Chapter 6: Learning

Learning

a relatively permanent change in behavior or mental state based on experience

3 types of learning

classical conditioning, operant conditioning, oberservational learning

Pavlov’s Classical Conditioning

learninging through assosiation of stimuli

Classical conditioning 

neutral stimulus (NS) + unconditioned stimulus (US) = conditioned response (CR)

How does classical conditioning work?

repeated exposure to 2 stimuli occurring in sequence, leading to association

Result of classical conditioning

natural response is triggered by new stimulus

UR and CR relationship

same response, triggered by different events

NS and CS relationship

same stimulus

Acquisition (classical conditioning)

initial stage of learning a new response tendencywhere NS and US is trained to be associated, leading to UR getting triggered by a CS

What is the NS in Pavlov’s dog experiment?

the bell

What is the US in Pavlov’s dog experiment?

the steak

What is the CR in Pavlov’s dog experiment

salvation for food when bell rings

What is the CS in Pavlov’s dog experiment 

the bell after training 

Extinction (classical conditioning)

gruadual weakening and diseappearance of a conditioned response tendency

Spontaneous recovery (classical conditioning)

reappearance of an extinguished response after a peroid of non-exposure to be conditioned stimulus

What are some factors that affect classical conditioning?

contiguity, consistency, reliability

Continguity

relationship in time, certain order/sequence

Stimulus generalization

tendency to have conditioned responses triggered by related stimuli

Stimulus discrimination

learned ability to only respond to a specific stimulus, preventing generalization

High-order conditioning

NS becomes a CS through repeated pairings with a previously CS

What is an example of an experiment that tested stimulus generalization?

Little Albert

Little albert experiment

generalized fear of rats to other soft and furry things 

Operant conditioning

consequences of behaviors, learning to do more of what works and less of what doesn’t work 

Who is associated with classical conditioning?

John Watson

Who is associated with operant conditioning?

B.F. Skinner

How does operant conditioning work?

a response is followed by a reward or punitive feedback 

What are the 2 results of operant conditioning?

reinforced behavior, punished behavior

Classical vs oeprant conditioning

respondent vs operant behavior, US becomes assoviated with NS vs behaviors associated with reward or punishment 

What experiment is associated with operant conditioning?

Skinner box 

Skinner box experiment

a small enclosure in which an animal (rat) can make a specific response that is systematically recorded, and the consequences of responses are controlled

Acquisition (operant conditioning)

conditioning of response such as behavior increases becasuse it’s reinforced

Shaping (operant conditioning acquisition)

involves the reinforcement of closer and closer approximations of a desired response 

Extinction (operant conditioning)

association between response and contingency is broken

Extinction burst (operant conditioning extinction)

temporary increase in behavior in the absense of the reinforcer

Continuous reinforcement 

giving reward after the target every single time, desired behavior acquired quickly

Partial/intermittent reinforcement

giving rewards part of the time, takes longer to be acquired but persists longer without reward

Interval schedules for partial reinforcement

based on the amount of time between reinforcements (fixed and variable)

Ratio schedules of partial reinforcement 

based on the number of repsonses before a reinforcmeent is administered (fixed and variable)

Paid once a week

fixed interval

Checking cell phone all day; sometimes getting a text

variable interval 

Paid for every 10 units of work completed

fixed ratio

Unpredictable getting a “goob job” comment about some unit of work completed

variable ratio

Effectiveness of fixed interval reinforcement

slow, unsustaind responding

Effectiveness of variable interval reinforcement

slow, consistent responding

Effectiveness of fixed ratio reinforcement

high rate of responding

Effectiveness of variable ratio reinforcement

high, consistent responding

Which type of reinforcement of operant conditioning produces the most responding?

variable ratio, because it has the highest, most consistent responses, hardest to extinguish (this is why gambling is so powerful)

Positive reinforcement

a resposne leads to the rpesentaatio of a rewarding stimulus

Negative reinforcement

a response leads to the removal of an aversive stimulus, not punishment

Aversive stimulus

an unpleasant or noxious event that an organism will try to escape or avoid

Positive punishment

a condition that occurs following a behavior and reduces the likelihood of that behavior  

Negative punishment

removal of a desireable condition following a behavior that reduces the likelihood of that behavior

Postivie

means giving something following the behavior

Negative

means removing something following the behavior

Reinforcement

always increases the likelihood of the behavior

Punishment

always decreases the likelihood of the behavior

Exmaples of conditioning in everday life

parenting, self-improvement, superstitious behavior

Observational learning

response influecned by the observation of others

Social learning theory

states individuals learn behaviors, attitudes, and emotions through observation and imitation of others

Observational learning vs behaviorism 

learning can occur without obvious change in behavior , acknowledges role of cognition in learning process 

What experiemnt is associated with oberservational learning?

Bobo doll study

Bobo doll study

Children who watched adults behave aggressively toward an inflatable Bobo doll were significantly more likely to imitate those aggressive actions themselves, while children who observed non-aggressive behavior were not

4 steps to modeling (observational learning)

attention, retention, reproduction of behavior, motivation

Prosocial behavior

actions which beenfit others, contribute values to groups, and follow moral codes and social norms

Antisocial behavior

actions that are harmful to individuals and society 

Bobo doll effect

viewing media violence leads to increased aggression and reduced prosocial behavior