CONDITIONING (barrett)

conditioning

learning

associative learning

learning that certain events occur together

two types of conditioning

1\.) classical conditioning

2\.) operant conditioning

classical conditioning

learning where a neural stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus and elicits a conditioned response

unconditioned stimulus

a stimulus that has the ability to produce a specified response before conditioning begins

unconditioned response

a response produced by a natural stimulus

conditioned stimulus

an initially neutral stimulus that comes to produce a new response because it is associated with the unconditioned stimulus

conditioned response

response produced by the conditioned stimulus

extinction

after conditioning has taken place, repeatedly presenting the conditioned stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus will make the conditioned response weaker and eventually make it disappear

reconditioning

relearning of a conditioned response after extinction without more pairings

spontaneous recovery

following recovery, the conditioned response reappears at reduced strength if the conditioned stimulus is presented again after a rest period

stimulus generalization

\- after a conditioned response has been trained to a conditioned stimulus, that same conditioned response will tend to occur to similar stimuli without further training

\- the greater the similarity, the stronger the response will be

discrimination

the act of responding differently to stimuli that are not similar

conditions in classical conditioning

1\.) timing

2\.) predictability

3\.) signal strength

4\.) attention

5\.) ease of natural conditioning

timing

closer the timing, the more effective classical conditioning will be

predictability

better results if pairing is consistent

signal strength

the stronger the conditioned stimulus, the better classical conditioning will be

attention

amount of attention that is directed at the conditioned stimulus

uses of classical conditioning

reducing fears / phobias

elements of reducing fears / phobias

1\.) flooding

2\.) systematic desensitization

3\.) counterconditioning

4\.) bell and pad method

flooding

a person is exposed to the harmless stimulus until fear responses to that stimulus are extinguished

systematic desensitization

people are taught relaxation techniques and are then gradually exposed to the feared stimulus using the relaxation technique

counterconditioning

a pleasant stimulus is paired repeatedly with a fearful one, counteracting the fear

bell and pad method

\- the most common treatment for nighttime enuresis is the bell and pad technique, also known as a bedwetting alarm

\- this method consists of a device kids wear at night that has a sensor, making a noise when it becomes wet and ideally waking up the child in time for him to stop the stream and go to the bathroom

bell and pad method: unconditioned stimulus

tightening of bladder muscles

bell and pad method: unconditioned response

peeing the bed

bell and pad method: conditioned stimulus

bell

bell and pad method: conditioned response

muscles waking you up by tightening

little albert experiment

\- the little albert experiment demonstrated that classical conditioning—the association of a particular stimulus or behavior with an unrelated stimulus or behavior—works in human beings

\- in this experiment, a previously unafraid baby was conditioned to become afraid of a rat

little albert experiment: unconditioned stimulus

loud noise (bar)

little albert experiment: unconditioned response

fear/crying

little albert experiment: conditioned stimulus

white rat

little albert experiment: conditioned response

fear/crying

operant conditioning

a learning process where behaviors are modified through the association of stimuli with reinforcement or punishment

edward thorndike

law of effect: rewarded behavior is likely to recur

bf skinner

operant conditioning: learning behavior as a result of effects and consequences

reinforcement

something that strengthens the response or makes it more likely to recur

operant chamber / skinner box

contains bar that animal can push to obtain a food reinforcer → more likely to push bar

positive reinforcement

a stimulus that increases the frequency of a behavior when it is presented

examples of positive reinforcement

\- when you’re hungry, you go get food

\- an athlete plays sports

negative reinforcement

an unpleasant stimulus that increases the frequency of behavior when it is removed or avoided

examples of negative reinforcement

\- when you’re in the hot sun, you seek shade

\- you take out the trash to avoid being yelled at

punishment

weakening a response by following it with unpleasant consequences

primary reinforcement

reinforcement that uses a physical survival need (food, water, adequate warmth, etc.)

secondary reinforcement

reinforcement that comes to represent a primary reinforcer (money, clothes, etc.)

why do humans act stupid?

1\.) operant conditioning is stronger when the delivery of the reinforcer is immediate

2\.) the larger the reinforcer, the more effective

punishment types

1\.) positive punishment

2\.) negative punishment

positive punishment

administer a “bad stimulus to decrease a behavior”

(spanking, speeding ticket)

negative punishment

withdraw a rewarding stimulus to decrease a behavior

(take away cell phone, take away driver’s license)

partial / intermittent reinforcement

reinforcing a response only part of the time

how many types of intermittent reinforcement are there?

four

what are the different types of intermittent reinforcement?

1\.) fixed-ratio schedules

2\.) variable-ratio schedules

3\.) fixed-interval schedules

4\.) variable-interval schedules

fixed-ratio schedules

reinforce behavior after a set number of responses

variable-ratio schedules

reinforce after an unpredictable number of responses

fixed-interval schedules

reinforce the first response after a fixed time period

variable-interval schedules

reinforce the first response after a varying time period

cognitive learning

\- learning is not so mechanic, but we learn because we want to

\- we seek out knowledge by thinking and watching people

latent learning

learning that occurs but remains hidden until there is a need to use it (rats learn by roaming a maze)

ec tolman

studied rats, resulting in theory of:

1\.) latent learning

2\.) cognitive maps

cognitive maps

mental map of physical area (rats created mental map of maze)

who is responsible for insight and learning?

insight

sudden understanding and solving of a problem

observational learning

learning by watching and imitating others

mirror neurons

fire when performing certain actions or observing certain actions

albert bandura

showed that we acquire knowledge by modeling

modeling

the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior