Psych 101 Chapter 6 - Learning

learning

a change in behavior due to experience; is central to us in all aspects of life

behaviorism

a formal theory of learning that arose in the early 20th century, founded by John B. Watson; focuses on studying observable actions and treats all human and animal behavior as a learned response to environmental conditioning

3 main types of learning

non-associating, associative, and learning by observing others

non-associative learning

learning about a stimulus, such as a sight or sound, in the external world

associative learning

learning the relationship between two pieces of info

learning by observing others

learning by watching how others behave, respond, or react

2 forms of non-associative learning

habituation and sensitization

habituation

a decrease in behavioral response after prolonged or repeated exposure to a stimulus, typically if the stimulus is neither harmful or rewarding

sensitization

an increase in behavioral response after prolonged or repeated exposure to a stimulus, leading to heightened preparation in a situation with potential harm or reward

2 types of associative learning

classical conditioning and operant conditioning

classical conditioning

a type of learning where an association is formed between a neutral stimulus and an automatic, reflexive response

unconditioned stimulus (US)

any event that naturally and automatically triggers a reaction without any prior learning 

unconditioned response (UR)

an automatic reaction to an event that happens naturally without any prior learning 

conditioned stimulus (CS)

a previously neutral signal that learns to trigger a specific, learned reaction after being paired with something that causes a natural response

conditioned response (CR)

a learned reaction to a previously neutral trigger that happens after repeated pairing with a natural, automatic stimulus

3 classical conditioning processes

aquisition, extinction, and spontaneous recovery

aquisition

the formation of an association between the US (unconditioned stimulus) and CS (conditioned stimulus)

extinction

the process in which the CR (conditioned response) is weakened when the CS (conditioned stimulus) is not paired with the US (unconditioned stimulus)

spontaneous recovery

the return of the previously extinct CR (conditioned response)

stimulus generalization

stimuli that are similar to the CS (conditioned stimulus) cause the same CR (conditioned response)

stimulus discrimination

stimuli that are different from the CS (conditioned stimulus) fail to cause the same CR (conditioned response)

phobia

the aquired fear that is exaggerated in comparisonn to the real threat of an object or of a situation

counterconditioning

used to replace an undesirable conditioned response (fear) with a more desirable conditioned response (relaxation), helped establish foundation of modern behavioral therapy technologies

taste aversions

adaptive trait to avoid poisons, or foods that make us sick

operant conditioning

a learning process that shapes voluntary behavior using reward or punishment

the Law of Effect

developed by Thordike, idea that behaviors followed by a satisfying outcome are more likely to be repeated, and behaviors that are followed by a disatisfying outcome are less likely to be repeated

operant

an action that is performed in an environment to achieve certain consquences

reinforcer

a consequence that changes the likelihood that the response will be repeated

reinforcement

makes behavior more likely to be repeated

punishment

make behavior less likely to be repeated

positive reinforcement

adding something pleasant to increase a behavior

negative reinforcement

removing something unpleasant to increase behavior

positive punishment

adding something unpleasant to decrease behavior

negative punishment

removing something pleasant to decrease behavior

continuous reinforcement

reinforcing a desired response every time it occurs

partial or intermittent reinforcement

reinforcing a desired response only part of the time

partial-reinforcement extinction effect

behavior persists longer under partial reinforcement than under continuous reinforcment

types of reinforcers

primary reinforcers and secondary reinforcers

primary reinforcers

successful/necessary for survival, such as food or water

secondary reinforcers

learned through association to acquire value, such as money or praise

behavior modification

using the principles of operant conditioning to replace unwanted behaviors with desirable ones

the 6 steps of behavior modification

identify behavior to change, set goals, monitor the behavior, select a reinforcer and decide on a reinforcement schedule, reinforce the desired behavior, and modify goals, reinforcements, or reinforcement schedule as needed

observational learning

when an individual acquires or changes a behavior after viewing other people perform that behavior

modeling

when a person learns new behaviors by watching and imitating someone else (extremely common in babies)

vicarious conditioning

learning the consequences of an action by watching others being rewarded or punished for that action