AP Psychology - Learning - Ehret

for those who need to study all these notes!!

Learning

long-lasting change in behavior due to experience [that results from interactions with the environment.]

father of classical conditioning

Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)

classical conditioning is…

BIOLOGICAL

Pavlov’s Dogs

unconditional stimulus→unconditional response

unconditional stimulus + conditional stimulus→unconditional response

conditional stimulus→conditional response

learning exists because…

the conditional stimulus is linked to the unconditional stimulus (this is called ACQUISITION)

ACQUISITION:

when a conditional stimulus is linked to an unconditional stimulus; does not usually last forever

EXTINCTION:

when the conditional stimulus is no longer associated with the unconditional stimulus

SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY:

when the conditional response randomly appears after the conditional stimulus is presented (when no longer linked)

GENERALIZATION:

the tendency to have conditioned responses triggered by related stimuli (more)

DISCRIMINATION:

the learned ability to only respond to specific stimuli, preventing generalization (less)

Learned Taste Aversions

food + sickness = incredibly strong conditioning that can last a LIFETIME, even if food and sickness are hours apart

operant conditioning

the learner is NOT passive (reward & punishment)

Edward Thorndike

“The Law of Effect”

The Law of Effect

→behavior changes because of its consequences

→rewards strengthen behavior

→Thorndike called this process “Instrumental Learning”

B.F. Skinner

father of operant conditioning; nurture; skinner box; created reinforcement schedules

Reinforcement Schedules

Continuous - reinforce the behavior EVERY TIME the behavior is exhibited

Partial - reinforce the behavior only SOME of the times the behavior is exhibited

schedules of reinforcement in operant conditioning

fixed: does not change

variable: varies

ratio: after a certain number of correct responses

→fixed ratio: reward after exact number

→variable ratio: reward after a random number

interval: after a certain amount of time

→fixed interval: reward after exact number of time

→variable interval: reward after random number of time

REINFORCES:

a reinforcer is anything that increases behavior

POSITIVE:

something is given

NEGATIVE:

something is taken

Primary vs. Secondary Reinforcers

things that are inherently rewarding; things we have learned to value

PUNISHMENT:

anything that decreases a behavior

SHAPING:

reinforcing small behaviors to get the desired result

Token Economy

every time a behavior is performed, a token is given — these can be traded in for prizes (reinforcers)

father of observational learning

Albert Bandura (1925-2021)

BoBo Doll Experiment

proved that we learn through modeling behavior from others

RECIPROCAL DETERMINISM:

the 3 factors—behavior, cognition, and environment—are interlocking determinants and influence each other

Self Efficacy

“I can” attitude; the belief in your own abilities because you see others succeeding

Latent Learning

Edward Tolman

→latent = hidden

→sometimes learning is not immediately evident

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ex: rat basketball: rats needed a reason to display what they had learned (treats used to encourage them to show they’d learned basketball)