Cognition: Learning Flashcards
Define: Learning
A relatively permanent change, often of behaviour, that occurs as a result of experience.
Define: stimulus-response
Changes in observed behaviours are a result of the environment in which learning occurs.
Learn by responding to environment.
Define: Classical Conditioning
Learning caused by the pairing, or association of, two stimuli.
An association forms between two stimuli, one of which is not normally associated with the desired response, such that the appearance of that stimulus alone results in the desired response behaviour.
Phases of Classical Conditioning
- Before: UCS => UCR, NS = no effect
- During: NS + UCS, NS => CS => CR
- After: CS => CR without UCS
Define: Acquisition
Initial stage of learning when a response is first established and strengthened.
The NS and UCS must be paired close together in time to learn behaviour through classical conditioning.
Define: Stimulus generalisation
Responds to new stimuli in a way similar to the original CS.
A stimulus similar to the CS triggers the CR.
Define: Extinction
Diminishing of a CR when the CS is not followed by UCS.
Not complete elimination of the CR, just suppressed.
Strength of the connection between the two stimuli is weakened to reverse the learning.
Define: Spontaneous recovery
Experimentally extinguished response returns after break in the session of conditioning.
Reappearance of a CR following apparent extinction.
Define: Stimulus discrimination
Response to a specific stimulus is learned but not produced by new stimuli similar to CS.
Pavlov’s Dog
◦ Wanted to know what called anticipatory salivation in dogs to stimuli associated with food
◦ Placed food powder (UCS) in dogs mouth, paired with sound of a bell (NS), measured amount of saliva (UCR)
◦ After several pairings of NS and UCS, gave sound of bell alone
◦ Dog salivated (CR) at bell (CS) alone
◦ Salivation at sound of bell considered conditional on pairing with UCS.
Little Albert
◦ J.B Watson
◦ Emotions are learned
◦ White rat (NS) + loud noise (UCS)
◦ Loud noise (UCS) = fear (UCR)
◦ After several pairings, white rat (CS) = fear (CR)
◦ Little Albert later generalised fear of white rats to similar stimuli, e.g, beard and fur coat.
Define: Operant Conditioning
Behaviour operates on the environment to generate consequences
Learning explained by its consequences
Association between a behaviour and a consequence for it.
E.L Thorndike
◦ 1874-1949
◦ Animals learn responses through experiencing consequences
◦ behaviours can be learned if the consequences are rewarded
Define: law of effect
Animals repeat responses that are rewarded and drop others that are punished
Define: schedule of reinforcement
Reinforcement provided at fixed intervals or ratios, or variable intervals or ratios
- Continuous reinforcement
- Fixed-ratio schedule
- Fixed-interval schedule
- Variable-ratio schedule
- Variable-interval schedule
Define: continuous reinforcement
Delivery of a reinforcement each time response occurs
Quick learning
Low response rate
Quick extinction
Define: fixed-ratio schedule
Responses reinforced after specific number of responses occurred
Steady response rate
Define: fixed-interval schedule
Reinforcement only occurs after certain interval of time has passed
Steady response rate
Define: variable-ratio schedule
Reinforcement delivered after variable number of responses occurred
High response rate
Low extinction rate
Define: variable-interval schedule
Reinforcement delivered after variable amount of time
Fast response rate
Low extinction rate
Skinner’s Box
◦ operant presses lever
◦ food = reinforcement
◦ hungry rats quickly learned pressing lever dispenses food
◦ light added later
◦ lever pressed + light = food
◦ no light = no food
◦ rats learned to press lever until light came on
◦ light = secondary reinforcer => increased frequency of pressing lever
Define: Observational Learning
New behaviour learned or modified through watching others and copying their behaviours, or after watching consequences of behaviour of others
Modelling, imitation, shaping, vicarious reinforcement
Define: reciprocal determinism
Not only does the environment cause the behaviour and learning, but behaviour can also change the environment
Bandura’s Social Learning Theory
Learning occurs through observing actions of others and reinforcement doesn’t always come from external sources
Own mental state and motivation influence learning.
