Human Learning and Memory by David A. Lieberman Flashcards
What is Determinism within science?
The belief that behaviour is determined by laws, which are rules that can be discovered within laboratory research and found outside the laboratory.
What are the three aspects of Memory and how are they similar to the aspects of Learning?
Coding, Storage, Retrieval
We can only remember something when we have learned it.
Who began research on genetics using pea flowers, eventually leading to an understanding of human genetics?
Gregor Mendel.
Who studied the effects of isolation of monkeys and what were the findings of that study?
Harry Harlow
They discovered that monkeys became highly neurotic when reared alone, thereby suggesting humans can experience the same neglect.
Who studied the effects of “enriched environments” for rats and what were the findings of that study?
Mark Rosenweig
They discovered that rats within enriched environments had 5% thicker cerebral cortices and 25% more synapses within the same area.
What was John Locke’s contribution to Classical Conditioning?
John Locke was the first to apply determinism to the mind, suggesting that associations could be built as a result of hard-and-fast rules.
What are the three influences on the effectiveness of Classical Conditioning?
Continuity (Closeness of pairings)
Frequency (Number of Pairings made)
Intensity (Power of Unconditioned Response)
What biological processes create extinction within Classical Conditioning?
The brain creates Inhibitory Connections between brain structures, involving hyperpolarization of the associated neurons.
What are the similarities and differences between the Renewal Effect and Spontaneous Recovery.
They both return power to an association. Renewal Effect activates when returned to a familiar environment while Spontaneous Recovery activates after the association was made extinct.
What is an Unpaired Control Group?
The control group within Classical Conditioning. They witness both the Conditioned Stimulus and Unconditioned Stimulus randomly, allowing researchers to see whether exposure alone creates a response.
When does a Compensatory Response occur?
When the natural homeostatic functions of the body are disturbed, a response is elicited that compensates for the changes made by the environment.
Addicts tend to be more affected by drugs when in an unfamiliar environment, meaning that this response is created by Classical Conditioning.
How can Classical Conditioning be applied to alleviate the effects of phobias?
Exposure Therapy involved extinction of the averse association. Systematic Desensitization involves associating a positive experience with the Conditioned Stimulus, thereby cancelling out the effects of the phobia.
What are the requirements for Classical Conditioning to occur?
Contiguity (Pairing of two events) Predictive Value (The ability to prepare for the US and a result of the CS)
What three calculations can the Rescorla-Wagner Model make and with what equation does it do so?
The strength of an association. It can be used to calculate the process of extinction by setting the Maximum Value at 0. It can be used for Blocking by making the Current Value the combined value of two associations and setting the end result of the calculation as the change applied to both.
Change in V at Trial N = c (Maximum Value - Current Value)
What three measures should scientific theories be judged upon?
Ability to explain known phenomena.
Parsimony.
Ability to predict unknown phenomena.
What are the differences between Associative and Cognitive Conditioning methods?
Associative involves the participant perceiving the CS as the US whereas Cognitive involves the participant preparing for the US as a result of the CS.
What two tracts in the brain are needed for fearful Classical Conditioning?
Conditioning can occur within the Amygdala, where a direct tract builds instinctual responses and a tract through the cerebral cortex builds cognitive responses.
What is Thorndike’s famous Law of Effect?
Behaviours that precede rewards are more likely to occur when the participant is placed in the same scenario.
What are the three main types of Reinforcers?
Primary (Food, Water, Stimulation of Senses)
Secondary (Currency, Grades)
Social (Praise, Smiles)
What is the Premack Principle?
Behaviours that are pursued when multiple options are available are defined as rewarding. They can be used to condition events that are less probable to be chosen when available among other options.
What are the five main Reinforcement Schedules?
Continuous (Rewarded for every behaviour) Fixed Interval (Rewarded once every time cycle) Fixed Ratio (Rewarded according to number of behaviours produced)
Variable Interval and Variable Ratio are the same as above, except they are inconsistent.
What is the Partial Reinforcement Effect?
The Law that states that extinction takes longer when the difference between training and extinction is smallest. Extinction occurs slowest when behaviour is sometimes rewarded after training is completed.
