Recording-2025-02-17T17:00:45.694Z

Introduction to Learning

• Learning is often linked to behavioral psychology.

• Three types of learning:

  • Classical Conditioning

  • Operant Conditioning

  • Observational Learning

• Conditioning: process of learning associations.

Classical Conditioning

• Originated from Pavlov's studies on dog's salivation in response to food.

• Key Concepts:

  • Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): A stimulus that naturally elicits a response without prior learning.

  • Unconditioned Response (UCR): The natural reaction to the UCS without any learning (e.g., salivation in response to food).

  • Conditioned Stimulus (CS): A neutral stimulus that becomes associated with the UCS after repeated pairings and eventually elicits a learned response.

  • Conditioned Response (CR): The learned response to the conditioned stimulus (e.g., salivation to the bell).

Pavlov's Experiment with Dogs

• Pavlov rang a bell (neutral stimulus) before giving food (UCS).

• After several pairings, the dogs began to salivate (CR) when they heard the bell (CS), demonstrating classical conditioning.

Little Albert Experiment

• Conducted by John B. Watson & Rosalie Rayner in 1919 with a baby named Albert.

• Paired a white rat (CS) with a loud noise (UCS), leading to fear (UCR).

• Resulted in generalization; Albert feared not just the rat, but other similar stimuli (e.g., rabbits).

Acquisition

• Process of learning the association between the CS and the UCS.

• Optimized when the CS is presented shortly before the UCS.

Biopreparedness and Conditioned Taste Aversion

• Biopreparedness: Biological predisposition to learn some associations more easily than others (e.g., fear of snakes rather than cars).

• Conditioned Taste Aversion: Quick learning to avoid foods associated with illness, often occurring after just one pairing of food and sickness.

  • More applicable to novel foods than familiar ones.

  • CS and UCS can be hours apart and still form an association.

Stimulus Generalization and Discrimination

• Stimulus Generalization: Tendency to respond to stimuli similar to the CS (e.g., fearing all dogs after being bitten by one).

• Stimulus Discrimination: Learning not to respond to stimuli similar to the CS when they do not predict the UCS (e.g., learning which dogs are safe).

Extinction

• Decreasing the frequency of a conditioned response by repeatedly presenting the CS without the UCS (e.g., birds stopping to visit a feeder without food).

Operant Conditioning

• Learning that involves associating behavior with its consequences.

• Key Concepts:

  • Involves voluntary behaviors, unlike classical conditioning which is reflexive.

  • Behaviors leading to reinforcement are likely to be repeated, while those leading to punishment are avoided.

Examples of Operant Conditioning

• A dog learns to obey commands to receive treats.

• A child learns to avoid misbehaving to keep video game privileges.

• Understanding of actions and their consequences is critical in operant conditioning.

Conclusion

• Differences between classical and operant conditioning to be discussed in future sessions.