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Learning and Behaviorism: Classical and Operant Conditioning

Learning and Behaviorism

  • Learning: Process where life experience alters behavior or thinking.

  • Behaviorism: Psychological approach focusing on observable behavior and environmental determinants.

Key Behaviorists

  • John B. Watson: "Father of behaviorism"; emphasized environmental control over development.

    • He is famous for an experiment

    • He was inspired by Pavlov

  • B. F. Skinner: Developed operant conditioning.

    • He is a radical behaviorist

    • behavior is shaped by the environment

  • Albert Bandura: Proposed social-learning theory.

    • famous for the bo-bo doll experiment, which demonstrated that children learn behaviors through observation and imitation of others.

Classical Conditioning (Pavlov)

  • Definition: Learning is where an animal responds to a previously neutral stimulus (NS) paired with a stimulus that elicits an automatic response.

  • Unconditioned Stimulus (US): Naturally elicits a response (e.g., food).

  • Unconditioned Response (UR): Natural response to US (e.g., salivation to food).

    • sometimes called the UCR

  • Condition Stimulus (CS): Previously neutral stimulus; becomes associated with US (e.g., bell).

  • Conditioned Response (CR): Learned response to CS (e.g., salivation to bell).

  • Note: UR and CR always exhibit the same behavior, just elicited by different stimuli.

Processes of Classical Conditioning

  • Acquisition: Initial learning where NS and US association forms; strongest if NS precedes US.

  • Extinction: CR weakens and disappears when CS is repeatedly presented without the US. (example would be the bell)

  • Spontaneous Recovery: Return of an extinguished CR after a rest period.

  • Stimulus Generalization: CR occurs to stimuli similar to the CS.

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

  • Higher-Order Conditioning: A neutral stimulus becomes a CS by association with an already established CS; typically results in weaker conditioning.

Biological Constraints

  • Not all stimuli can become a CS; Biological Preparedness suggests predisposition to learn certain associations (e.g., taste aversion).

  • Conditioning can occur even with significant delays between CS and US (e.g., taste aversion).

Operant Conditioning (Skinner)

  • Definition: Learning an association between a behavior and its environmental consequences (reward or punishment).

  • Law of Effect (Thorndike): Behaviors followed by favorable consequences are more likely to be repeated.

    • refuted insight learning

  • "Skinner Box": Apparatus used to study operant conditioning.

    • This device allows researchers to observe how animals, such as rats or pigeons, learn to associate their actions with specific outcomes, reinforcing the principles of operant conditioning.

Basic Terms and Classifications

    

  • Reinforcer: Increases the likelihood of a behavior repeating.

  • Punisher: Decreases the likelihood of a behavior repeating.

  • Positive: Adding a stimulus.

  • Negative: Removing a stimulus.

  • Positive Reinforcement: Adding something desirable to increase behavior (e.g., $$100 for A's).

  • Negative Reinforcement: Removing something undesirable to increase behavior (e.g., seatbelt buzzer stops).

  • Positive Punishment: Adding something undesirable to decrease behavior (e.g., spanking).

  • Negative Punishment: Removing something desirable to decrease behavior (e.g., losing TV).

Schedules of Reinforcement

  • Continuous Reinforcement: Reinforcing every desired response; fast acquisition, low extinction resistance.

  • Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement: Reinforcing only part of the time; slower acquisition, high extinction resistance.

    • Fixed Ratio (FR): Reinforcement after a specific number of responses.

    • Variable Ratio (VR): Reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses (fastest responding, hardest to extinguish).

    • Fixed Interval (FI): Reinforcement after a specific time interval.

    • Variable Interval (VI): Reinforcement after unpredictable time intervals (steady responding).

Practical Applications

  • Shaping: Reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior, used in animal training.

  • Token Economy: Earning tokens (secondary reinforcers) for desired behaviors to exchange for primary reinforcers.

  • Superstitious Behavior: Arises from accidental reinforcement (coincidental pairing).

Punishment Issues

  • Often haphazard, not immediate, associated with the administrator, and doesn't teach alternative behaviors.

Observational Learning Theory: 

Albert Bandura’s observational learning theory was that people are active in information processors, and what you BELIEVE about your behavior is important; you can learn just by watching others

  • Attention 

    • Particularly to correct aspects of the model’s behavior 

  • Retention 

    • representations in memory 

  • Production Competency 

    • Possession of skills 

  • Motivation

    • Desire to perform an action 

  • Bandura hypothesized that children could learn a behavior by observation 

    • even with first performing the behavior or without receiving any reinforcement for performing it (adult aggresses Bobo doll in three conditions)

      • Model-rewarded

      • model-punished

      • no-consequence 

    • Kids sent into a room with the Bobo doll, which results in the same action 

  • Ceiling action 

Media violence contributes to aggressive behavior in some circumstances 

Insight Learning: 

  • Insight learning is the sudden understanding of the solution to a problem 

  • Developed by studying chimpanzees