Animal Learning Flashcards
What is non associative learning?
When animals behaviour/physiology or brain changes following repeated exposure to a stimulus.
Give two examples of non associative learning
Habituation: decrease in response frequency due to repeated exposure, allowing organism to ignore familiar stimuli. Stimulus specific.
Sensitisation: increase in reposes frequency as consequence of repeated exposure. NOT stimulus specific.
What is Classical conditioning?
When an animal learns that one stimuli predicts another.
What are the necessary conditions for classical conditioning?
Contiguity: CS and US must be temporarily related
Contingency: frequency of exposure to the US.
What is latent inhibition?
A decrease unlearning due to previous exposure to CS.
What is Instrumental conditioning?
Learning where the outcome is dependent on the animal’s behaviour
What is vicarious learning?
We learn about associations between stimuli even when we don’t experience the process of learning directly. There is an increase in amygdala activity.
What is extinction?
A decrease in frequency a CR as a function of non-reinforced CS presentations. Unlearning.
What are the explanations of recurrent learning of associations that supports the ‘Competing Memory Theory’
Spontaneous recovery: ‘relearning’ over time
Renewal: learning returns in a context different to extinction.
Reinstatement: recovery when tested after non-signalled US presentation.
