Psyc of learning Exam 2

Thorndike

wasn’t suit for Jame’s laboratory; james agreed to supervise him with animals and created an experiment using a puzzle box. Cats could escape by making a response and it was to measure the performance of escape latency.

Trial and Error Learning

repeating the trial over and over again until you receive the ideal response needed

Law of Effect

Thorndike’s version of the principle of reinforcement, which states that responses that are followed by pleasant or satisfying stimuli will be strengthened and will occur more often in the future.

What causes superstitious behavior?

Occurs because by accident or coincidence, when a reinforcer is delivered.

Shaping

teaching new behavior in which closer and closer approximations to the desire behavior are reinforced.

What are the 3 terms in the 3-term contingency?

The context in which the response occur, the response, and the stimulus that follows the response (reinforcer)

Conditioned Reinforcer

a stimulus can acts as a surrogate for a primary reinforcer that it has been repeatedly paired with generalized reinforcers.

Response Chains

a sequence of behaviors that must occur in a specific order, w/the primary reinforcer being delivered only after the final response of the sequence

Know theories of autoshaping

Experiment by Brown and Jenkins (1968); also called sign tracking—is a learning phenomenon in which an organism begins to respond to a predictive stimulus (conditioned stimulus, CS) that signals a biologically significant outcome (unconditioned stimulus, US), even when the response is not required to obtain the reward( also considered a form of classical conditioning).

Supersititious behavior

if a response is strengthened when, by mere coincidence, it is followed by a reinforcer.

Partial Reinforcement Effect

extinction is more rapid after CRF than after a schedule of intermittent reinforcement

Explanations of the partial reinforcement effect :

• Discrimination hypothesis

• Generalization decrement hypothesis

• Cognitive theory

Discrimination hypothesis

in order for behaviors to change once extinction begins, the individual must be able to discriminate the change in reinforcement contingencies

Generalization decrement hypothesis

decreased responding when the test stimuli become less similar to the training

Cognitive theory

the animal stops when they know they have a lot of responses to make

DRL Schedules

Schedule where reinforcement is delivered if behavior is lower than a specific rate; have to go slow( 10 sec have to be that or more)

DRH Schedules

Schedule where reinforcement is delivered if behavior is greater than a specific rate ; have to go fast(less than 10 sec)

Chained Schedule

complete two schedules to get to one reinforcer

Concurrent Schedule

2 or more basic schedules that operate independent & simultaneously.

Know the 3 theories of the post reinforcement pause:

Fatigue, Satiation, and Remaining-Response Hypothesis

Fatigue Hypothesis

getting tired

Satiation Hypothesis

fulfilled response (ate and not really hungry)

Remaining-Response Hypothesis

animal is anticipating when to respond

Token Economy

the principle of conditioned reinforcement to improve behavior

Contingency Contracts

a written agreement that lists the behaviors required of each party and the reinforcers (marriage)

Fixed Ratio Schedule

delivers a reinforcer after a fixed number of responses (a factory worked gets paid after producing 10 items).

Variable Ratio Schedule

delivers a reinforcer after a variable number of responses (gambling or slot machines).

Fixed Interval Schedule

requirement for reinforcement is one response after a fixed amount of time(scallop of waves) Ex. Receiving a paycheck every two weeks.

Variable Interval Schedule

similar to Fixed Interval Schedule; the time requirement is variable. (checking email or waiting for a surprise text message).

Know different effects of reinforcement on learning and performance:

performance on a reinforcement schedule is affected by quality and amount of the reinforcement, response effort, and level of motivation. Reinforcement is necessary for performance but not for learning.

Applications of operant conditioning to marital therapy:

contingency contracts help couples increase the exchange of positive reinforcers in behavior therapy. Written agreement that lists the duties (behaviors) required of each party and the reinforcers that will happen if duties are performed. (worst type of therapy).

Negative Reinforcement

A behavior strengthening procedure in which an aversive stimulus is removed if the behavior occurs.

Punishment

A behavior reduction procedure in which the occurrence of a behavior is followed by an aversive stimulus.

Negative Punishment

A behavior reduction procedure, in which a desired stimulus is removed or omitted if behavior occurs.

