100_7.1_ Learning.pdf

Lecture Overview: Learning

Definition of Learning

  • Focus on behaviorism definition of learning.

  • Distinguishes between learning as behavioral acquisition vs. knowledge acquisition.

    • Everyday meaning often conflates learning with acquiring knowledge from textbooks.

Characteristics of Learning

  • Experiential Process:

    • Results in a consistent change in behavior or behavior potential.

    • Changes are based on experiences (first or second hand).

Learning Mechanisms

  • Biological and Socio-cultural Factors:

    • Learning is influenced by biological factors as well as sociocultural contexts.

Associative Learning

  • Learning to connect one stimulus with another.

  • Examples:

    • Stimuli Association:

      • Lightning (Stimulus 1) + Thunder (Stimulus 2)

      • Behavior: Anticipate thunder when seeing lightning.

    • Response and Consequence:

      • Example: Balancing a ball leads to receiving food (strengthens behavior).

      • Vending Machine: Pushing button (Response) leads to getting a candy bar (Consequence).

Types of Conditioning

Classical Conditioning

  • Predictable signals learned through associations.

  • Key Concepts:

    • Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): Naturally elicits a behavior (e.g., food).

    • Unconditioned Response (UCR): Behavior elicited by UCS (e.g., salivation).

    • Conditioned Stimulus (CS): Neutral stimulus that elicits a response after association (e.g., bell tone).

    • Conditioned Response (CR): Behavior elicited by CS (e.g., salivation).

Pavlov's Experiment

  1. Before Conditioning:

    • UCS (food) produces UCR (salivation); the tone as neutral does not elicit response.

  2. During Conditioning:

    • Tone (neutral stimulus) paired with UCS (food) results in UCR (salivation).

  3. After Conditioning:

    • Tone becomes CS; salivation is now CR.

Stages of Learning

  • Acquisition: Initial stage of learning where association is established.

    • Timing is crucial; neutral stimulus must precede UCS.

  • Extinction: When UCS does not follow CS, CR begins to diminish.

  • Spontaneous Recovery: After a rest, the CR may spontaneously return when CS is presented.

Other Concepts

  • Generalization vs. Discrimination:

    • Generalization: Responding to similar stimuli; e.g., salivation in response to vibrating stimuli.

    • Discrimination: Distinguishing between CS and other stimuli; e.g., associating sharks versus dolphins with fear.

Biological Constraints on Learning

  • Learning is influenced by biological factors.

  • Example: Garcia's research shows significant conditioning occurs even with a long time interval.

    • Certain stimuli are biologically adaptive (taste over sound).

Practical Examples of Learning

  • Traumatic Experiences: Can lead to conditioned responses (e.g., fear from fire, food poisoning).

  • Learned Behaviors: Behavioral responses should consider biological instincts for survival.