Introduction to psychology Chapter 8 (Basic Learning)

Question 1

Definition of learning

Answer 1

The process of sustainable change of behaviours as a function of experience

Question 2

What is the use of learning

Answer 2

Learning provides flexible opportunities for adaption to a changing and unpredictable enviroment

Question 3

What is a reflex and name examples

Answer 3

A reflex is a simple (automatic) stimulus-response sequence mediated from the nervous system

Examples are pupil light reflex, startle reflex etc

Question 4

Explain habituition

Answer 4

Repeated presentation of stimulus leads to lessened response of most reflexes.
Basically its like getting used to something.
It is also one of the simplest and most important things in learning

Question 5

Explain classical conditioning with it’s formal words

Answer 5

Classical conditioning is a form of learning in which organisms learn to predict events based on associations between events. Here a new stimulus-response sequence is produced. 
There are 4 procedures:
1. Unconditioned stimulus (food)
2. Unconditioned response (salvia)
3. Conditioned stimulus (bell)
4. Conditioned stimulus (salvia)

Question 6

Explain an example of classical conditioning in advertising

Answer 6

Hot woman next to a car
UCS: Lady
UCR: arousal
CS: car
CR: arousal for the car

Question 7

Explain extinction and it’s uses and problems

Answer 7

Extinction is when the CR to the CS decreases because not being presented with the UCS.
This is very useful for Behavioural Therapie against phobias and stuff.
After some time, the CR will be spontaneously recovered a bit, like in habituation. The CR can also be restored really easily.

Question 8

Explain generalization and how it can be prevented

Answer 8

Subjects will also react to stimulus similar to the conditioned stimulus. If you don’t give the unconditioned response to the similar conditioned stimulus (let it extinct), it will stop. This is called distinction.

Question 9

Explain the conflict between stimulus-response and stimulus-stimulus (expctancy) theory

Answer 9

Stimulus response says that there is a direct learned connection between the CS and the Response.

Stimulus Stimulus says that that animals just associate both of the stimulus, instead of the response. When the CS is present, the subjects EXPECT the UCS, which results in the CR.

This is proven because when you habituation the UCS, the CS one is also extinguished.

Question 10

What is evidence for the expectancy theory

Answer 10

1. The CS must come before the UCS to be conditioned
2. The CS must signal high probability of the UCS to be conditioned
3. There cannot already be a good predictor to the UCS

Question 11

Explain an example of conditioned hunger and conditioned sexual arousal

Answer 11

When we are conditioned to food with something, we will get hungry and look for food just because of the CS. This is used a lot in the fast food industry, with signs of MCDonalds everywhere

If you have a CS before getting aroused, the CS may arouse you just as that. This works especially good as early arousal in men can increase the number of semen when ejaculation.

Question 12

What are conditioned drug reactions and what is the best way to to not go into rehab.

Answer 12

The body produces compensation actions after seeing cues for a drug intake, after the cue (CS like enviroment) is conditioned with the drug (UCS). This results in the drug having less effect in the common enviroment but can also result in a higher effect and even overdose in a unknown environment.

To escape a drug addiction a person may have to escape into a very new enviroment as the old one has too many CS for a drug which results in craving the drug and also withdrawal symptoms

Question 13

What is operant conditioning and how does it differ from classical conditioning

Answer 13

Operant conditioning involve self initiated operant responses, which are functioning as a way for the subject to reach a desired effect. It is the learning process in wich the consequences of an operant response affect the probability that the response will be repeated in the future.
Classical conditioning is about associating behaviour.

Question 14

How does a trial and error in operant conditioning look in a graph

Answer 14

Time to complete the task goes down on average, but there are many variations as there are random errors involved

Question 15

What is thorndikes law of effect

Answer 15

Responses that produce a pleasant effect in a certain situation will be displayed more often.
Responses that produce an unpleasant effect in a certain situation will be displayed less often.

Question 16

What and why is the a stimulus change that increases the frquency of the response

Answer 16

A reinforcer. This is used instead of reward as it is a neutral term to the mind.

Question 17

What is shaping

Answer 17

Shaping is a step by step is when you condition a complex response by rewarding small steps.

Question 18

How is it called when a reinforcement occurs only sometimes

Answer 18

Partial reinforcement
It is contrary to continuous reinforcement, where reinforcement happens all the time. Extinction is when it is never reinforced

Question 19

What reinforcement schedules are there and which are the best

Answer 19

1. Fixed ratio (every n response)
2. Variable ration (every x response)
3. Fixed interval (every n minutes)
4. Variable interval (every x minutes)

Question 20

What types of reinforcements are there

Answer 20

There are positive and negative, and reinforcements and punishments.
Reinforcements always increase responses, punishments always decrease responses.
Positive means something is added, negative means something is taken away.

Question 21

How can discrimination and generalization in operant conditioning be useful for science

Answer 21

It can help to understand the concepts subjects like animals and babies have by for example having them press buttons for one class and showing similar ones.

Question 22

Explain overjustification

Answer 22

When responses decline because they are no longer rewarded. This may be a problem In school as rewarding behaviour may have a negative long-term effect.

Question 23

What are the uses of learning through play

Answer 23

It develops survival skills, practices the instincts and in humans develops intelligence through symbolic play and practices culture.
More complex animals play more and in a more complex style.

Question 24

What is the use of explorarion

Answer 24

It promotes learning about the enviroment and provides useful knowledge

Question 25

What is observational learning and what are vicarious reinforcements

Answer 25

Observational learning is learning by watching others, and vicarious reinforcements are learning through the consequences of others

Question 26

How is food aversion different from classical conditioning

Answer 26

In food aversion the unconditioned response like sickness could come hours after the stimulus lime food and still the animals learn to avoid this food.
In classic conditioning this interval can only be a few seconds.
Also in food aversion the UCR can only be smell or taste.

Question 27

What are boundaries of classical conditioning in fear

Answer 27

People and animals have to be biologically predisposed to develop fear for something (they fear a rat and snake, but not a block or flowers.
This is why we are scared of sharks but not on cars.

Question 28

What is biological imprint

Answer 28

When a baby subject imprints the look of the mother within the critical period. This can even be a sound which the baby hears while being in the womb or egg.
There is also sexual imprinting which babys do not mate with baby friends as an act to incest aversion.