Exam #1- Theories of Learning

What is Psychology?

Scientific study of human learning and thinking and behavior of an individual

Epistemology

Philosophical thinkers & experiences; Aristotle's

Mind-Body

Descartes; mind and body are fundamentally different & separate united at the brain

Deposition

Motivation

Capability

Changed skills or knowledge

Performance

Evidence of learning

Learning

Relatively permanent changes —> behavior —> experiences

Theories

Principles that explain natural phenomena

Principles

Predictability in nature

Laws

Conclusions on undeniable observation and logic

Beliefs

General facts and not always based on observation and logic

Interfere with Learning

Misconceptions & Folk Beliefs

Internal Consistent

Same outcome, no matter how it is measured

Science

A tool to collect information; fact from fiction

Scientific Method

1. Ask question

2. Develop Hypothesis

3. Collect Observation

4. Test Hypothesis

5. Conclusion

Replicate

Experiments

Manipulated is the independent variable; effect of this control is reflected in the dependent variable

Human Participants

Voluntary, Consent, deception forbidden, no harm, debriefing

Animal Research

Clear an potential benefits for humans

Structuralism

Breaking down mental process —> basic components

Functionalism

Understanding mental process —> drive behavior

Introspection Ideas

Structuralism & Functionalism

Behaviorism

Mainly with objective events such as stimuli, responses & rewards

Cognitivism

Mainly human activity such s information processing, representation, and self-awareness

Differential threshold

Just noticeable different (JND)

JND

The least amount of change in stimulation that would be noticeable

Pavlov

Classical Conditioning, observation, dogs early salvation

Dog Salvation Experiment

Controlled by experimenter, are independent variables; dogs response is a dependent variable

Reflex

Learning starts with unlearned response (UR) —> reliably elicited by a specific stimulus (US)

Contiguity

Simultaneous or nearly simultaneous occurrence of events

Reinforcement

More complex concept having to do with the effects

Simultaneous pairing

The CS starts and ends at the exact same time as the US (same)

Delayed pairing

The CS presented before the US and continues during presentation of the US

Trace pairing

The CS starts and ends before the US so that there is a very brief time lapse between the two

Backward pairing

The US has already been presented and removed before of the CS

Acquisition

Formation of the stimulus response; typically requires a number of pairings of CS and US

Extinction

Classically conditioned responses can be eliminated

Spontaneous Recovery

CS is presented again laster, the CR reoccurs at a lower intensity

Stimulus Generalization

Making the same/similar, response when presented with any of a number of related stimuli

Stimulus Discrimination

Making different responses to related but distinctly different stimuli

High Order Conditioning

Responses, stimuli, and reinforces linked in complex ways

Conditioned Emotional Responses

Behaviorism, same emotional reflexes, physical & emotional reflexes

Transfer

Negative emotional reactions by repeatedly pairing a stimulus

Watson’s Little Albert Study

Seemed uncleared and reactions were attributed, no follow up, Albert in foster care

Watson’s Psychology

People’s behavior can be controlled through judicious and clever arrangements of stimulus and response events, attitudes and emotions

One-Shot Learning (Guthrie)

Combination of stimuli which has accompanied a movement will on its recurrence tend to be followed by that movement

Movement Produced Stimuli (MPS) (Guthrie)

Combination of numerous sensations, sequence of actions, such motion is a stimulus to many sense organs in muscles, tendons and joints; changing stimuli to eyes, ears, etc.

Habits (Guthrie)

A stereotyped, predictable pattern of responding; Combination of stimuli reliably on combination of responses

Reward (Guthrie)

Stimulus situation preventing the action of learning something different

Punishment (Guthrie)

Change a stimulus situation & serve, “sidetrack” a habit

One-Shot Theory of Contiguity Learning (Guthrie)

Behavior under control, responses replaced with recent learning responses, has weaknesses and lacks detail

Thorndike’s Connectionism

Puzzle box; learning consists of the formation of physiological bonds or connections between stimuli and responses, Reinforcement > Contiguity

Puzzle Box (Thorndike’s)

Trial and error learning; natural behavior learned. through asssoications

Law of Exercise (Thorndike’s)

Bond between stimuli and response are strengthened through exercised frequently, recently, and vigorously; how consequences “stamp” in learning rather than more repetition

Law of Effect

How the organism adapts to the environment by modifying behavior as a result of its consequences, Animals —> learning repetition

Law of Readiness

Readiness has to do with motivation, maturation, pride learning, and individual characteristic of the learner

Thorndike’s Repealed Theory

Satisfiers and Annoyances do not equally predict behavior in a given direction (bad words to behaviorists), Humans —> no learning repetition

Skinners Radial Behaviorism

Human behavior follows certain laws & causes of behavior are outside the person (observed and studied)

Experimental Analysis of Behavior

Organism & environment; occasion upon which a response occurs, response itself, reinforcing consequences

Operant Learning

Responses elicited by a stimulus are labeled respondents (usually classical condition; involuntarily) and responses simply emitted by an organism are labeled operant (voluntarily)

Reinforcement (added after response) (Skinner)

An event that follows a response and that changed the probability of a response’s occurring again

Postive Reinforcement

When the consequences of the behavior, added to a situation, increases the probability of the responses to occur again

Negative Reinforcement

When the probability of a responses occurring increases as a function of something is being taken away from the situation

Punishment (taken away after response)

Suppression or weakening of the behavior

Positive Punishment

When a positive contingency is removed

Negative Punishment

When a negative contingency follows a behavior

Primary Reinforcers

Events that are reinforcing without any learning having taken place

Secondary Reinforcers

Events that are not reinforcing to begin with but become reinforcing as a result of being paired with another reinforcer

Continuous Reinforcement Schedule

Every desired response is reinforced (more rapid)

Intermittent Reinforcement

Reinforcement occurs only some of the time (changes, slow initially)

Combined Schedule

Combination of continuous and intermittent reinforcement

Ratio + Fixed

Every fifth correct response is reinforced

Interval + Fixed

First correct response is rewarded after a fifteen-second time lapse

Random/Variable + Ratio

An average of one out of every five correct responses is rewarded at random

Interval + Random/Variable

Reinforcement follows a correct response an average of once every fifthteen seconds, unpredictable times

Extinction Rate

The amount of time that passes before the organism stops responding after the withdrawal of reinforcement

Continuous Schedule

Rapid Extinction

Extinction

Occurs to be reinforced for engaging in a behavior ceases to be reinforced; outcome is rapid

Forgetting

Process is slower but not as a function of withdrawal of reinforcement

Shaping

Technique used to train organisms to perform acts that are not ordinarily in their repertoire

Individual Differences

Differences among individuals, personal traits and personality differences are learned through conditioning

Aversive Contingencies

Reprimands, detention, low grades, threats of punishment

Application of Pavlovian Principles

Behavior Therapy

Systematic use of Operant Learning Principles

Behavior Modification

Behavior Management Techniques

Positive reinforcement, Punishment, Counterconditioning, Extinction

Skinners Theory

Well defined, clear and understandable system that explains aspects of behavior