Back to AI Flashcard MakerPsychology /Theories Of Personality: Skinner
Theories Of Personality: Skinner
This deck covers key concepts from Skinner's theories of personality, focusing on behaviorism, reinforcement, conditioning, and social control.
Doctrine that avoids all hypothetical constructs such as ego, traits, drives and concentrates almost exclusively on observable behavior
Radical behaviorism
Tap or swipe ↕ to flip
Swipe ←→Navigate
1/35
Key Terms
Term
Definition
Doctrine that avoids all hypothetical constructs such as ego, traits, drives and concentrates almost exclusively on observable behavior
Radical behaviorism
Provides the most useful data in predicting behavior
History
Stated that responses followed by a satisfier tend to be learned
Thorndike’s law of effect
Goal of psychology is the prediction and control of behavior and that goal could best be reached by limiting psychology to an objective study
John Watson’s goal in psychology
Should not be used to explain behavior
inner states
Characteristics of science
cumulative, attitude that values empirical observation, searches for order and lawful relationships
Related Flashcard Decks
Study Tips
- Press F to enter focus mode for distraction-free studying
- Review cards regularly to improve retention
- Try to recall the answer before flipping the card
- Share this deck with friends to study together
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
Doctrine that avoids all hypothetical constructs such as ego, traits, drives and concentrates almost exclusively on observable behavior | Radical behaviorism |
Provides the most useful data in predicting behavior | History |
Stated that responses followed by a satisfier tend to be learned | Thorndike’s law of effect |
Goal of psychology is the prediction and control of behavior and that goal could best be reached by limiting psychology to an objective study | John Watson’s goal in psychology |
Should not be used to explain behavior | inner states |
Characteristics of science | cumulative, attitude that values empirical observation, searches for order and lawful relationships |
Pairing of a conditioned stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus until conditioned stimulus was sufficient to elicit the unconditioned stimulus; phobias, fears, anxieties | Classical conditioning or respondent conditioning |
Reinforcement is used to increase the probability that a given behavior will recur; most human behaviors are learned | Operant conditioning |
Experimenter first rewards gross approximations, then closer approximations, and finally the desired behavior itself | Shaping |
3 conditions of operant conditioning | antecedent, behavior and consequence |
Strengthen behavior and reward person | Reinforcement |
The effect of punishment to avoid pain and its attendant anxiety | Defense mechanisms |
Associated with a primary reinforcer | Conditioned reinforcer |
Associated with more than 1 primary reinforcer (money, attention, approval, affection) | Generalized reinforcer |
Organism reinforced intermittently accdg. to number of responses it makes; reward every nth it makes | Fixed ratio |
Organism is reinforced after an average of a predetermined numbr of responses; a response is reinforced after an unpredictable # of responses (e.g. slot machines, lottery) | Variable ratio (highest response rate) |
Reinforcement made only after a set interval of time | Fixed interval |
Reinforcement provided after an inconsistent amount of time has passed and following a specific behavior (e.g checking email any time to check messages) | Variable interval |
The tendency of a previously acquired response to become progressively weakened upon nonreinforcement | extinction |
3 forces of human behavior | natural selection, cultural evolution and individual’s history of reinforcement |
reinforcing behaviors were beneficial to the species tended to survive and non-reinforcing dropped out | Natural selection |
Societies whose members behaved cooperatively tended to survive | Cultural evolution |
Thinking, problem solving, reminiscing are covert behaviors that take place within the skin but not inside the mind | Complex behavior |
Random or accidental conditions are produced that have some possibility of survival | Creativity |
When people no longer think about it because it has been suppressed thru punishment | Unconscious behavior |
Covert and symbolic forms of behavior that are subject to the same contingencies or reinforcement as any other behavior; wish-fulfillment purpose | Dreams |
4 basic method of social control | operant conditioning; describing contingencies (use of language); deprivation and satiation; physical restraint |
When people control their own behavior, they do so by manipulating the same variables that they would use in controlling someone else's behavior which is outside of themselves | Self-control |
Social control and self-control produce counteracting strategies and inappropriate behaviors | The unhealthy personality |
Escape, revolt, passive resistance | Counteracting strategies (Used when social control is excessive) |
Individuals act to form social groups because such behavior tends to be reinforcing | Social control |
Self defeating techniques of counteracting social control or from unsuccessful attempts at self-control with strong emotion | Inappropriate behavior |
Excessive vigorous behavior, excessive restrained behavior, self-deluding, self-punishment | Inappropriate behaviors |
goal of behavior therapy | mold desirable behavior by reinforcing slightly improved changes in behavior and point out positive consequences of behavior |
Impaired ability to learn from negative consequences | Psychopathy |