Unit 3 - Learning Process and Culture

1: Learning 2: Thinking and Language 3: Personality 4: Culture and Society

conditioning

the process of training influencing one’s mind so that they say/do a particular thing without thinking about it

stimuli

something that evokes a specific action

classical conditioning

one stimulus leads to a direct response, which leads to another stimulus (Pavlov’s dog)

Pavlov’s dog (Ivan Pavlov)

thought of food > mouth watering > actual food

unconditioned stimulus (US)

an untrained “cause” (food > salivation)

unconditioned response (UR)

an untrained reaction (salivation because of food)

conditioned stimulus (CS)

a trained “cause” (ring of bell)

conditioned response (CR)

a trained reaction (salivating because of ringing of bell)

The Little Albert Experiment

When a child was allowed to play with a white rat, he showed no fear. He did show fear when a steel bar was struck behind his back. When the psychologist paired the rat with a loud noise, the child cried. Soon afterwards, when the rat was presented but no noise sounded, he cried. The child also showed fear when presented with a similar stimuli (anything small, white, and fuzzy), showing that stimulus generalisation had occurred.

counterconditioning

a pleasant stimulus is paired repeatedly with a fearful one, counteracting the fear (trying to re-condition Little Albert to NOT be afraid of the rabbit)

operant conditioning

learn to do or not to do through reinforcement and punishment (primary and secondary reinforcers/punishments)

positive reinforcers

adding something to continue a behavior

negative reinforcers

taking something away to continue a behavior

positive punishment

adding something to stop a behavior

negative punishment

taking something away to stop a behavior

latent learning

hidden learning, comes out when needed (cognitive map) (fight or flight)

observational learning

based on what actions/behaviors that are observed (social learning theory “monkey see, monkey do”)

language acquisition device (LAD)

a theory that suggests humans have an innate ability to learn or acquire language

to spread and improve relations

Why is language important?

trait approach

individuals personality traits are fixed from early learning

surface traits

personality elements can be directly observed (first impressions)

source traits

underlying/base personality traits (true personality, in-depth investigation)

psychoanalytic approach

a theory that argues our personality is greatly influenced by our unconscious/subconscious thought (driven by internal conflict)

ID

the part of your personality that demands instant gratification (devil)

superego

the part of your personality that has abstract thinking, and demands a higher level of morality (angel) (the part that you WANT people to see)

ego

the balance/compromise of the true you (angel and devil)

defense mechanisms

where the ego comes up with excuses for the ID winning over to make themselves feel better

repressions

where the ego pushes down the unpleasant emotion that the ID provides to avoid said unpleasant emtion (rationalization)

inferiority complex

the ego will create defense mechanisms due to a sense of feeling lesser leading to the ID winning more often

sociocultural approach

individuals personality is shaped by the culture and society around them

norm

the typical established standard that society believes individuals should follow in everyday life

folkways

expected behavior but without much (if any) reaction from society if broken (cursing in public)

mores

have great moral significance, but not law (Kaepernick)

taboo

typically actions or items of such high social significance that could lead to legal action (family relations)

laws

similar to mores (socially unacceptable) but they’re enforced by individuals of authority (stealing)

social sanctions

motivators/incentives to get people in continue following or to stop breaking social norms

formal sanction

a sanction implemented by a person of authority (speeding = ticket from COP)

informal sanction

a sanction implemented by a person of equal or lower societal status (yelling at someone during a movie)

values

a concept/ideal that is seen as important to a majority of society

cherishing things/concepts more or less

What influences human behavior?

material culture

tangible things that have great value to a specific culture

(American Flag, Bald Eagle, Statue of Liberty)

non material culture

non tangible things that have great value to a specific culture (religion, freedom, ideas)

universals

things that are known throughout majority or maybe even the entire world

particulars

things that are known to a specific area/culture

ideal culture

desired culture/behavior of the society → Setting high standards → society seeks a Utopia (having perfect attendance in an entire school)

real culture

true and expected culture/behavior of the society (what the actual attendance in a school is)

cultural diffusion

the spreading out of culture (can lead the mixing of cultures into another)

counterculture

a group of people who purposefully attempt to go against the social norm

ethnocentrism

 the act of judging another culture based on the values and standards of one's own culture, but not doing anything about it (silently judging)

culture shock

the struggle/incapability to adapt or adjust to new social norms due to shock/surprise

1: Ego

2: ID

3: Superego

Label the iceberg