Objectives Chapter 6 Learning 1 1 What is learning and the major types of learning Learning permanent change in thought or behavior that results from experience NOT a reflex driven behavior Reflexes are automatic without instruction or training from the environment like baby turning head Conditioning Classical Pavlovian conditioning and Operant conditioning Models of learning latent observational insight learning 2 What is classical conditioning and what are the four basic components of it Ivan Pavlov wouldn t call himself a psychologist Noble Prize used dogs to study salivation Noticed that his dogs showed a physiological response to cues associated with food Dog mouth salivate with food in it eventually salivated before food in mouth Classical Conditioning stimulus and response learning Associate stimuli that are paired together Stimuli hear bell receive food Response salivation An unconditioned stimulus food triggers an unconditioned response salivating unconditioned unlearned A conditioned stimulus bell triggers a conditioned response salivating Salivating is an unconditioned response to food but conditioned response to a bell Conditional upon associative learning Neutral stimulus became a conditioned stimulus when paired with the food Conditioned stimulus metronome whistle Conditioned response salivating 3 What do those concepts mean Processes of conditioning acquisition extinction spontaneous recovery generalization and discrimination Acquisition initial learning of an association between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus key requirement timing Best unconditioned stimulus follows conditional stimulus by 500 ms Extinction repeated presentation of conditioned stimulus without unconditioned stimulus will eventually eliminate response to conditional stimulus doesn t erase learning it suppresses it association of bell and food allows the bell CS to cause salivation CR but if we repeatedly present just the bell in the absence of food then the bell alone will no longer cause salivation wait several hours then try the bell again we find a weakened CR has briefly regained power to elicit the response Learning isn t erased just suppressed Spontaneous recovery happens when conditional stimulus briefly regains its power to elicit the response Might also discuss renewal effect Sudden reemergence of a conditioned response following extinction when an animal is returned to the environment in which the conditioned response was acquired 2 Stimulus generalization tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar to the CS bell whistle Stimulus discrimination ability to distinguish between the CS and other stimuli bell doesn t drum Case Little Albert learned to be afraid of rats generalized to all furry objects like rabbits 4 What is operant conditioning Emphasis on controlled deliberate behavior enacted by a person to influence its environment Environmental consequences shape subsequent behavior Shaping of behavior is central to this Behavior can operate on the environment to produce some effect Past experience affects present behavior can have consequences Reinforcers increase behavior Punishments decrease behaviors Food pellets reinforce the behavior of lever pressing so the rat is MORE to push the lever The frequency of the behavior INCREASES Floor shock punishes the behavior of lever pressing so the rat is LESS likely to push the lever The frequency of the behavior DECREASES positive reinforcement something pleasant is offered Reward Type 1 Example rat presses a lever and is reinforced with a food pellet negative reinforcement something unpleasant is removed stress reward type 2 when the frequency of a behavior is increased because you take away something that is aversive The process of removing an aversive stimulus is reinforcing because you didn t want it there and now its gone because of something you did Example you fasten your seat belt and the buzzer turns off positive punishment to decrease a number of absences make up homework after school something unpleasant is introduced if time out is unpleasant positive punishment Example a child talks back and a parent spanks him negative punishment something pleasant is removed if time out is keeping them from doing something fun and not pleasant negative punishment Example you break your curfew and lose your phone privileges 3 What is the law of effect Thorndike Reinforcers and punishments Responses followed by positive outcomes are repeated and responses followed by negative outcomes are not He kept baby chickens for experiements on learning maze for chickens ran around distressed for exit once they found it they began to move quickly towards the exit every time they were put in the maze Law of effect Puzzle Boxes for Trail and error learning for cats find lever to open the door This law holds that behaviors leading to pleasurable consequences are stamped in while other behaviors that produced annoying results were stamped out In other words an association was formed between the behavior and the consequence just like in classical conditioning an association is formed between two stimuli For example associations were created between the behavior of pressing the lever and getting the food this associative learning forms the basis of SHAPING OF BEHAVIOR which was further explored with the Skinner Box Skinner used Skinner Box as an operant chamber to study Thorndikes Law How punishment and negative reinforcement differ Negative reinforcement is the strengthening of a response through the removal of a stimulus after the response occurs In negative reinforcement a response is strengthened when it leads to the removal of an averse unpleasant or painful stimulus Negative reinforcer s are aversive stimuli such as loud nose cold pain or nagging or a child s crying We are more likely to repeat behaviors that lead to their removal A parent s behavior in picking up a crying baby to comfort it is negatively reinforced when the baby stops crying Punishment is different Punishment is the flip side of reinforcement It involves the introduction of an aversive stimulus e g physical pain or harsh criticism Physical punishment spanking for example an aversive stimulus pain is applied following an undesirable behavior Other forms of punishment include imposing monetary penalties Negative Reinforcement strengthens a behavior because a negative condition is stopped or avoided as a consequence of the behavior ex a rat is shocked until it presses a
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