Conditioning and Learning Exam 1 Notes

Plato

Nature

“Nativist”

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Plato

people are born with Their full self \n trapped inside to be uncovered by life.

“Knowledge is uncovered”

Aristotle

Nurture

(Plato’s Student”)

Aristotle

Knowledge is Acquired

Aristotle’s Association (Associationism)

1\.Spatial and Temporal contiguity of information

2\.Frequency of exposure (items paired more often are learned better)


3. Similarities

The enlightment (Europe)-1600s :Rene Descartis

Mind: Body Dualism(we have free will, but we have reflexes ,so do animals)

British Empiricists the 1800s Birth of Psychology: John Locke

“Tabula Rosa” (Blank State)=Nurture

British Empiricists the 1800s Birth of Psychology: Darwins theory of natural selection

\-Traits vary (diveristy)

Traits can be inheirted

\-Non random reproductive success (survival of fitness/well adapted in environment)

William James

1st psych textbook author

Evolution by the mechanism of Natural Selection

Natural Selection

1\.Traits vary

Individual variation

\-New mutations

Incorrect ways to view Natural Selection

Trait Variation=Not important

\-Some defiency where a new mutation generates in response to a need

Correct ways to view Natural Selection

Essential {Random Beneficial Harmful Neutral= New Mutations}

Traits are Heritable with Reproduction: Incorrect

Only beneficial mutations are inherited

Traits are Heritable with Reproduction: Correct

If individuals reproduce, they can share all heritable traits “Package deal”

Adaptations happens with Non-Random Reproductive Success: Incorrect

Individuals change in response to environment & these changes get passed to offspirng

Adaptations happens with Non-Random Reproductive Success: Correct

Populations (all their diversity) change

Nature

(Genes Contribute)

Empiricism

Environment Contribute

Empiricism

William James

Empiricist perspectives give rise to Behaviorism

Edward Titchener { structuralism with Introspection=Understanding the Mind}

5 Schools of Behaviorism Emerge

(classical and operant conditioning are well known already)

1st School- Methodological Behaviorism {J.B. Watson}

1st School- Methodological Behaviorism {J.B. Watson}

Motivated to have better / more experiments

Interested in animals(psych=Not Just for People!)

Stimulus Response theory-Stimuli car cause Behavioral responses, we should just focus on Behavior

complex behavior is a chainof simple s-r strong together.

NeoBehaviorism

Clark Hull

you can make inferences about the inside of the organism based on their behavioral response

ex: stimulus cupcake --response (eat it) cupcake does not always lead to eating it because there are( physical intervening variables)--R

Cognitive Behaviorism

Edward Tollman

Mental states could serve as mental intervening variable

Latent Learning

Not observed in behavior until conditions change

s--(mental intervening variable)--R

Social Learning Theory

Albert Bandura

\-Individuals can learn by watching others

\-Another example of Latent Learning (observed behavior is filed away as a menu option for your own behavior later)

\-There are multidirectional inter

\-Origin of cognitive behavioral therapy

Radical Behavior

B.F. Skinner

\-Thoughts and Feelings are responses

\-Origin ABA

\-Counter Control-if we are aware of how stimuli control our thoughts and feelings, we can control stimuli.

s

Overt Responses (observable behaviors we can see)

Convert responses (Thoughts, Feelings, Intervening variables)

In the 1960s =

there was a backlash to Skinner. Psychologists felt that cognitive models were needed for things like language, perception, reasoning.

Modern summary of Nature vs. Nurture

Nurture (the environment) uses Nature (heritable individual differences in biological mechanisms) to make changes to cells, systems, organisms, and behavior. While knowledge is learned. (Empiricism), the biological mechanisms of learning can be heavily influenced by inherited traits (nativism)

\-In sum Nature and Nurture both contribute to Conditioning and Learning.

