Learning Flashcards
Define learning.
“Learning is an enduring change in behaviour, or in the capacity to behave in a given fashion, which results from practice or other forms of experience” (Schunk, 2012)
What are the 3 characteristics of “learning”?
1) Enduring
2) Observable in behaviour
- learning can be demonstrated by the absence of a behaviour
- learning can be demonstrated after a delay
- learning is only demonstrated when there is sufficient motivation
3) Results from experience
- tho not all behaviour change is due to learning
Describe “simple learning”.
Learning that occur with a single stimulus if it is repeated.
What are the 2 types of simple learning?
Habituation, sensitisation.
Can the 2 types of simple learning, habituation and sensitisation change in strength? And why?
Yes, because of the repeated presentations of a single stimulus, these behaviour changes tend to be temporary.
Define habituation.
The decrease in the strength of an elicited behaviour following repeated presentations of the stimulus that naturally elicits that response.
What is the condition of habituation to occur?
Habituation is only considered to have occurred if the organism still has the capacity to respond.
Why habituation is important for us?
Helps us direct our limited attention to things that are important.
Define sensitisation.
Sensitisation is the increase in the strength of an elicited response following repeated presentations of the stimulus that naturally elicits that response.
Why is sensitisation important?
Ensures we keep our attention on stimuli that might be dangerous.
What make sensitisation more likely to occur?
When the organism’s arousal levels are high.
Define classical conditioning.
The phenomenon whereby an initially
neutral stimulus comes to elicit a new response because it has been paired with a stimulus that naturally elicits a response
What are the 4 main parameters in classical conditioning?
1) unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
2) unconditioned response (UCR)
3) conditioned stimulus (CS)
4) conditioned response (CR)
What is an unconditioned stimulus (UCS)?
The stimulus that naturally elicits the response before conditioning occurs.
What is an unconditioned response (UCR)?
The innate response that is elicited by the UCS (conditioning is not necessary for this response to occur)
What is a conditioned stimulus (CS)?
An initially neutral stimulus that begins to elicit a new response after it is paired with the UCS.
What is a conditioned response (CR)?
The response that is elicited by the CS after classical conditioning has occurred.
Can all sorts of behaviour classically conditioned? Give some examples.
Yes. Reflexes, taste aversion, emotional responses.
What does “acquisition” mean in classical conditioning?
The gradual learning of a conditioned response that occurs when the CS and UCS are paired together.
What does “extinction” mean in classical conditioning?
Extinction is the gradual weakening of the conditioned response when the CS is no longer presented with the UCS.
Eventually with enough extinction trials, the CS will not elicit a conditioned response anymore.
What does “spontaneous recovery” mean in classical conditioning?
Spontaneous recovery is the re-emergence of the conditioned response after successful extinction when the CS is encountered after a delay.
Does “extinction” erase the original “acquisition” learning in classical conditioning? What does it actually do?
No, it creates a new learning which suppresses the acquisition learning.
What does “generalisation” mean in classical conditioning?
The conditioned response is not specific to the CS that was used during conditioning. It can also be elicited by similar stimuli to CS, and is adaptive.
The more similar the stimulus to the CS, the more conditioned response will generalise.
What does “discrimination” mean in classical conditioning?
“The tendency for a response to be elicited more by one stimulus than another” (Powell et al., 2017)
How can “discrimination” be trained in classical conditioning?
If a 1000 Hz tone is always followed by food and an 800 Hz tone is never followed by food, an animal will learn to salivate only to the 1000 Hz tone
What are the 5 factors influencing conditioning?
1) timing
2) predictability
3) novelty
4) salience
Describe how “timing” influence conditioning.
Classical conditioning works best when the CS is presented before the UCS and when the CS and the UCS are close together in time.
Describe how “predictability” influence conditioning.
The CS must provide the organism with information on whether the UCS is likely to occur.
Describe how “novelty” influence conditioning.
Conditioning works best when the CS is novel.
Describe how “salience” influence conditioning.
Conditioning works best when the CS is noticeable but not overpowering.
What does exposure therapy treat? How does it do it?
Fear. It involves exposing the person to the object of their fear so that they can learn it can be encountered safely.
What stage of classical conditioning does exposure therapy based on?
Extinction. Relapse rates are high because extinction is a learned suppression of the original acquisition learning.
What is the other name of operant conditioning?
Instrumental conditioning.
Operant conditioning: fill in the blanks.
From left to right:
Positive, negative, positive, negative.
How are the typical response patterns like for the different schedules of reinforcement in operant conditioning?
