🪴 PG Notes

Behavioral Psychology

2 min read

Core Concept

  • Scientific study of observable behavior & environmental interactions
  • Focus on learning, conditioning, & behavior modification
  • Rooted in empiricism (Watson, Skinner, Pavlov)

Fundamentals

Key Theories

  • Classical Conditioning (Pavlov)
    • ( \Delta V = \alpha \beta (\lambda - V) ) (Rescorla-Wagner model)
    • Neutral stimulus → Conditioned response (e.g., Bell → Salivation)
  • Operant Conditioning (Skinner)
    • ( P = \frac{1}{1 + e^{-k(R - \theta)}} ) (Matching Law)
    • Reinforcement/Punishment schedules (Fixed Ratio, Variable Interval)
  • Social Learning Theory (Bandura)
    • Observational learning & modeling (Bobo Doll Experiment)

Foundational Laws

  • Law of Effect (Thorndike)
  • Stimulus-Response Associations (Hull)
  • Habituation/Sensitization (Dual Process Theory)

Key Principles

  • Reinforcement Schedules
    • Continuous vs. Partial
    • Variable Ratio (Most resistant to extinction)
  • Extinction Burst
    • Temporary increase in behavior post-reinforcement removal
  • Stimulus Generalization
    • Responding to similar stimuli (Watson’s Little Albert Experiment)
  • Shaping
    • Successive approximations (Skinner Box Pigeons)

Applications

Education

  • Positive reinforcement systems (Token Economies)
  • Programmed instruction (Skinner’s Teaching Machines)

Clinical

  • CBT for phobias (Systematic Desensitization)
  • ABA for autism spectrum disorder

Organizational

  • Performance incentives (Bonus Structures)
  • Safety compliance programs

Consumer Behavior

  • Nudging (Thaler & Sunstein)
  • Gamification in apps (Duolingo Streaks)

Methodologies

Experimental Design

  • A-B-A Reversal Designs
  • Double-blind Placebo Studies

Behavioral Observation

  • ABC Charts (Antecedent-Behavior-Consequence)
  • Time Sampling Methods (Momentary vs. Partial Interval)

Quantitative Analysis

  • Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA)
  • Multivariate Regression for Behavior Prediction

Challenges

Ethical Issues

  • Milgram Obedience Study Controversy
  • Informed Consent in Aversive Conditioning

Theoretical Limitations

  • Neglect of cognitive processes (Chomsky vs. Skinner Debate)
  • Cultural Bias (WEIRD Population Studies)

Practical Barriers

  • Replication Crisis (Open Science Framework)
  • Measurement Subjectivity (Inter-Rater Reliability)

Tools/Techniques

Software

  • Observer XT (Behavior Coding)
  • SPSS for ANOVA/MANOVA
  • NVivo for Qualitative Analysis

Psychometrics

  • Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
  • Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)

Experimental Apparatus

  • Skinner Boxes
  • Eye-Tracking Systems (Tobii Pro)

Cognitive Psychology

  • Memory-Behavior Interactions (Tolman’s Cognitive Maps)

Neuroscience

  • Dopamine Pathways in Reinforcement (Schultz’s Prediction Error Theory)

Behavioral Economics

  • Prospect Theory (Kahneman & Tversky)

Education

  • Mastery Learning (Bloom’s Taxonomy Alignment)

Examples/Case Studies

Real-World Models

  • Token Economy in Prisons (Allyon & Azrin, 1968)
  • Fear Extinction (Mary Cover Jones’ Peter Study)

Analogies

  • Operant Conditioning as “Behavioral Vending Machine”
  • Classical Conditioning as “Biological Echo Chamber”

Standards/Frameworks

  • APA Ethical Guidelines (2023 Revision)
  • DSM-5-TR Behavioral Disorder Criteria
  • BACB Task List for Behavior Analysts

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