Chapter 7: Learning Flashcards
Learning
relatively permanent change in behavior due to experience
Classical Conditioning (aka Pavlovian conditioning)
association between 2 previously unrelated stimuli
Operant conditioning (aka instrumental conditioning)
association between acts and their consequences
Consequences
effects that follow a response
Ivan Pavlov
Pavlov was a Russian doctor who initially was studying digestion
• Used dogs to study salivation when dogs were presented with meat powder
Neutral Stimulus (NS)
a stimulus that does not evoke a response
Unconditioned Stimulus (US)
a stimulus innately capable of eliciting a response
Unconditioned Response (UR)
an innate reflex response elicited by an unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
a stimulus that evokes a response because it has been repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned response (CR)
a learned response elicited by a conditioned stimulus
Pavlov’s Experiments
Before conditioning, food (Unconditioned Stimulus, US) produces salivation (Unconditioned Response, UR). However, the tone (neutral stimulus) does not.
During conditioning, the neutral stimulus (tone) and the US (food) are paired, resulting in salivation (UR). After conditioning, the neutral stimulus (now Conditioned Stimulus, CS) elicits salivation (now Conditioned Response, CR)
Acquisition
the initial learning stage in which an association between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus takes place
• In most cases, for conditioning to occur, the neutral stimulus needs to come before the unconditioned stimulus. (half a second before)
Higher Order Conditioning
a conditioned stimulus is used to reinforce further learning
Expectancy
expectation about how events are interconnected
Extinction
When the US (food) does not follow the CS (tone), CR (salivation) begins to decrease and eventually causes extinction.
Spontaneous Recovery
After a rest period, an extinguished CR (salivation) spontaneously recovers, but if the CS (tone) persists alone, the CR becomes extinct again.
Generalization
tendency to respond to stimuli similar to the CS
Discrimination
the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus
Phobia
intense, unrealistic, irrational fear of a specific situation or object
Conditioned Emotional Response
learned emotional reaction to a previously neutral stimulus
Desensitization
exposing phobic people gradually to feared stimuli while they stay calm and relaxed
Vicarious Classical Conditioning
learning to respond emotionally to a stimulus by observing another’s emotional reactions
Conditioned emotional response
n a famous experiment conducted by (Watson & Raynor, 1920) Little Albert was trained through classical conditioning to fear a rat.
A stimulus that does NOT cause a relevant reaction or response before
conditioning
Neutral stimulus
A stimulus that causes an involuntary
reflexive response
Unconditioned stimulus
A reaction or response that is not
learned. It is innate or something you are born with.
Unconditioned response
In Pavlov’s study, what the bell is called after conditioning or learning
takes place.
Unconditioned response??
In Pavlov’s study, what is the meat
powder referred to as?
Unconditioned stimulus??
A type of classical conditioning where a second neutral stimulus is associated
with a conditioned stimulus.
Higher order conditioning
Operant conditioning
the process by which a response becomes more or less likely to occur depending on its consequences
Edward L. Thorndike (1874-1949)
“Behavior is controlled by their consequences.”
Law of Effect
actions that lead to a “satisfying state
of affairs” are more likely to be repeated
B. F. Skinner (1904-1990)
Foremost proponent of behaviorism. •Worked with pigeons in his “Skinner Box.”
Operant chamber (Skinner box)
comes with a bar or key that an animal manipulates to obtain a reinforcer like food or wate
Positive reinforcement
something pleasant that is given and that makes the preceding behavior (the target response) more likely to occur in the future
Negative reinforcement
the removal of something unpleasant that makes the preceding behavior more likely to occur in the future
Operant extinction
When learned responses that are NOT reinforced gradually fade awa
Operant reinforcement works best when it is
response contingent – it must be given only after a desired response has occurred.
Punishment
an unpleasant event that makes the preceding behavior less likely to occur in the future
Positive Punishment
give something to decrease behavior
Negative Punishment
take something away to decrease behavior
Operant reinforcement is most effective when
given immediately after a correct response
Superstitious Behavior
Behavior that is repeated to produce reinforcement, even though it is not necessary
Shaping
operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior towards the desired target behavior through successive approximations
Primary Reinforcer
nonlearned and natural; satisfies biological needs
Secondary Reinforcer
learned reinforcer (money, grades, approval)
Token Reinforcer
tangible secondary reinforcer (money, gold stars, poker chips)
Social Reinforcer
learned desires for attention and approval
Premack principle
a more probable activity can be used to reinforce a less probable one
Continuous Reinforcement
a reinforcer follows every correct response
Partial Reinforcement
a pattern in which only a portion of all responses will be reinforced
Schedules of Reinforcement
a rule or plan for determining which responses will be reinforced
Fixed Ratio Schedule (FR)
A set number of correct responses must be made to obtain a reinforcer.
– produce very high response rates
Variable Ratio Schedule (VR)
Varied number of correct responses must be made to obtain a reinforcer.
– greatest resistance to extinction
Fixed Interval Schedule (FI)
The first correct response made after a certain amount of time has elapsed is reinforced
– produces moderate response rate
Variable Interval Schedule (VI)
Reinforcement is given for the first correct response made after a varied amount of time
– tremendous resistance to extinction
Stimulus Control
Stimuli that consistently precede a rewarded response tend to influence when and where the response will occur
Discriminative stimuli
Stimuli that precede reinforced and non-reinforced responses.
Operant Stimulus Generalization
Tendency to respond to stimuli similar to those that preceded operant reinforcement
Operant Stimulus Discrimination
One learns to differentiate between the stimuli that signal either an upcoming reward or a nonreward condition
