Exposure Learning

Question 1

BIRD SONG LEARNING

Answer 1

PETER MARLER
- eg. male white crown sparrow
- learn song in early critical period of life; missing it = impoverished song
- ie. isolated experiment birds raised w/o adult song interaction show deficiencies in mature song
- BUT song does contain valid adult song elements
- birds reared on taped song learn/present the song even if from another species ie. song sparrow + swamp sparrow tape = little difficulty learning swamp sparrow song

Question 2

IMPRINTING

Answer 2

BATESON & HORN
- neural mechanisms underline it
- chicks pref for given stimulus measured via speed it runs in wheel
- prefer imprinted stimulus

Question 3

HABITUATION

Answer 3

• response to repeatedly presented stimulus oft declines over presentations
• common in humans (ie. jolting at loud noise BUT stopping if it keeps going aka. the startle/orientating response)

Question 4

SENSITISATION

Answer 4

• response to stimulus ^ w/presentations
• common in humans (ie. ^ reaction to mildly painful stimulus ie. shock)
• important implications for conditioning demonstrations we see

Question 5

APLYSIA: PREPARATION

Answer 5

KANDEL
- marine sea snail
- lets us directly manipulate neurons/study basic learning processes
- stimulated siphon/mantle (ie. via touch) contact, as does the gill

Question 6

APLYSIA: HABITUATION

Answer 6

• initial response to weak/unrewarding/unaversive stimulation gradually declines over repeats
• initial gentle touch response = gill/siphon withdrawal; BUT this disappears after many trials
• siphon sensory neuron synapses on motor neurons of siphon/gill
• connection strength weakens during habituation

Question 7

APLYSIA: SENSITISATION

Answer 7

• initial weak stimulation response = strengthened BUT this is NOT (really) conditioning
• initial gentle siphon touch response = weak (gill/siphon withdrawal); BUT post aversive shock to tail (NOT paired w/sensory stimulation) response = ^ vigorous
• siphon sensory neuron synapses on motor neurons for siphon/gill; connection strength = ^ during sensitisation due to facilitation via interneuron

Question 8

HABITUATION & SENSITISATION: ANALYSIS

Answer 8

• important phenomena in own right
• lives would be dif w/o environmental adaptation (habituation)
• sensitisation has adaptive value via ^ our defensive responses in adversity
• sensitisation = problematic for unequivocal conditioning demo

Question 9

THE SENSITISATION ISSUE W/PAVLOVIAN CONDITIONING

Answer 9

RESCORLA (1967)
- if sensitisation occurs -> ^ in responding post pairing CS/US may NOT be via conditioning but another sensitisation eg. (aka. animal not learning association of CS/US but being ^ sensitised to CS presentation -> ^ responses)
- random control (CS/US occur randomly w/respect to one another) -> generate same sensitisation amount so conditioning should be attributed only to CS/US pairings IF let to ^ responding > control
- this is the case! CS/US pairings have specific effect above any occurring sensitisation

Question 10

SUMMARY

Answer 10

• just exposing animal/us to stimulus = learning
• bird song learning/imprinting depend on experience during critical development period
• BUT habituation/sensitisation can occur at any time in animals life
• classical/Pavlovian conditioning = more than just sensitisation; required appropriate pairing of CS/US