Learning

Question 1

Learning

Answer 1

A process by which experience produces a relatively enduring change in behavior or capabilities

Question 2

Classical Conditioning

Answer 2

A type of learning in which an organism associates two stimuli, such that one stimulus comes to elicit a response that was originally naturally elicited by the other stimulus

Question 3

How was classical conditioning discovered

Answer 3

discovered accidentally by Ivan Pavlov, who was studying the digestive system of a dog

Question 4

Unconditioned stimulus (US)

Answer 4

stimulus that elicits an innate response (natural response). Example: food.

Question 5

Unconditioned response (UCR)

Answer 5

an innate response that is elicited by a stimulus without prior learning. Example: salvation to food

Question 6

Conditioned stimulus (CS)

Answer 6

initially a neutral stimulus. when paired with the US comes to elicit a conditioned response. Example: bell

Question 7

Conditioned response (CR)

Answer 7

a response elicited by the CS. Example: salivation to the bell

Question 8

Sequence of classical conditioning

Answer 8

Sequence of US and CS, food cannot come first, so sequence does matter

Question 9

Can there be a higher order?

Answer 9

pairing a light with a bell CS, there can be higher order, but its weaker

Question 10

Extinction

Answer 10

Diminished response when CS no longer signals the US

Question 11

Spontaneous recovery

Answer 11

Once association is learned, doesn’t go away, just muted. Concluded associations may never really go away; just weaken

Question 12

Generalization

Answer 12

Tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar

Question 13

Discrimination

Answer 13

learned after multiple pairings

Question 14

Critiques of classical conditioning

Answer 14

cognition matters. awareness can influence the strength of learned associations.
Biology matters. may predispose us to learn associations easily. it doesn’t have to happen once. it doesn’t have to happen in half a second. enables survival

Question 15

Antabuse example (cognition matters)

Answer 15

For people with alcoholism, they can get hospitalized, 50% effective, 50% not because of being aware

Question 16

Food poisoning example

Answer 16

after getting food poisoning from a certain food, you may say “i’ll never have that food again”

Question 17

What did John Watson show with Little Albert?

Answer 17

Albert was a 9-month-old baby, who had fear created in him by creating a loud noise when showing a white rat. It created a generalization where Albert was then afraid of other white objects like a clown mask and a rabbit

Question 18

What was the paradigm of the “Little Albert” experiment

Answer 18

The rat was soft at first, then loud noise followed, which made Albert afraid

Question 19

What was the US of the “Little Albert” experiment

Answer 19

sound

Question 20

What was the UR of the “Little Albert” experiment

Answer 20

fear of the loud noise

Question 21

What was the CS of the “Little Albert” experiment

Answer 21

the white rat

Question 22

What was the CR of the “Little Albert” experiment

Answer 22

fear in response to rat

Question 23

Why was the “Little Albert” experiment unethical?

Answer 23

The fear was never deconditioned. There was no debriefing, and the design was not objective for recording behavior

Question 24

Exposure therapy

Answer 24

repeatedly present CS without UCS. overcoming fear of rabbit using exposure. Presented little by little. takes a long time

Question 25

Counter-conditioning

Answer 25

when a CS is presented at the same time as another stimulus that elicits an incompatible response. overcoming fear of the rabbit, presenting the boy with milk and cookies every time the rabbit is in the room (positive, reward)

Question 26

Aversion therapy

Answer 26

Exposing an individual to a stimulus they have learned to like and then a stimulus that naturally triggers an aversion response. reducing cocaine addiction symptoms, individuals with addictions snort placebo then were given a shock, nausea, anxiety, or relaxation. Aversion therapy can be effective but may not last over time. Cognition can override association

Question 27

Edward Thorndike Law of Effect

Answer 27

Rewarded behavior is likely to re-occur

Question 28

Skinner box

Answer 28

animal produces some type of behavior; gets rewarded; behaviors recorded outside box

Question 29

Shaping

Answer 29

gradually guiding an animal’s behavior towards goal (lever press).

Question 30

Reinforcer

Answer 30

something that increases the frequency of a behavior or response. tangible or non-tangible. may depend on organism or differ within organisms

Question 31

Reinforcer vs. punishment

Answer 31

differs from punishment, because instead something negative is being taken away, not added. punishment decreases behavior and is not as effective as reinforcement.

Question 32

What is an example of tangible reinforcer?

Answer 32

food, money, etc.

Question 33

What is an example of non-tangible reinforcer?

Answer 33

praise

Question 34

Positive reinforcer

Answer 34

when a behavior or response is strengthened by presenting a pleasurable stimulus. Examples: food, praise, money, etc.

Question 35

Negative reinforcer

Answer 35

When a behavior or response id strengthened by reducing or removing something unpleasant or undesirable. Examples: putting sunscreen on to not get sun burnt, taking pain medications to take away pain

Question 36

Continous reinforcement

Answer 36

every response is reinforced. Examples: every press of a lever results in a food pellet, every press of a pop machine results in a soda. creates fast learning; extinction occurs easily

Question 37

Intermittent reinforcement

Answer 37

varies by number of response and time

Question 38

Variable ratio

Answer 38

reinforcing after an unpredictable number of responses. Example: slot machines. learning is slower compared to fixed; extinguishing behavior is difficult because the next reward could be soon

Question 39

Fixed ratio

Answer 39

reinforcing every set number of responses. example: free sub after 10 purchases of a sub. learning occurs quickly, but extinction also occurs easily

Question 40

Fixed interval

Answer 40

reinforce the first response after a fixed amount of time has passed (1 minute). somewhat fast learning; produces consistent responding up till reward; then there will be a pause

Question 41

variable interval

Answer 41

reinforce the first response after an unpredictable amount of time has passed. once learned, encourages consistent responding, no pause

Question 42

Important principle learned from reinforcement

Answer 42

if its unpredictable it’s hard to get rid of