Behavior

Activity that can be observed or measured brains and neurons are not required

Learning

A relatively permanent change in behavior based on experience

Other ways to change behavior that are not learning:

\-Fatigue (response fatigue) decrease in behavior due to repeated or excessive use of muscles

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Other ways to change behavior that are not learning:

\-Physical Maturation/growth-change in behavior due to physical capability

ex: tadpole vs. adult frog jumping abilities

Other ways to change behavior that are not learning:

sensory adaptation -change in function of the sensory apparatus that changes detection of stimuli

Elicited Behavior

Behavior in response to a stimulus

Reflex Behavior

\-Simplest form of elicited behavior

\-Stimulus→Response

(response behavior in relatively rare without eliciting stimulus)

Vertbrate Reflex are

Sensory neuron( Detects Stimuli)→ Interneuron ( process information)→Motor Neuron (Initiate Behavior)

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\*Not all of our reflexes go through spinal cord

auditory stimulus (loud)→ orienting response{food in mouth} → sal

Bitter Food→ spit it out or grimace face

Fixed Action Patterns/ Modal action patterns

Stimulus → Response

Species-Specific combination of behaviors elicited by a stimulus

e.g. cat taking a bath

Fixed Action Patterns/ Modal action patterns

\-Sign Stimulus / releasing stimulus

\-betta fish is a visual stimulus to elicit aggression(response)

Fixed Action Patterns/ Modal action patterns

Supernormal stimulus-is an exaggerated stimulus that can elicit a bigger response

Behavior Response

depends on physiological state of organism

Sequential Organization Behavior: Appetite Behaviors

\`Help you get to a goal / meet your physiological needs

e.g. search for food/mate/shelter

\-much more variable among individuals of a species ( not a lot of fixed action patterns)

\-very dependent on learning (especially dependent on associative learning)

Consummatory Behaviors

\-Complete the goal

e.g. chew &swallow food

\-more stereotyped & consistent among members of a species ( more fixed action patterns & reflexes)

Not as dependent on experience; but learning can improve performance ( or make performance worse!)

Associative Learning

Learning after single or multiple exposures of 2 OR MORE stimuli

e.g. classical + operant conditioning

Non-Associative Learning

Learning after single or multiple exposures to just 1 stimulus, Learning about stimulus after repeated exposures to that stimulus

Habituation-Tune out

Sensitization-Tune In

Perceptual Learning-Increased perceptral ability due to stimulus exposure

Habituation

a reduction in a behavioral response with repeated exposure to a stimulus

Difference in Dishabituation

this is how we know the learning is not fatigue or sensory adaptation return of the response after presentation of a slightly different stimulus

Spontaneous Recovery

A return in behavioral responding after a long time delay between exposures

Short term Habituation

within session habituation

Long Term Habituation-

Between Session Habituation; repeated massed exposures reduces the strength of spontaneous recovery

Habituation

Distraction away from stimulus can interfere with habituation

\-Stimulus generalization- closely related stimuli can also appear to habituation, even if not exactly identified to habituated stimulus

The Neural circuit for learning habituation

is in the shortest path between sensory input and motor input

Sensory Neuron (Sensory adaptation) → Interneuron (Habituation)→ Motor Neuron (Fatigue)

Examples of Reflexes that can change with experience

Infant Reflexes that can change with experience

\-Pain withdrawal Reflexes

Grasping Reflexes

Leaf folding response in mirrosa

While reflexes are innate

(you don’t have to learn them to be able to respond), learning can happen in reflex circuits

Sensitization

When stressed/aroused, behavior responses are greater “Tune In”

Predict when sensitization will happen:

If you are aroused:

stimulus intensity will influence sensitization (louder= more sensitization)

\-Painful Stimulus

If You are Aroused:

The timing/spacing of stimulus exposures can influence sensitives

\-current Relevance can increase responding

Adaptive significance :how important for survival?\]

Increases responding to all stimuli

Tickle vs. Touch

More Likely to Stimuli

Dual Process Theory

Habituation + Sensitization occur simultaneously

Habituation process

(a neural process) is happening by default

occurs in the S→R pathway (for vertebrates in sensory → IN→ M.N.)

Stimulus specific; each stimulus exposure leads to slightly reduced activity

Sensitization Process

(a neural process) only happens with physiological arousal

motivated by the “State System”

vertebrates-hypothalmic pituary/adrenal axis (cortisol)

\-Reticular Activating System

\-Autonomic Nervous System

NOT STIMULUS SPECIFIC!

