Comprehensive Review of Learning Theories, Conditioning, and Behavior Analysis in Psychology

Learning

Permanent change in behavior resulting from experiences/acquisition of knowledge.

Evolution

Change across generations resulting in differential reproduction from existing variation.

Darwin and Artificial selection

Specific trait selected by breeder to be present in next generation.

Natural selection

Survival of the fittest/most adaptable to change.

Observation 1 of Natural selection

Organisms have more offspring than can survive to adulthood.

Observation 2 of Natural selection

Offspring aren't identical (variation in size/appearance etc).

Inference of Natural selection

Organisms better adapted to environment have greater likelihood of surviving + passing characteristics to offspring.

Requirements for Natural selection

Genetic variation, heritability, differential reproductive success.

Lamarckism

Things don't change because organisms want/need them to.

Latent learning

Form of learning not immediately expressed.

Elicited behaviors

Learning not required.

Reflexes

Involuntary response from stimulus.

Fixed action patterns

Species-specific behaviors that must be completed.

Non-associative learning

Organisms' behavior towards specific stimulus changes over time from repetition of stimuli.

Habituation

Decrease in response within nervous system, helps ignore irrelevant stimuli saving energy.

Sensitization

Increase in response after repeated exposure, preparation to respond stronger to threats.

Classical conditioning

Pavlov - salivation in dogs studying digestion.

2nd order conditioning

Adding neutral stimulus to conditioned stimulus to produce conditioned response.

Anecdotal research

Personal experience (confirmation bias), cherry picking.

Case study

Study on one individual.

Descriptive research

Correlation with mean/standard deviation.

Experimental research

Causation with independent/dependent variable.

Anthropomorphism

Applying human characteristics to nonhumans.

Law of parsimony (Occam's Razor)

Inference to best explanation = simplest explanation with fewest assumptions is best.

Reasons for animal testing

Irreversible effects, control, neurobiological continuity, disease models.

NHP's in testing

Similar reproduction, maternal stress, extended life span, alloparenting, epigenetics, social cognition.

Ethics in animal research

Animals used for research are provided humane care/treatment.

3 R's of animal research

Reduction, Refinement, Replacement.

Institutional animal care and use committee (IACUC)

Oversees/approves all animal research, mandates specifics of training.

Stimulus generalization

Conditioned response occurs in response to objects similar to conditioned stimulus.

Stimulus discrimination

Conditioned response occurs in response to specific stimuli.

Counterconditioning

Conditioned to have positive response to stimulus, to treat phobias.

Strength of behavior

Depends on consequences.

Four key elements of behavior

Environment where behavior occurs, behavior that occurs, change in environment after behavior, probability of behavior in future based on consequence.

B.F. Skinner

Known for operant conditioning and the term 'operant behavior' in instrumental conditioning study.

Skinner box

Operant conditioning chamber that measures behavior without considering what the animal thinks or feels.

Operant

Animal emits behavior and there are consequences; the animal is active.

Reinforcement

Increases behavior.

Punishment

Decreases behavior.

Positive reinforcement

Adds stimulus that was absent prior to responding.

Negative reinforcement

Removes stimulus that was present prior to responding.

Stimulus control

Behavior occurs more often in presence than absence of a particular stimulus.

Behavior chain

Sequence of behaviors where each behavior serves as a cue for the next.

Back chaining

Teaching method that starts with the last behavior in a chain.

Interval

Refers to time; frequency refers to ratio.

Differential reinforcement low rates (DRL)

Reinforcement of low rates of behavior.

Differential reinforcement of high rates (DRH)

Reinforcement of high rates of behavior.

Extinction

Increases variability in behavior, increases frequency of emotional behavior, increases previously reinforced behavior.

Extinction burst

Sudden increase in rate of behavior during early stages of extinction.

Variables impacting rate of extinction

Interval between extinction sessions, number of times behavior was reinforced before extinction, effort, type and size of reinforcer, schedule of reinforcement.

Partial reinforcement effect

Behavior maintained on intermittent schedule is more resistant to extinction than on continuous reinforcement schedule.

Escape behavior

Performance of behavior terminates aversive stimulus.

Avoidance behavior

Performance of behavior prevents aversive stimulus from occurring.

1-factor theory

Avoidance is reinforced by decrease in rate of shock.

Learned helplessness

Repeated exposure to aversive events that are predictable but uncontrollable.

Masserman's Experimental Neurosis

Exposure to unpredictable events leads to neurotic-like symptoms.

Vicarious reinforcement

Increase in strength of observed behavior following reinforcement of that behavior in a model.

Vicarious punishment

Decrease in strength of observed behavior following punishment of that behavior in a model.

Social learning mechanisms

How learning occurs, what individuals attend to, specifics of the action they replicate.

Bandura's social cognitive theory components

Attention, Retention, Motor reproduction, Motivation.

Matching law

Predicts consistent relationship between proportion of reinforcers and proportion of responses emitted.

Differential reinforcement

Withholding and providing reinforcement.

Reacquisition

Return of previously reinforced operant behavior during extinction of alternative behavior.

Spontaneous recovery

Reappearance of extinguished behavior.