Psyc 100 Lecture 6: Conditioning and Learning

Psyc 100: Lecture 6 - Conditioning and Learning

What is Learning?

  • Definition: Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior due to experience.

  • Types of Learning:

    • Classical Conditioning: A learning process that involves associating an involuntary response with a stimulus.

    • Operant or Instrumental Learning: Involves associating voluntary behaviors with consequences.

Key Terms:

  • Response: Any identifiable behavior.

  • Antecedent: An event that occurs before a response.

  • Consequences: Effects that follow a response.

  • Reflex: An automatic, non-learned response.

Classical Conditioning

  • Origin: Associated primarily with Ivan Pavlov and his experiments with dogs.

  • Terminology:

    • Neutral Stimulus (NS): A stimulus that does not evoke a response.

    • Unconditioned Stimulus (US): An antecedent that innately triggers a reflex.

    • Unconditioned Response (UR): A reflex response elicited by the US.

    • Conditioned Stimulus (CS): A previously neutral stimulus that evokes a response after being paired with the US.

    • Conditioned Response (CR): A learned response to the conditioned stimulus, which was initially the neutral stimulus.

Classical Conditioning Example

  • Example Context:

    • Shock (US) → Fear (UR)

    • Light (NS) → Shock (US) → Fear (UR)

    • After conditioning: Light (CS) → Fear (CR)

Another Example

Conditioning Phases:

  • Phase 1: Before Conditioning

    • Bell (NS) → No salivation.

    • Meat Powder (US) → Salivation (UR).

  • Phase 2: During Conditioning (Acquisition)

    • Repeatedly pair Bell (CS) and Meat Powder (US) → Salivation (UR).

  • Phase 3: Test for Conditioning

    • Bell (CS) → Salivation (CR).

Acquisition and Classical Conditioning

  • CS-US Pairings: This reflects the learning phase of classical conditioning.

  • Learning Curve: Typically described as negatively accelerated, where learning occurs rapidly at first and then levels off.

  • Timing: The timing of the CS and US is crucial for effective learning.

  • Nature of CR: The conditioned response develops over time and denotes the learned association.

Higher Order (or Second Order) Conditioning

Phases:

  • Phase 1: Before Conditioning

    • US: Lemon Juice → UR: Salivation.

  • Phase 2: During Conditioning

    • CS: Bell → US: Lemon Juice → UR: Salivation.

  • Phase 3: Test for Higher Order Conditioning

    • CS: Bell → CR: Salivation.

    • Subsequently introduce Clap (CS2): Bell → Clap (CS) leading to CR: Salivation.

Additional Concepts in Classical Conditioning

  • Conditioned Emotional Responses (CER): Emotional reactions that are learned through conditioning.

  • Phobias: Irrational fears which can be developed through classical conditioning.

  • Vicarious Conditioning: Learning through the observation of others.

  • Extinction: The diminishing of the conditioned response when the CS is presented without the US.

    • Extinction Curve: Graphical representation of the decline of learned behavior over time.

  • Spontaneous Recovery: The reappearance of a conditioned response after a period of absence.

  • Generalization: The tendency to respond similarly to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus.

  • Discrimination: The ability to differentiate between the CS and other stimuli that do not signal a US.

Operant or Instrumental Learning

  • Definition: Learning that involves associating responses with their consequences, emphasizing voluntary behaviors.

  • Operant Chamber: A controlled environment used to study operant conditioning.

  • Key Principles:

    • Reinforcer must be response contingent and immediate to be effective.

    • Comparison with Classical Conditioning involves different mechanisms of learning.

  • Shaping: Gradually guiding behavior towards a desired target through reinforcement.

    • Acquisition Curve: Reflects the rate at which the response is learned.

    • Extinction Curve: The rate at which the response decreases after reinforcement stops.

    • Spontaneous Recovery in Operant Conditioning: Similar to classical conditioning but observed in the context of reinforcement.

Comparison to Classical Conditioning

Examples:

  • Classical Conditioning Result:

    • Horn → Eye Blink (Stimulus → Response)

  • Operant Conditioning Result:

    • Whistle (Stimulus) → Sit-up (Response) → Food (Reinforcer)

Components:

  • In Operant Conditioning: Antecedents (stimuli), Responses (behaviors), and Consequences (reinforcers or punishments).

Equipment in Operant Conditioning

  • Operant Chamber Features:

    • Food Pellet Dispenser

    • Water Supply

    • Light Screen

    • Food Tray

    • Lever for action to elicit behavior.

Nature of Reinforcement and Punishment

  • Positive Reinforcer: A stimulus presented after a response that increases the likelihood of that response occurring again.

  • Negative Reinforcer: A stimulus removed after a response that increases the likelihood of that response occurring again.

  • Punishment: Any consequence that decreases the likelihood of a behavior.

  • Response Cost: A specific type of punishment where a reinforcer is taken away following an undesired response.

  • Primary Reinforcers: Innately satisfying stimuli that do not require learning to be valued.

  • Secondary Reinforcers: Stimuli that have acquired value through association with primary reinforcers.

  • Premack Principle: A principle stating a preferred activity can be used as a reinforcer for a less preferred activity.

After a Response, Event Is:

  • Positive Reinforcement: A pleasant event presented after a response, increasing future responses.

  • Positive Punishment: An aversive event presented after a response, decreasing future responses.

  • Negative Reinforcement: Removal of an unpleasant stimulus following a response, increasing future responses.

Schedules of Reinforcement

  • Definition: Reinforcement does not have to occur after every response, and varied schedules can influence behavior stability.

  • Partial Reinforcement: Behaviors reinforced intermittently are often more resistant to extinction than those reinforced continuously.

Types of Reinforcement Schedules:

  • Fixed Ratios: Reinforcement after a set number of responses.

  • Fixed Intervals: Reinforcement after a set amount of time.

  • Variable Ratios: Reinforcement after a variable number of responses.

  • Variable Intervals: Reinforcement after a variable amount of time.

Cumulative Record Example

  • Graph: Displays cumulative number of responses over time, comparing Fixed and Variable schedules.

Additional Concepts in Operant Conditioning

  • Stimulus Control: The process whereby certain behaviors are triggered by specific stimuli.

  • Generalization and Discrimination: Similar concepts as discussed in classical conditioning but in the context of operant responses.

  • Programmed Instruction: Structured teaching strategy utilizing operant principles.

  • Other Types of Learning:

    • Cognitive Maps: Mental representations of spatial layouts.

    • Observational Learning: Learning behaviors through the imitation of models.

Application to Therapy – Behavioral Therapy

  • Behavior Modification: The use of classical or operant conditioning techniques to alter human behavior.

  • Aversion Therapy: A behavioral technique used to reduce undesirable behaviors by associating them with unpleasant consequences.

  • Systematic Desensitization: A gradual process used to reduce anxiety responses by pairing relaxation techniques with exposure to anxiety-inducing stimuli.

  • Operant Therapies: Utilize reinforcement or punishment to change behavior.