Classical and Operant Conditioning Flashcards
What is learning defined as?
A long-lasting change in behaviour as a result of experience
What is classical conditioning?
Association of a stimulus with an involuntary automatic response
Who first described classical conditioning?
Ivan Pavlov
How did the idea of classical conditioning come to be?
- Pavlov noticed that a neutral stimulus before a reflex causes an association
- Conducted an experiment where he rang a bell before feeding dogs
- Upon seeing/smelling food, dogs salivate
- Doing this repeatedly, Pavlov noticed that dogs would start to salivate upon hearing the bell, even when there was no food around
Is salivating upon seeing/smelling food a learned behaviour for dogs?
No, it is an unconditioned response to an unconditioned stimulus (food)
Is salivating upon hearing a bell a learned behaviour for dogs?
Yes, it is a conditioned response to a conditioned stimulus (bell ringing)
What is operant conditioning?
The association of a voluntary behaviour with a consequence
Who first described operant conditioning?
B.F. Skinner
How did the idea of operant conditioning come to be?
Skinner found 3 types of environmental responses (operants) that can follow a voluntary behaviour:
- Reinforcers (increases the probability of a behaviour reccurring)
- Punishers (decrease the probability/extinguish the behaviour)
- Neutral (do neither)
What does negative reinforcement do?
Removes unpleasant stimuli
How was negative reinforcement demonstrated?
Skinner put a rat in a box that had a mild electric current that caused the rat discomfort
- Upon accidentally hitting the lever, the current stopped
- Whenever the current reappeared, the mouse would press the lever
- This is called ‘escape learning’
Skinner also taught the mouse to turn off the electric current so there was no shock in the first place
- This is called ‘avoidance learning’
How was positive reinforcement demostrated?
To demonstrate positive reinforcement, Skinner put a rat in a box with a lever
- Upon accidentally pressing the lever, the rat received a food pellet
- Rat continues pressing the lever
What are the consequences of the operant ‘punisher’?
Punishment weakens a behaviour by linking it to an aversive consequence
Can occur through the addition or removal of a stimulus
Eg if a mouse gets an electric shock upon pushing a button, it will avoid pushing that button
The behaviour for which one is punshed is not forgotten, merely repressed. Upon removal of the punishment, the behaviour returns
Unlike reinforcement, it does not guide towards desired behaviour
What happens when there is no longer a reward for an action?
Mouse completes operant conditioning > is put in a Skinner box > presses lever > receives no reward > keeps trying > gives up > behaviour extinguished
What are the response and extinction rate?
Response rate: The rate at which behaviour repeats
Extinction rate: How soon behaviour stops
A rat can learn or unlearn a behaviour at different rates with different schedules of reinforcement
