Chapter 6 Flashcards
Learning
Process of behaviour/knowledge changing as a result of experience
-Classical Conditioning(Association)
-Operant Conditioning(Consequences)
-Cognitive and Observational
Classical Conditioning
Organism learns to associate neutral stimulus with a biologically relevant stimulus, changing response to neutral stimulus
US UR
Unconditioned Stimulus
-Reflexive response without prior learning
Unconditioned Response
-Reflexive, unlearned reaction to unconditional stimulus
NS
Neutral stimulus
Does not produce reflexive response
No learned relationship
CS CR
Conditioned Stimulus
-Once neutral stimulus produces conditioned response from pairing history with US
Conditioned Response
-newly learned response to conditioned stimulus
Hebb Rule
If a weak connection between neurons a and b fire same time as strong connection between C and B, A and B become stronger
Acquisition
Initial phase in learning where response is established
-pairing NS with US
-predictability is important
Extinction
Reduction of conditioned response when a conditioned stimulus and unconditioned stimulus are no longer paired
-networks in brain for condition may be preserved
-spontaneous recovery: reoccurrence of previously extinguished conditioned response
Stimulus Generalization
Response originally occurring for specific stimulus occurs for different but similar stimulus
May result when activation of brain’s representation of stimulus activated a representation of related stimuli
Stimulus Discrimination
Organism learns to respond to one original conditioned stimulus but now new, similar ones
(Need experience to discriminate)
Conditioned Emotional Responses
Emotional and physiological responses to specific objects or situations
Amygdala-draws attention and flags events
Hippocampus-learns
Fear Conditioning: Preparedness
Biological predisposition to quickly learn response to particular type of stimuli (danger)
Fear Conditioning: Conditioned Taste Aversion
Acquired dislike or disgust for food or drink paired with illness
Operant Conditioning
Behaviour is influenced by consequences
Voluntary actions and resulting consequences
1. Response/action
2. consequence
Contingency
Consequence depends on an action
Reinforcement increases behaviour
Punishment decreases behaviour
Reinforcement
An event or reward following a response increases likelihood of response again
Law of Effect
Responses followed by satisfaction occur again in same situation
Ones that don’t become less likely
Reinforcer
Stimulus presenter after particular response that increases probability of repetition
Punishment
Decrease in future probability of response
Punisher: stimulus presented after particular response that decreases probability of response again
Reinforcements
Positive Reinforcement-strengthens behaviour after potential reinforcers
Negative Reinforcement-strengthens behaviour by removing or decreasing stimulus
>Avoidance Learning: removes possibility of negative stimulus
>Escape Learning: Removes already present negative stimulus
Punishment
Positive Punishment-Behaviour decreases in frequency due to particular consequence
Negative Punishment-Behaviour decreases to remove or diminish unwanted consequence
ABA(Applied Behaviour Analysis)
Use close observation, promoting and reinforced to teach behaviour
Usually used when people experience difficulties and challenges as a result of developmental condition
2 Reinforcers
Primary Reinforcer: Reinforcing stimuli that satisfy basic motivational needs affecting individual’s ability to survive and reproduce
Secondary Reinforcer: Stimuli becomes reinforcer with learned value
Nucleus Accumbens
Activated when processing reward
Lots of dopamine receptors
Variability in this area results in differences in motivational drives
Reward triggers dopamine release in basal ganglia and medial frontal lobes
Discriminative Stimulus
A cue indicating that a response will be reinforced
Discrimination
Organism learns to respond to one original discriminative stimulus but not to new similar stimulus
Generalization
Operant response occurs to new stimulus similar to stimulus in original learning
Extinction
Weakening of operant response when reinforcement no longer available
Differences
Both: Discrimination, generalization, extinction
Classical- Strengthening of synapses
Operant-Dopamine release patterns
Schedules of Reinforcement
Continuous reinforcement
-every response reinforced
Partial (intermittent) reinforcement
-only some reinforced or reinforcement occurs after certain amount of time
Fixed-Ratio
Reinforcement occurs after specific number of responses completed
Variable-Ratio
Number of responses required varies according to an average
Fixed Interval
Reinforces first response after set amount of time passes
Variable Interval
First response reinforced following variable amount of time
Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement
Ratio schedules tend to generate higher levels of responding
Partial Reinforcement Effect
-Organisms conditioned under partial reinforcement resist extinction longer than those under continuous reinforcement
S-R theory (Stimulus Response theory)
Thoughts were based on stimulus response patterns that an organism had learned throughout its life : thinking is a form of behaviour
S-O-R (Stimulus Organism Response) theory
Each organism thinks about a situation in a different way, based on their own cognitive interpretation
Latent learning
Learning not immediately expressed by a response until organism is reinforced to do so
Suggests individuals do more thinking than showed in classic operant conditioning studies
Observational Learning
Changes in behaviour and knowledge result from watching others
Involves:
-attention
-memory
-practice
-motivation
Mirror Neurons
Associated with planning actions
Become active when performing action and observing others perform action
Sensitive to purpose or goal of imitated action
May help understand others’ emotional states, facilitate observational learning
