2. Learning Flashcards
Definition of Learning
an enduring change in the mechanisms of behavior that result from experience and environmental events
Performance
Change in behavior based on opportunity and motivation (not learning)
Functional definition of learning
a process that allow animals to adjust to their environment through individual experience
Phenotype plasticity
is the ability of an organism to produce different phenotypes depending on the environment
two non-associative learning phenomena
Habituation & Sensitization
two Associative/Cognitive learning phenomena
Classical conditioning & Instrumental conditioning
Non-associative learning
Reactions to stimulus events in the environment (hard-wired responses)
Taxis
reflexive locomotion and orientation to a stimulus
two types of taxis
phototaxis and geotaxis
Phototaxis
orient to light
Geotaxis
orient to spatial/physical position
two types of Orienting responses
Innate response to a novel stimulus & Fixed Action Patterns
Fixed Action Patterns
species specific stereotypical response; Dependent on sign stimuli acting as “releaser”
types of non-associative learning
Habituation & Sensitization
Sensitization
Increase in responsiveness after repeated exposure to a stimulus
Habituation
decrease in responsiveness after repeated exposure to a stimulus
what are the two distinctions between sensitization and habituation
Strong stimulus- sensitization predominates; Weak stimulus- habituation predominates
what is the dual process theory
Habituation and sensitization are not mutually exclusive; Two neural process work together; the behavioral outcome depends on which system is most active; Reduce reactivity to irrelevant stimuli or increase to relevant stimuli
Classical conditioning
associative learning of stimuli and stimulus responses
Varieties of classical conditioning
Appetitive learning: unconditioned stimulus is pleasant (e.g., food and sex); Aversive learning: unconditioned stimulus is unpleasant (e.g., electric shock)
two types of Stimulus contingencies
Excitatory conditioning & Inhibitory condition
What is excitatory conditioning
The presence of one stimuli is followed by another
What is inhibitory conditioning
The presence of one stimuli is NOT followed by another
What is second-order conditioning
CS serves as a US for a new cue
What is compound conditioning
Presentation of 2 CSs; overshadowing; latent inhibition
What is overshadowing
Compound stimulus in which one is more salient
What is latent inhibition
Preexposure to CS results in slower learning
What is blocking
A previously learned CS-US association prevents learning that CS2 also predicts US
What are functional and adaptive aspects of classical conditioning
Taste aversion and sexual conditioning
Three components of instrumental learning
Discriminative stimulus, response, reinforcing stimulus
What is a discriminative stimulus
It is a cue not a US or CS
Voluntary
Creation of new behavior defined by what is required to obtain reinforced or avoid punisher
Consequence
Reinforcer or punisher
Stimulus
A signal for when response will lead to consequence
Who created the law of effect
Thorndike
What is the law of effect
Established an association between the response and the stimulus in the presence of which the response is performed
What is the Clark Hull reduction theory
Proposed that what makes something an effect reinforcer is its ability to return the organism to the homeostasis point
What makes good primary reinforcers
Stimuli that are capable of reducing biological drives
What is a good secondary reinforcer
Stimuli associated with drive reduction thru classical conditioning
What did David Premack propose about probability response
The opportunity to perform a higher probability response will serve as a reinforcer for the lower probability response
What are constraints on learning
Indistinctive drift and misbehavior
What is indistinctive drift
Instinctual behaviors compete with learned behaviors
What are two ways that respondent conditioning influences operant behavior
Motivational effects and response cueing effects
What are motivational effects
Changing motivational support for behavior
What are response cueing effects
Cues that are associated with an operant response
What are the two views of divergence in learning
Ecological view and general process view
What is the ecological view
Learning mechanisms solve specific ecological problems
What is the general process view
Most ecological niches involve causality, space, and time
What types of aggression is there
Intrinsic aggression and extrinsic aggression
What is intrinsic aggression
Inherent fighting ability
What is extrinsic aggression
Winning and losing effects
