MBB1 - Classical and operant conditioning

What is cognition?

all the mental activities associated with thinking, knowing, remembering, and communicating

Perceptual cognitive cycle

Integration of the perceptual present (feedback through senses) and the cognitive past (schema).

Define learning

The set of biological, cognitive and social processes through which organisms make meaning from their experiences, producing long-lasting changes in their behaviour, abilities and knowledge.

How does learning assist us?

Allows us to predict the future from our past experiences.

What are the two forms of non-associative learning?

Sensitisation and habituation.

Define sensitisation

A temporary heightened attention and responsivity due to sudden and surprising threatening events and stimuli.

Define habituation

A decrease in attention and responsivity after repeated exposure to a non-threatening stimulus.

Define associative learning

Learning a predictive relationships between stimuli or between stimuli and behavioural responses.

Define classical conditioning

Learning a predictive relationship between a neutral stimulus and a biologically significant event that causes an autonomic reflect response.

Ivan Pavlov's 1897 experiment, had what initial hypothesis?

The dogs had learned to associate certain signals from the environment preceded the presentation of meat, and a reflex occurred in preparation.

What are the three phases of classical conditioning?

1. Conditions prior to conditioning (learning), 2. During conditioning (learning associations), 3. After conditioning.

Define neutral stimulus (NS) and identify Pavlov's NS

A stimulus that does not produce a reflex - the ringing of a bell

Define unconditioned stimulus (UCS) and identify Pavlov's UCS

A biologically significant stimulus that naturally causes a reflex - the meat

Define unconditioned response (UCR) and identify Pavlov's UCR

A natural reflex response - a salivation response

Define conditioned stimulus (CS) and identify Pavlov's CS

A previously NS that has become associated with a UCS - the ringing of a bell

Define conditioned response (CR) and identify Pavlov's CR

A learnt response to a CS that was previously neutral - salivation response to the ringing of a bell

Define stimulus generalisation

When a stimulus similar to the conditioned one elicits the same conditioned response

Define stimulus discrimination

A learned response to a specific stimulus but not to other, similar stimuli.

Define conditioned response extinction

The process where a CR to a CS weakens and disappears through spaced, repeated sessions in various contexts where the CS is not followed by the UCS.

Define spontaneous recovery

the reappearance, after time, of an extinguished CR

Define rapid reacquisition

The quick relearning of the CR in response to the CS after being extinguished.

What do spontaneous recovery and rapid reacquisition suggest about the extinction process?

Extinction is never permanent and is able to be brought back or be spontaneously recovered.

When was and who conducted The Little Albert study?

A 1920 experiment by Watson and Rayner

What did Watson and Rayner (1920) demonstrate?

Most fear responses are conditioned. - Albert was not afraid of a range of stimuli but had a natural startle response to a sudden loud sound (metal bar)

How did Watson and Raynor (1920) conduct their experiment?

Presented a white rat (NS) followed by a loud sound (UCS) twice in one session than 5 times a week later.

Define operant conditioning

Learning behaviours through experiencing rewards or punishments for our actions

When was and who developed The Skinner Box?

B.F Skinner in 1937

What was the positive reinforcer in the Skinner box?

A food pellet after pressing the lever

What was the negative reinforcer in the Skinner box?

An electric shock after pressing the lever

Define antecedents

signals of upcoming rewarding or punishing stimuli

Define positive reinforcement

learning to reproduce a behaviour if the consequence is receiving something pleasant.

Define negative reinforcement

learning to reproduce a behaviour if the consequence is that something unpleasant will stop.

Define partial reinforcement

a learning condition in which only some responses are reinforced, leading to more persistent learning.

Define continuous reinforcement

reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs, leading to rapid extinction when it is not

What is the variable ratio schedule?

A schedule of reinforcement where a response is reinforced after an unpredictable number of responses - underlies gambling.

What is extinction of reinforced operant behavior?

A non-immediate decrease in trained behaviour when reinforcement is withheld.

What is an extinction burst?

It is a temporary increase in behavior that can occur after reinforcement is withheld.

Define shaping

Reinforcing successive approximations (small steps) of a target behavior

Define positive punishment

the presentation of an unpleasant stimulus in order to stop producing a behaviour

Define negative punishment

the removal of a pleasant stimulus in order to stop producing a behaviour

What are the three C's?

Contingency, contiguity and consistency

Explain contingency

A clear relationship between the punisher and behaviour

Explain contiguity

The punisher must quickly subsequent the behaviour

Explain consistency

The punisher needs to occur for every occurrence of the behaviour

Drawbacks of punishment

rarely works for long-term behaviour change, fear, lying, modeling of aggression

Alternatives to punishment

Stop reinforcement of the problem haviour, reinforce: an alternative behaviour or the non-occurrence of the undesirable behaviour.

Define discriminantive stimuli

only rewarding one specific behaviour when two or more behaviours are options