psychology 7

Learning

a relatively permanent change in behaviour or mental processes that occurs from our interaction with the environment

how does learning work?

Sets up new neuronal pathways

reflex

reflex does not qualify as learning, we're born with it, it's a stimulus that triggers a response

types of learning

pavlovian/classical conditioning, operant/instrumental conditioning, social/observational conditioning

pavlovian/classical conditioning

a previously neutral stimulus elicits a response because it signals another stimulus

operant/instrumental conditioning

a response becomes more or less likely to occur depending on its consequences

social/observational conditioning

an observer imitates another person's behaviour

ivan pavlov and classical conditioning

Collecting saliva elicited by nonfood stimuli in the laboratory

Kinds of reflexes

unconditional stimulus, unconditional response, neutral stimulus

unconditional stimulus

naturally elicits response (air from fan)

unconditional response

natural response to relevant stimulus (eyeblink)

neutral stimulus

does not naturally elicit response (fan)

kinds of conditional reflexes

conditional stimulus, conditional response

conditional response

elicits response due to learning (fan)

conditional response

learned response to environmental stimulus (eyeblink)

pavlovian conditioning associative structure

neutral stimulus, conditional stimulus, conditional response, unconditional stimulus, unconditional response

timings of conditioning

short and medium delayed, trace, simultaneous, backward

short delay

gap between lightning and thunderclap (3s)

medium delay

gap between sirens and tornado (30s)

trace

time between eating rotten sushi and getting salmonella (3hr)

simultanoeous

happens at the same time

Pavlovian Conditioning Extinction

The conditional stimulus no longer predicts the arrival of the unconditional stimulus, so the conditioned response is lost

Pavlovian Conditioning: Spontaneous Recovery

A rest period occurs without conditional stimulus, onditional stimulus is presented again elicits conditional response, Not the same magnitude as before

Example of Pavlovian Conditioning: Spontaneous Recovery

the lab assistant goes on vacation and comes back, association is reestablished

Pavlovian Conditioning Generalization

Conditional stimulus develops to one conditional stimulus, Untrained stimuli physically similar to the conditional stimulus elicit the same conditional response

Pavlovian Conditioning Discrimination

one conditional stimulus elicits one conditional response, another similar stimulus elicits a different response

Example of Pavlovian Conditioning Discrimination

Toby associates the fridge door opening with food but he is able to differentiate it from the freezer door

Higher Order Conditioning

Associate conditional stimulus with unconditional stimulus. Associate neutral stimulus, Neutral stimulus becomes conditional and elicits conditional response

Phobias

an out of proportion fear to real threat

Fear conditioning

Help animals avoid danger. Done in the amygdala

kinds of counter conditioning

systematic de-sensitization and aversion therapy

systematic de-sensitization

go through anxieties and teach your body that its not dangerous

aversion therapy

pair something that is unpleasant that something that doesn't do anything, used in cases of severe alcoholism, you take this pill every day that will make you feel really sick when you drink alcohol

E.L Thorndike's Law of Effect

satisfaction leads to stronger associations between stimuli and response

Skinner and Operant Processes

Antecedants, behaviour, consequences

Antecedants

Environmental stimuli that set the occasion to respond (Ex. new class at the gym)

Behavior

Activity of living beings that can be repeated

Consequences

Reinforcers and punishers triggered by behavior that increase or decrease the future likelihood of response

Operant contingencies

positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, negative punishment

positive reinforcement

social approval and money, increases the frequency of desirable behavior

negative reinforcement

escape and avoidance, removes stimulus

positive punishment

social disapproval and painful stimulation, decreases the frequency of desirable behavior (ex. electric shock)

negative punishment

response cost and timeout, decreases the frequency of undesirable behavior

shaping

a process in OC: reinforcing behaviors that are increasingly similar to the desired behavior

project ORCON

Attempt to train pigeons for missile guidance, used shaping

kinds of reinforcers

primary and secondary

primary reinforcers

satisfy biological needs, food, drink and sleep

secondary reinforcers

conditioned reinforcement

what are schedules of reinforcement

rules that determine how and when behaviors are reinforced

what does interval mean in reinforcement schedules

Reinforcement is based on time

What does ratio mean in reinforcement schedules?

Reinforcement is based on number of responses

What does fixed mean in reinforcement schedules?

The requirement for reinforcement stays the same

What does variable mean in reinforcement schedules?

The requirement changes but averages out over time

What happens to behavior in fixed schedules?

There is often a pause after reinforcement

What happens to behavior in variable schedules?

Responding is steady and consistent

In which schedules do responses directly produce reinforcers?

Ratio schedules

Pavlovian

unconditional stimulus occurs regardless of the conditional response.

Operant Consequence

the consequence only occurs if the response occurred.

Controlling Stimulus (P v O)

P: Conditional O: Discriminative

Learned Behaviour (P v O)

P: "involuntary" repsonse O: no "voluntary" response

Important Stimulus (P v O)

P: Unconditional O: Reinforcer (or punisher)

Does behaviour change the likelihood of the consequence (P v O)

P: No O: Yes

Can it add a new response to the repertoire? (P v O)

P: No O: Yes

Latent Learning

Behavior is learned but not demonstrated until it is reinforced,

Bandura and Social Learning

children were observers and adults were models for behaviour, children watched and imitated their behavior

4 Places of Bandura's Observational Learning

Attention, Retention, Production and Motivation

Attention (Bandura)

learner watches the trainer

Retention (Bandura)

trainer models response and learner thinks about response

Production (Bandura)

learner demonstrates response without trainer modelling it

Motivation (Bandura)

learner's imitated behaviour produces reinforcer

Biological preparedness

some responses go with specific reinforcers (and punishers), fear goes without dangerous, not safe, stimuli

Learned helplessness

prior experience: sometimes the operant response doesn't change the consequence