Learning

Question 1

Classical Conditioning (definition)

Answer 1

Process where previously neutral stimulus is paired with an unconditioned response, leading to the neutral stimulus eliciting a similar response.

Question 2

What did Pavlov start out studying when he discovered conditioning?

Answer 2

He started with digestion. Then the dogs started salivating before the food.

Question 3

higher-order conditioning

Answer 3

Neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus by being paired with an already-established CS. (eg. salivate to light when see bowl)

Question 4

Stimulus Generalization and
Stimulus Discrimination

Answer 4

Generalization: tendency to respond to a stimulus similar to original conditioned stimulus

Discrimination: trained to discriminate between similar stimuli (eg. reward after middle C on piano but not guitar)

Question 5

Why must the neutral stimulus precede unconditioned stimulus for classical conditioning to happen?

Answer 5

In classical conditioning, the neutral stimulus becomes a signal to predict the unconditioned stimulus.

Question 6

John B Watson on love

Answer 6

Classical conditioning perspective. We learn to love someone when pairing them with stroking and cuddling

Question 7

Fear conditioning and fear extinction

Answer 7

Fear conditioning: NS paired with US that elicits fear, leading to CS eliciting fear.

Fear extinction: repeated pairing of CS with no US to unwind the learned fear

Question 8

Parts of brain major role in fear conditioning and extinction

Answer 8

Amygdala (conditioning)
Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (inhibits initiations of fear response)

Question 9

Anxiety and conditioning (treatments)

Answer 9

Exposure therapy or counterconditioning has been done to help people with anxiety and phobias

Question 10

2 perspectives on placebo effects

Answer 10

1) conditioning (we pair NS with US, the actual drug with the location or environment, leading to the location/environment eliciting response)

2) expectancy explanation (cognitive)

Question 11

What does operant conditioning depend on? (differentiates classical and operant)

What type of responses are generally in operant vs. classical conditioning?

Answer 11

Operant depends on the consequences of a behavior.

Generally more complex tasks

Question 12

Punishment vs. Reinforcement

Primary vs. Secondary (examples?)

Answer 12

Reinforcement makes a behavior more likely to occur. Punishment makes it less likely.

Primary is something that is inherently reinforcing/punishing (eg. food, water, light; extreme heat)
Secondary is something that is learned to be reinforcing/punishing (eg. money, applause; scolding, fines)

Question 13

Discriminative Stimulus

Answer 13

Operant conditioning. A stimulus that signals when a response is to be followed by a certain consequence (eg. store closes at 5. a light in pigeon skinner box is only time there’s reward, etc.)

Question 14

What schedule of learning is most resistant to extinction?

What schedule has most rapid learning at first?

Answer 14

Intermittent (partial) schedule of reinforcement is most resistant.

Continuous reinforcement is most rapid.

Question 15

Shaping

(operant or classical)

Answer 15

Successive approximations of a desired response reinforced

operant.

Question 16

Cows and shaping

Answer 16

They learned to milk themselves using milking robots.

Question 17

Instinctive drift

(consequences?)

Answer 17

Tendency for organism to revert to ingrained behavior.

Can get in the way of learning. (eg. pig and rooting)

Question 18

Behavior Modification

Answer 18

Using operant-conditioning techniques to make new responses (eliminate maladaptive or problematic behavior)

Question 19

Explain how punishment can fail to reduce unwanted behaviors

Answer 19

1) Can bring attention to those who want it (becomes a reinforcer instead)

2) It is often temporary, with the reduction in behavior only working when the punisher or environment is present

Question 20

How can rewards fail to encourage wanted behavior?

Answer 20

External rewards ruin intrinsic motivation to do something

Question 21

Latent learning

Answer 21

A form of learning where the response is not immediately expressed until there’s the opportunity to. No obvious reinforcement.

Question 22

Social-Cognitive Learning Theories

Answer 22

Emphasis on how behavior is learned and maintained through cognitive processes.

Question 23

Observational Learning

Answer 23

Learning by watching what others do (can be classical) and what happens to them for doing it (operant)

Question 24

Vicarious conditioning

Answer 24

Another way of saying observational learning.