PSYC 1315 1st Edition Lecture 16Last LectureState of consciousness Current Lecture Learning What is learning?A relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs through experienceBehaviorism: Theory of learning that focuses only on observable acts Types of learning Associative learning:Whenaconnectionbetween2eventsismade E.g. JAWS music, smell sour milkàgross taste Observational learning:Learning that takes place when a person observes and imitates another’s behavior E.g. basketball, hoola-hooping Classical conditioning A neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus and acquires the capacity to elicit a similar response Steps of classical conditioning Novel stimuli (NS) Unconditioned stimuli (UCS)Automatically leads to a response Unconditioned response (UCR)Response from UCS that happens automatically ConditioningConditioned stimuli (CS) Conditionedresponse (CR)Response from CS in anticipation of USComponents of classical conditioning Acquisition – the initial learning of the connection between the unconditioned stimulus (US) and conditioned stimulus (CS) when these two stimuli are paired The timing interval between the CS and US determines the contiguity in time and space. Conditioned responses are learned best when the CS and US occur close together. Not only must there be contiguity, but there also must be contingency, which is the predictability of the occurrence of onestimulus from the presence of another stimulus. Once the association between the CS and US has been formed, the meaning of the CS changes. This once arbitrary object now has meaning or is motivational. In animal learning studies, some have shown that the CS is even more powerful than the US it signals. This high level of attachment to the CS is known as sign tracking. Generalization and discrimination Generalization occurs when a new stimulus that is similar to the original stimulus elicits a response that is similar to the CR. Discrimination is learning to respond to certain stimuli while notresponding to others. Extinction The weakening of the conditioned response in the absence of theUS Spontaneous recovery: CR comes back after a time lapse Stimulus GeneralizationResponding to a similar stimulus according to your conditioning Example: LittleAlbertshowedthefearresponsetoarabbit, fur coat, Santa mask, package of cotton, etcOperant Conditioning Associative learning in which the consequences of a behavior change the probability of the behavior’s occurrence E.g.learningthatshowinguptoclass,leadsto getting a better grade Thorndikes Law of Effect Behaviors followed by positive outcomes are strengthened. Behaviors followed by negative outcomes are weakened. Clarification Reinforcement vs. Punishment Positive vs. NegativePositive:addingsomethingNegative:takingsomethingaway Reinforcement Consequences that INCREASE the likelihood of responding a certain way Positive reinforcement:Presentationofaneventwhichincreases likelihood (e.g. allowance for doing chores) Negative reinforcement:Removalofaneventwhichincreasesthe likelihood (e.g. no chores for good
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