1a: Learning theory

Question 1

Define learning

Answer 1

a process by which experience produces a relatively enduring change in an organism’s behavior or capabilities

Question 2

Define

Non-associative learning

Class cond

Operant con

Observational learning

Answer 2

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

Question 3

Differentiate habituation and sensitisation

Answer 3

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.

Question 4

In classical conditioning, what is an unconditioned stimulus

Answer 4

A stimulus that elicits a reflexive or innate response (the UCR) without prior learning

Question 5

In classical conditioning, what is an conditioned stimulus

Answer 5

A stimulus that, through association with a UCS, comes to elicit a conditioned response similar to the original UCR

Question 6

In CC, What is an unconditioned response

Answer 6

A reflexive or innate response that is elicited by a stimulus (the UCS) without prior learning

Question 7

In CC, What is a conditioned response

Answer 7

A response elicited by a conditioned stimulus.

Question 8

When is classical conditioning strong

Answer 8

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

Question 9

How can behaviours learnt by CC be reduced (extinction)

Answer 9

By just having the CS without the UCS

Question 10

What is stimulus generaltisation

Answer 10

A tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar, but not identical , to a conditioned stimulus.

Question 11

T/F similar stimuli elicit the conditioned response too

Answer 11

Similar stimuli will also elicit the CR, but in a weaker form

Question 12

What is stimulus discriminiation

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Outline clinical example of CC

Answer 13

Chemoterapy is UCS.
Leads to vomiting, an UCR

Cues such as sight of the chemotherapy, a CS, unit can cause anticipatory nause (CR)

Question 14

How was the immune system classically conditioned in cancer patients

Answer 14

Immune function decreased on coming to hospital (and nausea increased)

Question 15

What is overshadowing

Answer 15

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

Question 16

Outline how fear can be learnt

Answer 16

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,

Question 17

How could a fear response to clinic setting happen

Answer 17

Traumatic injection (UCS) –> pain/fear (UCR)

Clinic setting (CS) Trauma and needle (UCS)–> fear (UCR)

Clinic setting (CS)–> Fear (CR)

Question 18

What is the two factor theory of maintenance of classicaly conditioned associations with example

Answer 18

e.g. fear

Trauma (UCS) and needle (CS) –> fear (UCR)

Avoiding injections –> reduced fear–> tendency to avoid is reinforced

Question 19

What is Thorndike’s law of effect

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Define operant conditioning

Answer 20

Behaviour is learned and maintained by it’s consequences

Question 21

Define positive reinforcement

Answer 21

occurs when a response is strengthened by the subsequent presentation of a reinforcer

Question 22

Given examples of primary and secondary reinforecement

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Define negative reinforcement

Answer 23

when a response is strengthened by the removal (or avoidance) of an aversive stimulus

Question 24

Give an example of a negative reinforcer

Answer 24

the aversive stimulus that is removed or avoided (e.g. the use of painkillers are reinforced by removing pain)

Question 25

T/f: positive and negative reinforcement refer to when there is a good or bad stimulus to change behavuour

Answer 25

Positive” and “Negative” refer to presentation or removal of a stimulus, not “good” and “bad”

Question 26

Differentiate positive punishment and positive reinforcement

Answer 26

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

Question 27

Compare negative punishment with negatie reinforcement

Answer 27

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

Question 28

Differentiate reinfrcement and punishment

Answer 28

+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

Question 29

Why could reinforcement be considered moroe potent on behaviour than punishment

Answer 29

because punishment can only make certain responses less frequent – you cant teach new behaviour

Question 30

State different reinforcement schedules

Answer 30

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

Question 31

Which kinds of ratio, and which kinds of interval produce higher response rates

+Compare partial and continous reinforcement scedules

Answer 31

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

Question 32

Where will pauses be observed (in which reinforcement schedules)

Answer 32

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

Question 33

In which schedules of reinforcement does behaviour change quickly and which slowly

How quickly does extinction occur when reward ceases

Answer 33

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

Question 34

Example of operant conditioning

Answer 34

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

Question 35

Difference between skinner and bandura

Answer 35

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

Question 36

Compare observational (vicarious) learning and vicarious reinforcement= social learning theory

Answer 36

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

Question 37

Who are we more likely to model in social learning

Answer 37

Seen to be rewarded

High status (e.g. Medical consultant)

Similar to us (e.g. colleagues)

Friendly (e.g. peers)

Question 38

Outline bobo doll

Answer 38

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.