Know different effects of reinforcement on learning and performance :

SKIP

Know different effects of reinforcement on learning and performance :

Creating an association vs boosting motivation reinforcement needed for performance not learning

Two-factor theory of avoidance

states both classical and operant conditioning are required for avoidance responding; involves learning to fear a previous neutral stimulus and responding to escape from this stimulus.

One Factor theory of avoidance

states that removing a fear-provoking CS is not necessary for avoidance responding. A slow extinction =failure to discriminate

Cognitive Theory of Avoidance

States that a subject’s behavior will change in an avoidance task whenever there is a discrepancy between expectancy and observations.

Response blocking

A behavior reduction procedure in which the individual is physically prevented from making an unwanted response.

Avoidance Paradox

The puzzle about how nonoccurrence of an aversive event can serve as a “reinforcer” for an avoidance response.

Avoidance response

A type of negative reinforcement in which performing a response prevents an aversive stimulus from occurring in the first place.

Learned Helplessness

The impaired ability to learn an avoidance response that occurs after a subject has been exposed to inescapable aversive stimuli.

Does Punishment work?What conditions are necessary?

Punishment does work as it decreases previous behavior however an aversive relationship is necessary.

SKIP THIS

SKIP THIS

two factor theory of avoidance

classical and operant conditioning work together to produce avoidance behavior

one factor theory

states the classical conditioning component in the two-factor theory is not necessary

Sidman avoidance task

no signal before shock, no classical conditioning

Flooding

Type of exposure therapy involved exposing individuals to their phobic stimulus but doing it gradually

Does Punishment work? What conditions are necessary?

Punishment does work as it decreases previous behavior however an aversive relationship is necessary.

Extinction

behavior is no longer reinforced, person stops performing the behavior (whining to get a cookie)

E.C. Tolman

created conceptualization of learning; ruled that active responding not necessary for acquisition of an operant response.

Biofeedback

any procedure designed to supply the individual w/ amplified feedback about some boldily process.

Need reduction theory

predicts reinforcer will reduce biological need; contradicted in both definitions.

Trans-situationality

any stimuli that serves reinforcer in one situation will serve as a reinforcer in others.

Premack Principle

developed by David premack; modifies the 3 contingency model; more probable behaviors will reinforce less probable behaviors

Escape training

a performance of the behavior terminates that aversive stimulus; learned first (escape, then avoid)

Response deprivation theory

Proposed by Timberlake and Allison (1974) to address problems with the Premack’s principle—If a schedule requires much more of the high-probability behavior than the low-probability behavior, principle is violated; the best theory for predicting the reinforcer.

Optimization Theory

A theory of choice behavior that states that people tend to make decisions that maximize their satisfaction.

Elasticity of demand

Depending on the matter of necessity, people will continue to have a demand for the item.

Skinner

convinced all behavior was learned behavior;

Bolles

studies on AutoShaping, extinctual behavior rather than a mistake of behaviorism

Omission training

form of negative punishment; withhold something good bc they acted out

Backward Chaining

A method where the learner starts with the last step of a task and works backward to the first step. The last step is the most important to be reinforced.

Continuous Reinforcement

Provides reinforcement for each occurrence of target behavior.

Behavioral momentum

increased tendency for a learner to make a particular response immediately after making similar responses

Secondary Reinforcer

Becomes rewarding because you learned its value(money).

Timeout

the loss of access to positive reinforcers for a brief period of time following the occurrence of a problem behavior

Learning vs. Performance

Performance is temporary and observable( motivation, fatigue, etc) ; learning is a relatively permanent capability improvement. (consistency, persistence, etc).

Internal Locus of Control

Implies that a person believes outcomes are mainly influenced by their own actions, choices, and effort.

External Locus of Control

Implies that a person believes outcomes are mainly influenced by external factors, such as luck, fate, or other people.

Stimulus Satiation

occurs when student have experience the reinforcement to such an extent that it is no longer reinforcing

What prevents learned helplessness?

immunization: giving the subject predictable and successful things so they do not develop learned helplessness and learned optimism: cognitive therapy in which people practice thinking about potentially difficult situations in more positive ways

Is reinforcement necessary for learning?

No