Spontaneous Recovery

Return in behavioral responding after a long time delay between exposures

Neural Basis of Learning

applies to associative and non-associative

EEG

Electroencephalography measures neural activity ≠ summed over large areas High temporal resolution , low spatial resolution measurement to limited to cortex activity

MRI

Magnetic Imaging, View Structure of brain

DTI

Variation on MRI (Structural) to see connections between brain areas uses the flow of water as a tool to indicate brain structure

FMRI

Functional MRI, measures changes in blood flow associated with brain acitivity; spatial resolution does depend on magnet strength (TESLA) , typical medical ( research in 3T, although 2IT exists and it gets closer to neuron-level spatia) resolution.

Microscopy Analysis

post-mortem brain collection, tissue on microscope slides limited to one timepoint over due lifespan (analysis)

Genetic Manipulations in animals

can control genes over days or lifetimes

In Vivo Electrophysiology

Record from individual or multiple neurons via probe within brain

Chronic In Vivo

measuring weed out of Ca^a+

TMS

Transcranial magnetic stimulation-used to manipulate brain activity

In Vivo Microscopy

Calcium imaging of individual Neurons

TDCS

Transcranial direct

Where is Learning in the brain?

Are we looking for change in a single location or is it distributed?

Single Location: 1 to 1 relationship between learning and Brain

1800s -Francis Gall

Phrenology-Now debunked that experiences changes

Santaigo Ramon y Cajal

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hypothesized that learning happens at connections between cells.

1929

Karl Lashley attemepted 1st experiment to identify the location of memory in the Brain \[He found no lesions on the Brain impairing learning→learning is distributed\]

\-His experiment =Training Rats on mazes, then lesioned different parts of neocortex to evaluate effects, no single are imported male memory; he concludes that learning is distributed.

Donald O. Hebb

(student of Lashley) “ neurons that fire together, wire together” Learning occurs in circuits (cover broad areas, connecting different brain locations, circuits are strengthened or weakened by experience at the contacts between Neurons (synapses)

What is the magnitude of brain change associated with Learning/ Experience?

\-Two groups of Rats : typal housing & enriched housing

\-Enriched Housing \[ Better maze learning, better adaptations\]

\-Less Anxiety-Like Behavior, 9-10% Larger Brain Mass, Neurons live in Cortex are more elaborate with more branching more synapses\]

Domarian Children in Orphages

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Severe social/sensory deprivation -atypical social behavior, impairments in cognitive Function, Less Gray Matter ( Seen on MRI) , Less dense white matter (Fibers), Connecting brain areas , seen with DTI, Atypical neural activity with EEG.

Brain change magnitude

in association with magnitude of experience

What is learning at the neuronal circuit level?

Synaptic Plasticity (changes at Synapses)

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Bliss & Velmo

1 neuron stimulates and the other Records

\-Neuron in circuit hooked to another Neuron→lFinding How Neurons talk to each pother

Bliss & Velmo

If Stimulate A has a weak stimulation at first then Record B will have a Weak Response, if it has a strong stimulation it will have a strong response.

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They learned: after experience in the circuit it learns about input and it is ready for a stronger response next time there is a weak stimulation.= Learning exists and after Long term potentiation

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Long term Potentiation (LTP)

Brief Bursts of Large inputs can increase the strength of future inputs

Long Term Depression (LTD)

Repeated Exposures to very weak input weakens synapses

In a neuron…

Vesicle filled with glutamate (neurotransmitter)

Glutamate Receptor (AMPA Receptor)

NMDA Receptor (also glutamate)

MG++ Block ( Magnesium)

1\.Depolarization

(Na enters) on presynaptic side

2. Vesicles

move to synaptic membrane and release neurotransmitter

3. Neurotransmitter

binds to AMPAR on post-synaptic side to convey one signal

4. If the inhibitory signal is large enough

(lots of NA+ flows in; Large depolarization) then the MG++ leaves the doorway of NMOA r)

5\.Calcium

Pushes in Through NMDAR

Calcium starts

making changes to post synaptic

within 10 minutes

CA++ changes the stabilization of scaffolding on post synaptic side (The inside structure of cells) within 30 minutes -2 hours consolidation =increated insertion of more AMPA R at post synaptic side

Maintenance

Keeping a larger quantity of AMPA R @ Postsynaptic side

Drugs to break synaptic plasticity: CNQX

A drug that block (inhibits, antagonists)AMPA R eliminates neural transmission

\n Drugs to break synaptic plasticity:

APV (APS)

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A DRUG THAT blocks NMDA R Blocks LTP (leaves neural trasnmission intact)