Chapter 6: Conditioning and Learning

learning

Permanent change in knowledge/behaviour through experience

associative learning

Association between various stimuli to facilitate learning

learning

Permanent change in knowledge/behaviour through experience

associative learning

Association between various stimuli to facilitate learning

classical conditioning

Form of learning where reflex responses are associsted with new stimuli

unconditioned stimulus (US)

Stimulus that produces response without prior experiences

• ex. Meat powder

unconditioned response (UR)

Response to stimulus that requires no prior experience

• ex. Salivation (innate)

neutral stimulus (NS)

Doesn’t produce specific response, but becomes CS

• ex. Metronome

conditioned stimulus (CS)

Through repeated pairing with US (meat powder), elicits a learned response

• ex. Metronome

Conditioned response

Learned reaction by pairing NS (metronome) with US (meat powder)

• ex. Salivation

Extinction (in classical conditioning)

Connection between unconditioned stimulus and conditioned stimulus weakens

• ex. Stop feeding meat powder with metronome

spontaneous recovery

Learned response returns after extinction is thought to have occurred

stimulus generalization

Stimulus similar to the conditioned stimulus may elicit the same conditioned response

• ex. A telephone instead of a doorbell

Stimulus discrimination

Learned ability to differentiate responses to variations of same stimulus

• ex. Dog only salivates to specific beat of metronome

Conditioned emotional responses

Emotional response that has been linked to previously nonemotional stimulus through classical conditioning

• ex. Little Albert and fear of animals (loud noise)

Operant conditioning

Learning based on positive and negative consequences to responses

law of effect

Responses with desirable outcomes = more likely to be repeated & vice versa

Operant conditioning chamber/skinner box

Bare box with metal bar & tray for food to be dispensed on (rat motivated to press bar from hunger)

reinforcer

Event following a response that increases likelihood if it happening again

positive reinforcement

Provide something positive

• ex. Bonus at work

negative reinforcement

Something bad is removed

• ex. Tylenol takes away headache

punisher

Event following response that decreases likelihood of it from happening again

positive punishment

Adds discomfort

• ex. speeding ticket

negative punishment

Removes something pleasant

• ex. Taking away allowance

extinction (in operant conditioning)

Learned responses that don’t receive reinforcement weaken over time

• ex. Tv show bores you over time

operant stimulus generalization

Emitted behaviour will begin to happen in situations that are similar to those reinforced in the past

Operant stimulus discrimination

make a response to stimuli previously reinforced and withhold response when stimuli is similar but lacks reinforcement

• ex. dog learns he will only be given food at kitchen table, not any table

shaping

gradually rewarding responses as they get closer to desired pattern

• ex. rewarding yourself after 5 min run, then 10, 15, 20 etc

continuous reinforcement

reinforcement follows every correct response

• ex. treat every time dog sits

partial reinforcement

reinforcement given on different schedules (highly susceptible to extinction)

schedule of reinforcement

determining how often and under what circumstances a reinforcement is provided

fixed ratio (FR) schedule

fixed # of correct responses in order for subject to get reinforcer

variable ration (VR) schedule

varying # of correct responses for subject to get reinforcer

fixed interval (FI) schedule

reinforcement only given after set time passes

• ex. rat has to wait 30 sec after last reinforced response before a bar press will pay off again

variable interval (VI) schedule

reinforcer given to first correct response after varied amount of time has passed

primary reinforcer

produces comfort, ends discomfort or fills immediate physical need

secondary reinforcer

learned reinforcer, often gains reinforcing properties by association with primary reinforcer

• ex. money associated with buying food

token reinforcers

tangible secondary reinforcers

• ex. gold star

observational learning

watching and imitating others

model

someone who serves as example of behaviour/action

3 steps of observational learning

1. paying attention

2. remembering

3. reproducing

disinhibition

removal of inhibition, causes people to act out in behaviour that would normally be restrained

desensitization

with repeated exposure to violence, people become less sensitive to it and it becomes more normalized

cognitive learning

human ability to gain skills through memory, thinking and problem solving

school psychologist

clinical work focused on testing and helping kids with difficulties in school

educational psychologist

seek to understand how people learn best and how teachers can build their classrooms to support it

bloom’s taxonomy

system for classifying knowledge and learning

growth mindset

idea that our intelligence can be developed with hard work and effort (results in greater academic success)

fixed mindset

idea that intelligence is given at birth, can’t be changed (results in people giving up more)

direct instruction

info presented through lecture, rote practice (simple repetition)

discovery learning

teachers encourage students to construct their own knowledge

feedback

info given to someone about their progress (most helpful if delivered right after performance)

behavioural contract

formal agreement stating behaviours to be changed and consequences if they don’t change

premack principle

high-frequency response can be used to reinforce low-frequency response

self recording

keeping record of response frequencies to self-manage