Chapter 8: The Learning Perspective (Conditioning Theories) Flashcards
The Learning Perspective
learning is responsible for all human behavior and personality
Modern Learning Perspective
learning involves both environment and cognitions (thoughts and perceptions)
The Behaviorist Perspective
- psychology can only be scientific if it restricts research to observable events
- learning: process in which one changes behavior to fit the needs of the situation better
Classical Conditioning Pavlov
learning by temporal association in which two event that repeatedly occur close together become fused in a person’s mind and produce the same response
Classical Conditioning Steps
- bell (conditioned stimulus): no response
- meat (unconditioned stimulus): salivation
- bell + meat (repeatedly): salivation
- after conditioning: bell: salivation (conditional response)
Important Processes in CC
- Acquisition
- Extinction
- Generalization
- Discrimination
CC: Acquisition
initial learning of the conditional response
CC: Extinction
without maintenance conditioned response will gradually disappear
CC: Generalization
conditioned response can be generalized to stimuli that are similar to the original conditioned stimulus
CC: Discrimination
process by which a person learns to distinguish between similar stimuli
Emotional Conditioning
- many unconditioned stimuli elicit unconditioned response that have emotional value (pleasure and pain)
- EC = classical conditioning that leads to emotional response
- preferences, fears etc. are conditioned through association of neutral stimuli that cause emotional response
Operant Conditioning General Idea
- process by which a voluntary behavior is modifies by its consequences
- instrumental conditioning
Operant Conditioning
- every action has an outcome
- outcome is either satisfying or not
- actions that have satisfying outcomes are more likely to be repeated
- actions that are not, are not repeated
Operant Conditioning Components
- positive reinforcer
- negative reinforcer
- punishment
- response cost
Negative Reinforcement Examples
- wet hand: rub hands in towel: water gone from hands
- piping a hot bowl: put on oven gloves: hand are not burned
- remove a stimulus that is not desired
Using Operant Conditioning to Shape Behavior
- toilet training
Reinforcement Schedules
- continuous: behavior followed by reward every time
- partial: behavior followed by reward sometimes (fixed ratio, interval between intervals of reward)
Effective Reinforcement
- fixed ratio: high response rate, but slows when reinforcement ceases (good for new behaviors)
- variable ratio: high response rate that continues without pause, resistant to extinction (most effective for maintenance
- fixed interval: scalloping
Reinforcers in Computer Games
positive reinforcers - points - unlocks - bonuses negative reinforcers - failure to beat the high score - decline in death - increase of obstacles
The Premack Principle
use a high frequency activity to reinforce a low frequency behavior (if you clean your room you can go outside and play)
Learning and Irrational Behavior
- random event is followed by a behavior, that is followed by a reinforcer
- cause is attributed to random event/behavior, and therefore is repeated
- irrational behaviors: psychopathology, OCD, anxiety
Assessment in Personality
- direct observation
- physiological assessment of emotional responses
- behavioral assessment
Classical Conditioning and Maladjustment
- results of erroneous condition of stimuli
- conditioning and counter conditioning
Systematic Desensitization
- therapy for specific anxieties
- anxiety-producing stimuli is repeated along with an incompatible response (muscle relaxation)
Aversive Conditioning
- therapy for undesirable approach responses
- undesirable stimuli (eg. cigarettes) are presented along with an unpleasant stimulus
Operant Conditioning and Maladjustment
- results of maladaptive behaviors being reinforced
- contingency management: reinforce desirable behaviors (token economy, biofeedback)
General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE)
- Jerusalem and Schwarzer
- assesses perceived self-efficacy
- can predict: coping with daily hassles, adaptation after experiencing stressful life events
