Learning

Learning is a lasting change in behavior or mental process as the result of an experience

**__Habituation:__**Learning not to respond to the repeated presentation of a stimulus

Mere Exposure Effect: a learned preference for stimuli to which we have been previously exposed

**__Behavioral learning:__** Forms of learning, such as *classical* and *operant conditioning* which can be described in terms of stimuli and responses.

*Classical conditioning* is more simple learning; a form of learning in which a previously ***neutral stimulus*** (stimulus without reflex-provoking power) acquires the power to elicit the same innate reflex produced by another stimulus.

*Operant conditioning* is more complex learning; voluntary, NOT Passive, learning based on consequence

Neutral Stimulus- bell- elicits no response at first

Unconditioned Stimulus- cause/food

Unconditioned Response- effect/salivate

Conditioned Stimulus- new cause/bell

Conditioned Response- new effect/salivate

Acquisition- The learning stage during which a conditioned response comes to be elicited by the conditioned stimulus. It doesn’t last forever

Extinction- when the CS is no longer associated with the UCS

Spontaneous Recovery- a response after a rest period of an extinguished conditioned response

Rescorla Wagner Theory- models classical conditioning and is unique because it explains how the unexpected can influence learning

**__Delayed Conditioning__: present CS and while CS is still there, present UCS**

**__Trace Conditioning__: present CS, take a short break, then present UCS**

**__Simultaneous Conditioning:__ CS and UCS are presented at the same time**

**__Backward Conditioning__**: UCS is presented, then CS is presented

Little Albert- John Watson wanted to test aversion on a baby (Aversive Conditioning)

Aversion is where you are taught to hate & fear something you already love

Generalization- something is so similar to the CS, you end up getting a CR

Distinction- the ability to distinguish between two similar signals stimulus (something so different to the CS so you don’t get a CR)

Garcia and Koeling Study (bright-noisy-water experiment)- studied how rats make association and observed how some associations seem to be adaptive (learn to associate things for survival)

B.F. Skinner (Father of Operant Conditioning)- nurture over nature, Skinner Box

Edward Thorndike- instrumental learning, puzzle box for cats and concluded that behavior changes because of its consequences, rewards strengthen behavior, and if consequences are unpleasant, the stimulus-reward connection will weaken

Reinforcer- anything that increases behavior

punishment- anything that decreases a behavior, considered to be a primary process or a completely independent phenomenon of learning, distinct from reinforcement

positive means add or apply

negative means subtract or remove

Escape learning- occurs to terminate an unpleasant stimulus such as annoyance or pain, thereby negatively reinforcing the behavior

Avoidance Learning- you can transform escape learning into avoidance learning if you give a signal, such as a tone, before the unwanted stimulus

**__Premack principle (AKA Relativity Theory of Reinforcement):__** more probable behaviors will reinforce less probable behaviors

Martin Seligman- learned helplessness, once you’re conditioned to expect pain without a way to escape it, eventually you will stop trying to escape it, even if an opportunity presents itself

**__Shaping__**__-__ reinforcing small steps on the way to the desired behavior

Primary Reinforcer- Things that are rewarding in and of themselves

Secondary Reinforcer- Things we have learned to value

Continuous Reinforcement- Reinforce the behavior **__EVERY TIME__** the behavior is exhibited, usually done when the subject is first learning to make the association, acquisition occurs very quickly (but so does extinction)

Intermittent/Partial Reinforcement- Reinforce the behavior only *SOME* of the times it is exhibited, acquisition comes more slowly, but is more resistant to extinction. There are **FOUR** types of partial reinforcement schedules

Fixed Ratio- Provides a reinforcement after a **__SET__ number** **of responses**

Variable Ratio- Provides a reinforcement after a **__RANDOM__ number of responses (**very hard to get acquisition but also very resistant to extinction)

Fixed Interval- Requires a **__SET__ amount of time** to elapse before giving the reinforcement

Variable Interval- Requires a **__RANDOM__** amount of time to elapse before giving the reinforcement (very hard to get acquisition but also very resistant to extinction)

**__Observational learning:__** Learning in which new responses are acquired after other’s behavior and the consequences of their behavior are observed

Albert Bandura and his BoBo Doll- we learn through modeling behavior from others

Observational Learning + Operant Conditioning= Social Learning Theory

Cognitive Learning- When we have “flashes of insight” when dealing with a problem where we have been experiencing trial and error; changes in mental processes, rather than as changes in behavior alone

Wolfgang Kohler & Sultan- believed Chimps could solve complex problems by combining simpler behaviors they had previously learned separately

Latent Learning- learning that occurs but isn’t apparent until the learner has an incentive to demonstrate it; Edward Tolman

cognitive map- mental representation

\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\
\