Learning Flashcards

1
Q

Name the two types of learning and their other names.

A

Classical or Pavlovian

Instrumental, Operant or Trial and Error

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2
Q

Define classical learning

A

The animal learns to predict the outcome but cannot control it.

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3
Q

Give an example of the stimuli involved in classical learning

A

Unconditioned stimulus = food
Conditioned stimulus = bell
Unconditioned/Conditioned response is the same -> Salivation

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4
Q

Define Instrumental learning

A

The animal learns to predict and control the outcome, by using new learnt behaviours.

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5
Q

Give an example of the stimuli and responses involved in instrumental learning

A

Unconditioned stimulus = temperature change (Or pavlovian conditioned predictor of temperature change eg. light or sound.)
Unconditioned response = Trial and error, investigation
Conditioned response = button press to decrease stimulus

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6
Q

What are the 4 laws of conditioning?

A
  1. Contingency and contiguity - Contingency most important.
  2. Learning improved by ^intensity of CS and ^value of US (eg. how loud the bell is, how good the food reward is/how aversive the temperature change is)
  3. Extinction - when reinforcer is withheld the behaviour declines
  4. Equipotentiality - NOT actually true. In theory all pairs of events can be associated with equal ease.
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7
Q

Define contingency and contiguity. Which is most important? Eg.?

A

Contingency = the order events occur.
Contiguity = how closely they occur.
Contingency most important - food aversion learning despite long interval between CS/US
But contiguity also important, ^interval between CS and US -> v learning.

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8
Q

What chemical can induce vomiting?

A

LiCl

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9
Q

Give an example when equipotentiality is not true.

A

Mice trained to scrabble/dig/rear for food reward very successful.
Mice cannot be trained to face wash/scentmark etc. for food, as this is not a natural sequence of events so link is harder to form.

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10
Q

What is imprinting? What scenario may be confused with this?

A

Neonate learns something it has an innate desire/tendency to discover - eg. mothers identity.
Exposing foal to everything it will ever discover in the first 24 hours of life is NOT imprinting and does not work.

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11
Q

What is filial imprinting?

A

Genetic predisposition to be attracted to the head of another animal. Has a sensitive period and may be irreversible.

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12
Q

What are the two forms of reinforcement? Definition?

A

Appetitive - Increase likelihood of a behaviour

Punishment - Decrease likelihood of a behaviour

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13
Q

How may appetitive reinforcement be used?

A

Negative appetitive - removal of the appetitive reinforcement ^ behaviour
Positive appetitive - presence of the appetitive reinforcement ^ behaviour

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14
Q

Give examples of positive and negative appetitive reinforcement used in training.

A

Negative appetitive - Horse training

Positive appetitive - Dog training

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15
Q

How are positive and negative appetitive stimuli defined?

A

NO INDEPENDENT DEFINITION.

What may be positive for you may be negative for the dog and vice versa. eg. shouting, squirting water pistol

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16
Q

Why is punishment not often successful for training behaviours?

A

Gives no indication of what should be done.

May elicit fear and resentment

17
Q

What is social learning?

A

Watching others carrying out a task improves response in an individual when faced with the task for the first time.

18
Q

How may social learning be affected? Eg.?

A

Social status

Eg. Hens do not pay attention to cockerel, and social status of hen affected learning.

19
Q

What stimulus in instrumental conditioning can be used as a lure to shape new behaviours?

A

Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

20
Q

Define learning

A

An adaptive process that occurs as a result of experience and is rarely permanent.

21
Q

How can we tell if an animal has learnt something?

A

Learning must be inferred from behaviour - if they don’t respond correctly it may be that they haven’t learnt OR that they don’t want to!

22
Q

Is habituation a form of association?

A

No.

23
Q

Define habituation

A

A decrease in responsiveness to a range of stimuli if they are irrelevant and don’t cause harm - this is a property of the CNS

24
Q

What may habituation be confused with?

A

Motivational change, fatigue