Learning (unit 7)

psychology

Learning

• change in behaviour due to experience

• relatively perm + flexible

• learn by association (connect events in sequence)

Classical Conditioning

• Pavlov (inspired Watson)

• learn association b/w 2/more stimuli + anticipated events

Pavlov

• studied digestive sys

• accidentally discovered cc

• salivation w dogs 

Before Conditioning: Neutral Stimulus (NS)

stimulus doesn’t trigger specific response in organism 

Before Conditioning: Unconditioned Stimulus (US)

produces naturally occurring reaction in an organism 

Before Conditioning: Unconditioned Response (UR)

reflexive reaction produced by US

During Acquisition

NS + US presented together 

After Conditioning: Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

• previously neutral (NS → CS)

• produces response in organism after paired w US

After Conditioning: Conditioned Response (CR)

reaction resembles UR but produced by CS

Extinction V. Spontaneous Recovery 

E: US doest follow CS, CR decreases → eventually extinguishes 

SR: extinguished CR spontaneously reappears 

Generalization v. Discrimination 

G: respond to stimuli similar to CS 

D: learn to distinguish b/w CS & other stimuli that dont signal US 

Operant Conditioning

• Skinner 

• learn to repeat actions that produce favourable results 

• avoid actions that produce unpleasant results 

Thorndikes Law of Effect

rewarded behaviour likely to occur again

Skinner Experiment

• used Skinner box → study operant conditioning 

• rat push lever to administer food 

Operant Conditioning: Shaping + Instinctive Drift

• reinforcer given for any response that approximates/leads to final desired repose 

• drift: must work within species natural behaviour 

Primary v Secondary & Intrinsic v. Extrinsic Reinforcers

Primary: ex. food

Secondary: conditioned, ex. money

I: reinforces are inherent part of the activity (ex. knowledge/fun/growth)

E: artificial reinforcers, not inherently related to activity (ex. money/failure/winning)

Dangers of Extrinsic Reinforcement

• rewards may not work/be misused

• may become too reliant on extrinsic factors + stop doing for pleasure 

Properties of Reinforcers: Timing

• immediate or delayed

• delayed = less rewarding

• fixed v. variable interval reinforcement schedules

Properties of Reinforcers: Reliability

• continuous v. partial

• fixed v. variable ratio reinforcement schedules

Interval Schedules? Fixed? Variable? 

minimum amount of time must pass b/w reinforced responses

fixed: fixed time period b/w reinforces

variable: unpredictable time b/w reinforcers

Ratio Schedules? Fixed? Variable?

need certain # of operant responses before next reward

fixed: # of responses always same 

variable: # of responses vary 

Which Reinforcement Schedule is best

Variable Ratio

Positive v. Negative

P: add something

N: remove something 

Reinforcement: Positive v. Negative

P: add desirable stimulus (ex. hug) 

N: remove undesirable stimulus (fasten seatbelt → stop beeping) 

Punishment: Positive v. Negative

P: add adverse stimulus (ex. parking ticket) 
N: remove desirable stimulus (ex. cant hangout w friends) 

Learning by Association

learn through observing/imitating others (animals/people)

Bandura’s Experiments

• observational learning 

• individual learns new responses by observing behaviour from someone else (not experience) 

• bobo doll experiment 

Issues with Punishment

• must occur immediately/reliably after behaviour

• → unwanted fear

• may cause: unwanted behaviours to reappear, in absence aggression towards punisher