Classical Conditioning

Unit 4- Learning

Modules 19 & 20

Study Guide 

Module 19: Classical Conditioning

Learning Definition- relative permanent change in behavior caused by experience 

Classical Conditioning- a type of learning where a stimulus gains the power to cause a response

Stimulus(anything in the environment that one can respond to)  vs. Response- (any behavior or action)

Unconditioned Stimulus- stimulus that triggers a response reflexively 

Unconditioned Response- automatic response to the UCS 

Conditioned Stimulus- previously neutral stimulus that, through learning, gains the power to cause a response 

Conditioned Response- response to the CS, it is the same as the UCR

Acquisition- process of developing a learned response/when the CS is paired with the UCS/something neutral becomes conditioned to cause a response 

Extinction- the CS loses its power to trigger a CR/repeatedly present the CS alone

Spontaneous Recovery-return of an extinguished classically conditioned response after a rest period/recovered response is weaker/easier to extinguish again

Ivan Pavlov- russian physiologist/studying digestion

Pavlov’s Dogs

Generalization- an organism produces the same response to two similar stimuli 

Discrimination- an organism produces different response to two stimuli/examples types of candy/being stung by a buzzing insect

John Watson- founder of behaviorism/criticized psychoanalysis view/behavior based on stimulus in environment, not thoughts in mind 

Little Albert- phobias come from classical conditioning/fear generalized to other white animals

Taste Aversion- biologically predisposed to develop an aversion to the taste of food we ate before getting sick/evolution protection from poisonous food 

Classical Conditioning & Advertising- the brand starts out as being neutral, they want you to learn to associate it with something from the advertisement 

Module 20- Operant Conditioning

Operant Conditioning Definition- the frequency of a behavior depends on the consequence that follows that behavior 

Law of Effect- Edward Thorndike/Behavior with favorable consequences will occur more frequently/behaviors followed by less favorable consequences will occur less frequently 

Edward Thorndike

Reinforcement (positive/ behavior is followed by a desirable event or state) & negative- Behavior ends an undesirable event or state/taking aspirin/not having to do a chore because you got an “A” )

Punishment (positive- behavior is followed by an undesirable event/toddler burned by a hot stove)  & negative/Behavior ends a desirable event or state/girl who loses phone for fighting with sister 

Immediate vs. Delayed Reinforcement- immediate- is more effective than delayed/with age we learn value of delayed reinforcement 

Primary vs. Secondary Reinforcement- primary: something naturally rewarding (food, warmth, water) Secondary- something you have learned is rewarding because it has been paired with primary reinforcement (money/grades)

Shaping- a way to establish new behaviors/reinforce behaviors that are increasingly similar to the one you want to occur 

Extinction- loss of a learned response when reinforcement no longer follow it/helpful in changing ineffective behavior 

Problems with Punishment- doesn't end desire to engage in a behavior/can cause fear and anxiety- avoidance// adults who use aggression as punishment model that behavior for kids/most abusive parents came from abusive families/most abused kids don't grow up to become abusive parents

Alternative to Punishment- reinforcing an incompatible behavior/ dont punish a child for lying/reinforce a child for telling the truth

BF Skinner- studied operant conditioning/created conditioning chambers aka Skinner Box to study reinforcement  on rats/pigeons 

Schedules of Reinforcement (Continuous vs. Partial)- Continuous- reward follows every correct response/vending machine/most useful when teaching new behaviors/easy to extinguish vs Partial- reward follows only some correct responses/lottery tickets/harder to extinguish

Types of Partial (Fixed Interval- Variable Interval, Fixed Ratio, Variable Ratio)

Fixed Interval rewards only the first correct responses after some defined period of time/weekly quiz every Friday-only study on Thursday night

Variable Interval- rewards the first correct response after an unpredictable amount of time/pop quizzes/students must always study

Fixed ratio- reward only after a certain number of correct responses/ex 1 reinforcement for ever 20 correct responses

Variable Ratio- rewards an unpredictable number of correct responses/gamblers schedule/highest resistance to extinction

Albert Bandura- social learning theory- learning without direct experience, by watching and imitating others 

Observational Learning- coined by Bandura/children who observed aggressive behavior displayed a significant amount more aggressive behavior/males were overall more aggressive than females