Stimulus Control and Generalization in Learning

Stimulus Control

Behavior influenced by specific environmental stimuli.

Stimulus Generalization

Learned behavior occurs in presence of untrained stimuli. Pav or Operant

Pavlovian Example

Conditioned response demonstrated by Little Albert.

Operant Examples

therapy, language “I wented to the grocery store”, ”I amn’t going to do that"

Training

Pair tone with US

Testing Phase

Presenting other tones

Generalization Gradient

1.Present stimuli that vary systematically across a single dimension

2. measure level of responding to each stim

Physical Dimensions

Characteristics like color, intensity, and frequency.

Abstract Dimensions

Non-specific characteristics like 'left' or 'larger than', same as, semantic generalization

Semantic Generalization Razran

Conditioned salivation to words = style, urn, freeze, surf. Tested homonyms and synonyms = stile, earn, frieze, serf fashion, vase, chill, wave. stimulus control

Stimulus Discrimination

Differential responding based on specific stimuli.

Stimulus discrimination is a form of learning where an individual learns to differentiate between different stimuli and respond appropriately to each one, based on the consequences (reinforcement or punishment) associated with each stimulus in the past

Discrimination Training

Reinforcement available for specific stimuli responses.

Simultaneous Discrimination

Presenting stimuli at the same time.

Successive Discrimination

Presenting stimuli one after another, reinforcing responses to one stimulus while not reinforcing responses to the other

Peak Shift

Shift in response peak after discrimination training.

Responses per Minute

Measurement of response frequency in experiments.

Steeper Gradient

Indicates stronger stimulus control after training.

Reynolds Compound stimulus ext experiment

trained two birds on discrim. task

Conditioned Response (CR)

Learned reaction to a conditioned stimulus.

Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

Stimulus that naturally elicits a response.

More salivation to synonyms (words that have similar meaning)

What are the results from Razran experiment?

SD or S+

Reinforcement available

S(delta) or S-

ext in effect (or punishment)