Introduction to Learning

Learning

WHAT IS LEARNING?

  • Learning is defined as an enduring change in the way an organism behaves because of experience.

  • Through learning, organisms can better:

    • Adapt to their environment.

    • Prepare for future situations.

Types of Learning

  • There are three primary types of learning:

    • Nonassociative Learning:

    • Learning to adjust responses to repeated stimulus exposure.

    • Simplest form of learning.

    • Occurs without the need for association or stimulus pairing.

    • Example: Moving to a new house near train tracks. Initially, the noise might wake you up, but over time, you adapt and sleep through it.

    • Associative Learning:

    • Learning to make connections between two stimuli or events that occur close in time.

    • Classical Conditioning:

      • Also known as Pavlovian Conditioning.

      • Involves associating one stimulus with an anticipated event, where one event predicts another.

      • Learning is passive and automatic; associations can be natural.

    • Operant Conditioning:

      • Also known as Instrumental Learning.

      • Involves associating a behavior with its consequence, guiding future behavior.

      • The subject must perform a behavior to experience the outcome.

      • Behaviors are performed for a purpose: to attain or avoid something.

    • Social Learning:

    • Learning through instruction or by observing how others behave.

Classical Conditioning

Overview

  • Classical conditioning involves learning to associate two stimuli.

  • It consists of creating an involuntary (reflex) response to a stimulus that does not naturally elicit it.

  • Key Terms:

    • Stimulus: An object or event that elicits a sensory or behavioral response in an organism.

Elements of Classical Conditioning

  1. Before Conditioning:

    • Unconditioned Response (UR): Response that occurs naturally without learning.

    • Unconditioned Stimulus (US): Stimulus that produces an unconditioned response automatically.

  2. During Conditioning:

    • Introduce a Neutral Stimulus (NS): A stimulus previously unfamiliar that produces no response initially.

    • Repeatedly pair the NS with the US to elicit the UR.

  3. After Conditioning:

    • The NS becomes the Conditioned Stimulus (CS) after being paired with the US.

    • The UR becomes the Conditioned Response (CR) when it is elicited by the CS.

Visual Equations of Classical Conditioning

  • Diagrammatic representation can be summarized as follows:

    • Before:

    • US --> UR

    • NS --> no response

    • During:

    • NS + US --> UR

    • After:

    • CS --> CR

Detailed Breakdown of Elements

  • Unconditioned Stimulus (US): Stimulus that elicits a response without learning.

  • Unconditioned Response (UR): Reflex response occurring naturally without prior pairing.

  • Neutral Stimulus (NS): Stimulus that does not elicit a specific response initially.

  • Conditioned Stimulus (CS): Stimulus that elicits a specific response after learning has occurred.

  • Conditioned Response (CR): Response that occurs as a result of learning, occurring now in response to the CS.

Important Connections

  • The CR and UR may exhibit the same behavior (e.g. salivation), but are differentiated based on the stimulus that elicits them:

    • Unconditioned Stimulus (e.g., food) results in an Unconditioned Response (salivating).

    • Conditioned Stimulus (e.g., bell) results in a Conditioned Response (salivating).

Conditioning Examples

Jim and Dwight Example

  • Before Conditioning:

    • Unconditioned Stimulus (US): Altoid

    • Unconditioned Response (UR): Desire for Altoid

  • Neutral Stimulus (NS): Windows startup tone - initially elicits no response from Dwight.

  • During Conditioning:

    • Pairing NS (windows tone) with US (altoids) leads to UR (desire for altoids).

  • After Conditioning:

    • Conditioned Stimulus (CS): Windows startup tone.

    • Conditioned Response (CR): Desire for Altoid.

Additional Example

  • US = Scary movie scene

  • UR = Feeling tense or anxious

  • NS = Music (e.g., Jaws theme)

  • After association: CS (music) will evoke CR (anxiety) without the presence of the US (scary movie scene).

Phases of Classical Conditioning

  1. Acquisition:

    • Development phase where:

      • Contiguity: US must quickly follow CS.

      • Contingency: US must reliably follow CS.

  2. Extinction:

    • Occurs when CR diminishes as the US no longer follows CS.

  3. Spontaneous Recovery:

    • A previously extinguished CR may reappear spontaneously after a rest period.

Basic Processes in Conditioning

  • Stimulus Generalization:

    • The tendency to respond to stimuli similar to a CS (e.g., rings of a telephone eliciting a similar response as a bell).

  • Stimulus Discrimination:

    • The learned ability to distinguish between CS and similar stimuli (e.g., recognizing your own car from a neighbor’s).

Real-Life Applications of Conditioning

  • Examples include:

    • Fear & Phobias: Development of phobias through aeisociations of fear-inducing stimuli.

    • Taste Aversion: Developing aversions to specific tastes after negative experiences (e.g., illness).

    • Substance Use: Learning associations through context and behavior related to substance intake.