Learning Theories

Conditioning and Learning

Behaviorism

over behavior is the only thing worth studying

observable, measurable, valid indicator of psychological activity

everything is acquired through experience

John B. Watson

Classical conditioning

procedure in which an initially neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus the result is that the conditioned stimulus begins to elicit a conditioned response

Ivan Pavlov

uncondtioned stimulus

stimuli that elicits the response before conditioning occurs

unconditioned response

an innate response that is elicited by a stimulus before (or in the absence of) conditioning

Conditioned stimulus

initially neutral stimulus (like a bell, light, or tone) that elicits a conditioned response after it has been associated with an unconditioned stimulus

Conditioned response

response that is elicited by the conditioned stimulus after classical conditioning has taken place

Acquisition

formation of an association between the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus

has adaptive value

importance of contiguity

• neutral stimulus needs to come before the unconditioned stimulus

Extinction

Conditioned stimulus no longer predicts the unconditioned stimulus and the conditioned response decreases

can have spontaneous recovery

Generalization

stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus produce a conditioned response

little albert example

Discrimination

ability to distinguish b/w similar stimuli if one is consistently associated with the unconditioned stimulus and other is not

John B. Watson

behaviorism

Little albert

worked as a consultant for maxwell house, making the '“coffee break” an American custom

Thorndike’s law of effect

Edward Throndike

Any behavior that leads to satisfying state is more likely to occurr again. Behavior that leads to annoying state, less likely to occur again

Operant conditioning

the consequences of an action will determine the likelihood that it will be performed again in the future

B.F. Skinner

Reinforcements

rewards

increase the likelihood that behavior is repeated

punishments

decrease the likelihood that behavior is repeated

B.F Skinner

created the Skinner Box

• connect level to food

• press lever - get food

primary reinforcers

satisfy biological needs

secondary reinforcers

do not satisfy biological needs

• become reinforcers through classical conditioning

shaping

producing desired behavior by gradually reinforcing approximation to that behavior

positive reinforcement

give something to increase the likelihood a behavior will occur again

negative reinforcement

take something away to increase the likelihood a behavior will occur again

positive punishment

give something to decrease the likelihood a behavior will occur again

negative punishment

take something away to decrease the likelihood of a behavior occurring again

ratio schedule

based off the number of times a behavior is observed

interval schedule

based on time interval

fixed

consistent time intervals

variable

changing (inconsistent) intervals

observational learning

learning by observing the behavior of others