1a: Learning theory Flashcards
Define learning
a process by which experience produces a relatively enduring change in an organism’s behavior or capabilities
Define
Non-associative learning
Class cond
Operant con
Observational learning
Non-associative learning – response to repeated stimuli
Classical conditioning – Learning what events signal
Operant conditioning - Learning one thing leads to another
Observational learning – Learning from others
Differentiate habituation and sensitisation
habituation is decrease in the strength of a response to a repeated stimulus.
sensitisation is an increase in the strength of response to a repeated stimulus.
In classical conditioning, what is an unconditioned stimulus
A stimulus that elicits a reflexive or innate response (the UCR) without prior learning
In classical conditioning, what is an conditioned stimulus
A stimulus that, through association with a UCS, comes to elicit a conditioned response similar to the original UCR
In CC, What is an unconditioned response
A reflexive or innate response that is elicited by a stimulus (the UCS) without prior learning
In CC, What is a conditioned response
A response elicited by a conditioned stimulus.
When is classical conditioning strong
There are repeated CS-UCS pairings
The UCS is more intense
The sequence involves forward pairing (i.e. CS -> UCS)
The time interval between the CS and UCS is short
How can behaviours learnt by CC be reduced (extinction)
By just having the CS without the UCS
What is stimulus generaltisation
A tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar, but not identical , to a conditioned stimulus.
T/F similar stimuli elicit the conditioned response too
Similar stimuli will also elicit the CR, but in a weaker form
What is stimulus discriminiation
The ability to respond differently to various stimuli.
E.g. A child will respond differently to various bells (alarms, school, timer)
A fear of dogs might only include certain breeds
Outline clinical example of CC
Chemoterapy is UCS.
Leads to vomiting, an UCR
Cues such as sight of the chemotherapy, a CS, unit can cause anticipatory nause (CR)
How was the immune system classically conditioned in cancer patients
Immune function decreased on coming to hospital (and nausea increased)
What is overshadowing
Creating a different association between hospital (UCS) and nausea….
instead they gave the patients a new, horrible drink when they came to hospital
Patients associated this with the vomiting (created new pairing) and the patients then showed reduced nausea to the clinic setting alone…. so the CS had been altered
Outline how fear can be learnt
Little albert
UCS- loud bang causes fear (UCR)
initially rat was neutral
loud bang sounded with rat
CS is the rat and the CR is fear of the rat
Happened with rabbit, dog and coat,
How could a fear response to clinic setting happen
Traumatic injection (UCS) –> pain/fear (UCR)
Clinic setting (CS) Trauma and needle (UCS)–> fear (UCR)
Clinic setting (CS)–> Fear (CR)
What is the two factor theory of maintenance of classicaly conditioned associations with example
e.g. fear
Trauma (UCS) and needle (CS) –> fear (UCR)
Avoiding injections –> reduced fear–> tendency to avoid is reinforced
What is Thorndike’s 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
Define operant conditioning
Behaviour is learned and maintained by it’s consequences
Define positive reinforcement
occurs when a response is strengthened by the subsequent presentation of a reinforcer
Given examples of primary and secondary reinforecement
Primary Reinforcers: those needed for survival e.g. food, water, sleep, sex
Secondary Reinforcers: stimuli that acquire reinforcing properties through their association with primary reinforcers e.g. money, praise
Define negative reinforcement
when a response is strengthened by the removal (or avoidance) of an aversive stimulus
Give an example of a negative reinforcer
the aversive stimulus that is removed or avoided (e.g. the use of painkillers are reinforced by removing pain)
T/f: positive and negative reinforcement refer to when there is a good or bad stimulus to change behavuour
Positive” and “Negative” refer to presentation or removal of a stimulus, not “good” and “bad”
Differentiate positive punishment and positive reinforcement
Positive Punishment:
occurs when a response is weakened by the presentation of a stimulus (e.g. squirting a cat with water when it jumps on dining table)
Positive Reinforcement: occurs when a response is strengthened by the subsequent presentation of a reinforcer
Compare negative punishment with negatie reinforcement
Negative Punishment: occurs when a response is weakened by the removal of a stimulus (e.g. phone confiscated)
Negative Reinforcement: occurs when a response is strengthened by the removal (or avoidance) of an aversive stimulus
Differentiate reinfrcement and punishment
+ve/-ve reinforcement both refer to things which make the event more likely to happen
+ve/-ve punishmne tboth refer to things which makes things less likely to happen
Why could reinforcement be considered moroe potent on behaviour than punishment
because punishment can only make certain responses less frequent – you cant teach new behaviour
State different reinforcement schedules
Fixed interval schedule: reinforcement occurs after fixed time interval
Variable interval schedule: the time interval varies at random around an average
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
Which kinds of ratio, and which kinds of interval produce higher response rates
+Compare partial and continous reinforcement scedules
Higher ratios
Shorter intervals
Continuous reinforcement produces more rapid learning than partial reinforcement
The association between a behaviour and its consequences is easier to understand
However, continuously reinforced responses extinguish more rapidly than partially reinforced responses
The shift to no reinforcement is sudden and easier to understand
Where will pauses be observed (in which reinforcement schedules)
In fixed interval, there are long pauses after reinforcement + low resistance to extinction
In variable interval, there is no pause and higher resistance to extinction
In fixed ratio there is short pause lower resistance to extinction
In variable there is no pause but higher resistance to extinction
In which schedules of reinforcement does behaviour change quickly and which slowly
How quickly does extinction occur when reward ceases
Fixed interval -Slow change -Extinction quite rapidly Variable interval -Slow change -Extinction slower Fixed ratio -Fast change -Extinction quick Variable ratio -Fast change -Extinction slower
Example of operant conditioning
Chronic pain behaviour includes limping, grimacing, and medication requests.
This is often reinforced by family or staff e.g. by being overly sympathetic, encouraging rest, increasing medication
This behaviour is likewise reinforced by gratitude signals from the patient
A cycle is created in which the patient receives positive consequences for “being in pain“, so pain is more likely to occur in frequency
Difference between skinner and bandura
Skinne thought that it was just about reifnrocement
Bandura thought Social imitation may hasten or short-cut the acquisition of new behaviours without the necessity of reinforcing
Compare observational (vicarious) learning and vicarious reinforcement= social learning theory
Observational (vicarious) learning - We observe the behaviours of others and the consequences of those behaviours.
Vicarious reinforcement - If their behaviours are reinforced we tend to imitate the behaviours
Who are we more likely to model in social learning
Seen to be rewarded
High status (e.g. Medical consultant)
Similar to us (e.g. colleagues)
Friendly (e.g. peers)
Outline bobo doll
All children spent time in a playroom with an adult who modelled either non-aggressive (building tinker toy) or aggressive play (punching and striking the Bobo doll with mallet)
All children then spent a further 20 minutes in the room alone and their behaviour was observed. Aggressive behaviour both imitative and non-imitative was recorded.
Children who observed aggressive behaviour showed a much higher level of aggression towards the doll.
