Transcript What is Dollard and Miller`s social

Psychology 305A:
Personality Psychology
March 13
Lecture 16
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Optional Paper
Due date: April 8.
Purposes: To (a) practice the application of personality
psychology, (b) explore the personality of an intriguing
individual, and (c) think creatively and critically about the
course content.
Procedure: Conduct a psychobiography. Use up to 3 theories
considered in this course to describe, analyze, and interpret
the personality of a specific individual (e.g., yourself, a family
member, a friend, a public figure, a fictional character).
Note: The grade on the paper will be included in the
computation of a student’s final grade only if it increases the
student’s standing in the course.
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The Learning Perspective
1. What are (a) behaviourism, (b) classical conditioning,
and (c) operant conditioning?
2. Can personality development be explained by the
processes of classical conditioning and operant
conditioning?
3. What is Dollard and Miller’s social-cognitive learning
theory of personality?
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By the end of today’s class, you should be able to:
1. discuss the three principles of the behaviourist view.
2. describe the process of classical conditioning.
3. distinguish between and generate examples of positive
reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive
punishment, and negative punishment.
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4. compare the early behaviourist view with contemporary
social-cognitive learning theories of personality.
5. describe Dollard and Miller’s social-cognitive learning
theory of personality.
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What are (a) behaviourism, (b) classical conditioning, and
(c) operant conditioning?
• There are 3 interrelated principles associated with the
behaviourist view on personality:
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1. Personality is determined by environmental factors.
2. Personality is the sum of observable behaviour (vs.
instincts, drives, unconscious or conscious
experiences, cognitions, needs, motives).
3. Observation of overt behaviour is the only method
by which to assess personality.
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• Behaviourists suggested that there are 2 learning
processes that determine behaviour and, thus,
personality:
1. Classical Conditioning
 Learning that occurs by repeatedly pairing a neutral
stimulus with a stimulus that produces a reflexive
response.
 Basic terminology:
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Unconditioned stimulus (US): The stimulus that produces
the reflexive response.
Unconditioned response (UR): The reflex that occurs
automatically in response to the US.
Conditioned stimulus (CS): The neutral stimulus that
gradually acquires the ability to produce the reflexive
response after repeatedly being paired with the US.
Conditioned response (CR): The reflexive response that
gradually occurs in response to the CS.
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 Basic process:
US
UR
Reflexive
Repeatedly
paired
Highly
similar
CS
CR
Learned
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 Example: In experiments with dogs, Pavlov repeatedly
paired the presentation of food with the ringing of a bell.
After several pairings, the bell was able to induce
salivation in the dogs in the absence of any food.
What are the US, UR, CS, and CR in Pavlov’s
experiments?
US: Food
UR: Salivation
CS: Ringing of a bell
CR: Salivation
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Food
Salivation
Reflexive
Repeatedly
paired
Highly
similar
Ringing
of Bell
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Salivation
Learned
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2. Operant Conditioning
 Learning that occurs through reinforcement and
punishment.
(a) Positive reinforcement (PR): Involves the introduction
of a desired stimulus following a behaviour.
Examples: Praise, social recognition, physical
affection, food, money.
Increases the probability that a behaviour will be
repeated.
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(b) Negative reinforcement (NR): Involves the reduction
or removal of an aversive stimulus following a
behaviour.
Examples: Discontinuation of the criticism of an
overbearing boss after writing a good report,
discontinuation of the negative comments of a loved
one after weight loss.
Increases the probability that a behaviour will be
repeated.
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(c) Positive punishment (PP): Involves the introduction of
an aversive stimulus following a behaviour.
Examples: Spankings, verbal reprimands.
Decreases the probability that a behaviour will be
repeated.
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(d) Negative punishment (NP): Involves the removal of a
desired stimulus following a behaviour.
Examples: Time-outs, groundings.
Decreases the probability that a behaviour will be
repeated.
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 Example: Skinner placed pigeons in a “Skinner box”
containing a lever and a chute for the delivery of food.
As the birds learned that pressing the lever resulted in
the delivery of food, the rate at which they pressed the
lever gradually increased until they did little else.
What is the reinforcement in these experiments? Food
Is this an example of PR or NR? PR
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Can personality development be explained by the processes
of classical conditioning and operant conditioning?
• Early behaviourists maintained that personality is the
constellation of learned behaviours that are acquired
through classical conditioning and operant conditioning.
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• Skinner argued that the term “personality” is superfluous
because overt behaviour can be completely understood
in terms of responses to environmental factors.
• Contemporary learning theorists, however, suggest that
this view is flawed; it discounts the internal state of the
individual (e.g., instincts, drives, unconscious or
conscious experiences, cognitions, needs, motives).
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• Accordingly, contemporary learning theorists have
elaborated upon conditioning processes, placing greater
emphasis on mental processes and social aspects of
learning.
• Collectively, contemporary learning theories are
referred to as social-cognitive learning theories.
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What is Dollard and Miller’s social-cognitive learning theory of
personality?
• Dollard and Miller’s social-cognitive learning theory
emphasizes 5 concepts:
1. Drive
2. Cue
3. Response
4. Reinforcement
5. Habit Hierarchy
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 According to Dollard and Miller, learning occurs
when there is a change in the order of responses in a
habit hierarchy.
 Each person has unique habit hierarchies; these
unique habit hierarchies account for individual
differences in personality.
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By the end of today’s class, you should be able to:
1. discuss the three principles of the behaviourist view.
2. describe the process of classical conditioning.
3. distinguish between and generate examples of positive
reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive
punishment, and negative punishment.
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4. compare the early behaviourist view with contemporary
social-cognitive learning theories of personality.
5. describe Dollard and Miller’s social-cognitive learning
theory of personality.
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