability and validity, reductionism, falsification, empiricism and the hypothetico-deductive method.Open →
• Classic study: Watson and Rayner (1920) Little AlbertRecall questions on the conditioning procedure, generalisation to other furry objects, the ethical criticisms, and what the case can and cannot show.Open →
• Contemporary study: Becker et al. (2002)Recall questions on the Fijian adolescent girls, the arrival of television, the change in eating attitudes, and the social learning explanation.Open →
• Contemporary study: Bastian et al. (2011)Recall questions on the violent game manipulation, dehumanisation of self and opponent, and how it links observation to aggression.Open →
• Contemporary study: Capafons et al. (1998)Recall questions on the treatment of fear of flying, the self-report and physiological measures, the outcome, and the waiting-list control.Open →
• Key question in learning theoriesRecall questions on whether celebrity bodies help cause eating disorders, how social learning, role-model characteristics, Becker et al. and operant conditioning explain it, how the understanding can be applied, and violent media and aggression as a further key question.Open →
• Practical investigation in learning theoriesRecall questions on designing two observations, defining behaviour categories, establishing reliability, and reporting the analysis.Open →
• Issues and debates in learning theoriesRecall questions on environmental reductionism, determinism, the ethics of Little Albert and the Bobo doll work, and psychology as a science.Open →

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Take Learning Theories further

The same content, four other ways.

Questions from this topic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What is an unconditioned stimulus (UCS)?

   Model answer

   A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response without any prior learning.

2. 2

   Why does an unconditioned stimulus not require learning to produce a response?

   Model answer

   Because it triggers an innate, automatic biological response that is hardwired rather than acquired through experience.

3. 3

   Define the term unconditioned response (UCR).

   Model answer

   An unlearned, naturally occurring response to an unconditioned stimulus.

4. 4

   What is a neutral stimulus (NS)?

   Model answer

   A stimulus that initially produces no specific response other than focusing attention.

5. 5

   What happens when a neutral stimulus is presented before conditioning takes place?

   Model answer

   It produces no specific response other than focusing attention.

6. 6

   Define conditioned stimulus (CS).

   Model answer

   A previously neutral stimulus that, after being paired with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response.

What is inside Levo

Six ways to work the same material.

Learning Theories revision questions

What does Learning Theories cover in Edexcel A-Level Psychology?

25 subtopics: the main features of classical conditioning, pavlov's experiment with salivation in dogs, the main features of operant conditioning, properties and schedules of reinforcement, behaviour modification and shaping, the main features of social learning theory, the four stages of social learning, bandura's original bobo doll experiments, bandura (1965) and vicarious reinforcement, how learning theories explain phobias, systematic desensitisation and flooding, individual differences in learning theories, developmental psychology in learning theories, observational research with humans, animal research and its ethics, chi-squared and levels of measurement, thematic analysis in learning research, the scientific status of psychology, classic study: watson and rayner (1920) little albert, contemporary study: becker et al. (2002), contemporary study: bastian et al. (2011), contemporary study: capafons et al. (1998), key question in learning theories, practical investigation in learning theories and issues and debates in learning theories. Each one has its own page with questions and model answers.

How is Learning Theories organised?

By the Edexcel 9PS0 specification, subtopic by subtopic, so it matches the order you are taught it in.