Chapter 4: Learning Flashcards
Learning
- A relatively permanent change in behaviour that occurs as a result of experience
Behaviourist approach to learning
- The study of observable behaviours alone to explain and understand learning
- Ignores mental processes such as thoughts, feelings, consciousness & motives (subjective / difficult to observe)
- E.g. classical and operant conditioning
Classical conditioning
Ivan Pavlov
- Three-phase learning process (before, during and after)
- Involves associating neutral and unconditioned stimuli to produce a conditioned response
- Occurs through repeated association of different stimuli
NOTE: Classical conditioning is sometimes called respondent conditioning.
Stimulus vs response
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Stimulus – object / event that elicits a response
- E.g. the sound of a gun shot, the smell of food
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Response – reaction by an organism to a stimulus
- E.g. wincing, salivating, blinking, vomiting
NS, UCS, CS, UCR and CR
Classical conditioning
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NS – does not normally produce a predictable response
- Not learned (e.g. bell causes no natural response)
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UCS – produces a naturally occurring, automatic response
- Not learned (e.g. food causes salivation)
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CS – initially N but becomes associated w/ UCS & elicits CR
- Learned (e.g. bell becomes associated with food and causes salivation)
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UCR – occurs automatically when the UCS is presented
- Not learned (e.g. salivating due to food)
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CR – learned / acquired response to the CS
- Learned (e.g. salivating due to bell)
Unconditioned response (UCR) and conditioned response (CR)
Classical conditioning
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UCR – occurs automatically when the UCS is presented
- Not learned (e.g. salivating due to food)
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CR – learned / acquired response to the CS
- Learned (e.g. salivating due to bell)
Factors that influence classical conditioning
- Nature of the response
- Association or linking of stimuli
- Timing of the NS and UCS pairing
Three stages of classical conditioning
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Phase 1: Before conditioning
- NS elicits no relevant response (bell → no salivation)
- UCS elicits UCR (food → salivation)
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Phase 2: During conditioning
- NS repeatedly paired with UCS to produce UCR
- Pairing occurs many times in close succession
- NS must come before UCS
- E.g. bell + food → salivation
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Phase 3: After conditioning
- NS becomes a CS
- CS produces CR (bell alone → salivation)
Must specify WHAT is causing salivation (food / bell).
NOTE: To gain full marks, answers must include these three stages with reference to the specific details in the question.
Operant conditioning
B. F. Skinner
- Consequences of voluntary behaviour determine how likely it is to be repeated in the future
- I.e. an organism will tend to repeat a behaviour that has desirable consequences and not repeat a behaviour that has undesirable consequences
Operant
- Any response (or set of responses) that acts on the environment to produce some kind of consequence
Three stages of operant conditioning
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Antecedent (A) – stim that occurs before the behaviour
- Allows us to predict likely consequence of behaviour
- E.g. the word ‘Men’ on a toilet door
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Behaviour (B) – behaviour that occurs due to antecedent
- E.g. entering if male
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Consequence (C) – what happens after the behaviour
- E.g. emptying a full bladder
NOTE: Antecedents (aka discriminative stimuli) tend to be general and do not directly produce the response.
Reinforcement
- A process whereby a stimulus increases the likelihood of repeating a desirable behaviour in the future
- Only used after the desired or correct response is made
- Can be positive or negative
Positive vs negative reinforcement
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Positive – addition of a pleasant stimulus
- E.g. praising a student (+) for contributing in class
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Negative – removal of an unpleasant stimulus
- E.g. driving within the speed limit to avoid fines (–)
NOTE: Both positive and negative reinforcement increase the likelihood of repeating a desired (good) behaviour in the future.
Punishment
- A process whereby a stimulus decreases the likelihood of repeating an undesired behaviour in the future
Positive vs negative punishment
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Positive – addition of an unpleasant stimulus
- E.g. being given extra chores (+) due to poor behaviour
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Negative – removal of a pleasant stimulus
- E.g. loss of money (–) to a fine due to speeding
NOTE: Both positive and negative punishment decrease the likelihood of repeating an undesired (bad) behaviour in the future.