1a) Learning Flashcards
Define Learning
“a process by which experience produces a relatively enduring change in an organism’s behavior or capabilities.”
What are the 4 basic learning processes?
Non-associative learning – response to repeated stimuli
Classical conditioning – Learning what events signal
Operant conditioning - Learning one thing leads to another (learning from consequences)
Observational learning – Learning from observing others
give an example of an experiment showing classical conditioning
- e.g pavlov’s dogs
- e.g chemotherapy experience can cause anticipatory nausea + vomiting (immune system conditioning)
Under what conditions is classical conditioning stongest?
- if There are repeated CS-UCS pairings
- if The UCS is more intense
- if The sequence involves forward pairing (i.e. CS -> UCS)
- if The time interval between the CS and UCS is short
give the definition of stimulus generalization
tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar, but not identical , to a conditioned stimulus.
give the definition of stimulus discrimination
The ability to respond differently to various stimuli
e.g diff response to diff dog breeds
What is the difference between primary and secondary reinforcers ?
Primary Reinforcers: those needed for survival e.g. food, water, sleep, sex
Secondary Reinforcers: stimuli that acquires reinforcing properties through their association with primary reinforcers e.g. money, praise
what is the difference between positive and negative reinforcement?
Negative Reinforcement: occurs when a response is strengthened by the removal (or avoidance) of an aversive stimulus
Positive Reinforcement: occurs when a response is strengthened by the subsequent presentation of a reinforcer
What is positive punishment?
when a response is weakened by the presentation of a stimulus (e.g. squirting a cat with water when it jumps on dining table)
What is negative punishment?
when a response is weakened by the removal of a stimulus (e.g. phone confiscated)
What did reinforcement schedule experiment show?
showed that continuous reinforcement produced more rapid learning than partial reinforcement
e. g
- gambling
- pellet comes out every time rat presses button > pellet comes out sometimes when rat presses button
describe link between operant conditioning and health behavior?
e.g in chronic pain
e.g in chronic pain
- chronic pain behavior e.g limping
- can be reinforced by family when they act overly sympathetic, encouraging rest
- patient receives positive consequence for being in pain
so pain = more likely to occur frequently
what is vicarious LEARNING?
We observe the behaviours of others and the consequences of those behaviours.
what is vicarious REINFORCEMENT?
If their behaviours are reinforced we tend to imitate the behaviours
Describe the Bobo doll experiment (Bandura)
- children in 2 groups
- group 1 = non aggressive adult in play room
- group 2 = aggressive adult in play room
- group 1 children = more likely to imitate aggressive behavior towards bobo doll
We are more likely to imitate the behavior if we encounter someone:
- Seen to be rewarded
- High status (e.g. Medical consultant)
- Similar to us (e.g. colleagues)
- Friendly (e.g. peers)
Key concepts
Classical conditioning (definition & terminology) Operant conditioning (definition & terminology) Observational (social) learning
Types of reinforcement & schedules of reinforcement.
Key studies:
Pavlov’s Dogs
Watson & Raynor (1920) Little Albert Experiment Bandura (1961) Bobo Doll Experiment
describe the experiment on pavlov’s dogs
CS = tone UCS = food UCR = salivation CR = salivation
he conditioned the behavior of dogs by pairing certain stimuli.
which produces a conditioned response
dog learns to associate sound of bell with food –> increase in salivation
(through associated learning)
extinction of learning = attenuation
describe the Little albert experiment
watson + raynor
- white rats shown to boy
- neutral stimulus
- paired white rat with loud noise (US)
- UR: crying
- after conditioning, when rat was seen (CS),
CR = crying crawling away - caused strong fear against rats
describe 2 factor theory of maintenance of classically conditioned associations
1) fear response induced on needle
2) then they tend to avoid injections, so tendency to avoid = REINFORCED
define habituation
decrease in the strength of a response to a repeated stimulus.
Define sensitization
increase in the strength of response to a repeated stimulus.
(e.g a bleep)
Whats the difference between unconditioned stimulus and conditioned stimulus?
Unconditioned stimulus (UCS): A stimulus that elicits a reflexive or innate response (the UCR) without prior learning
Conditioned stimulus (CS):
A stimulus that, through association with a UCS, comes to elicit a conditioned response similar to the original UCR
Whats the difference between unconditioned response and conditioned response?
Unconditioned response (UCR): A reflexive or innate response that is elicited by a stimulus (the UCS) without prior learning
Conditioned response (CR): A response elicited by a conditioned stimulus.
what is a potential method for overcoming conditioned stimulus?
- overshadowing
Describe the concept behind Thorndike’s law of effect
Law of Effect:
A response followed by a satisfying consequence will be more likely to
occur.
A response followed by an aversive consequence will become less likely to occur
note: positive reinforcement is more potent than punishment
positive reinforcement = you teach new behavior
punishment = working with / removing existing behavior
What is the main concept behind Bandura’s bobo doll experiment?
What kind of learning does it show?
- modelling / observational learning
- occurs by watching/imitating another person’s actions –> that have
What are the 4 different types of reinforce meant schedules?
Fixed interval schedule:
Variable interval schedule:
Fixed Ratio Schedule:
Variable Ratio Schedule:
Whats the difference between Fixed Ratio Schedule + Variable Ratio Schedule
Fixed Ratio Schedule: reinforcement is given after a fixed number of responses
Variable Ratio Schedule: reinforcement is given after a variable number of responses, all centered around an average
Whats the difference between Fixed interval Schedule + Variable interval Schedule
Fixed interval schedule: reinforcement occurs after fixed time interval
Variable interval schedule: the time interval varies at random around an average
