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Learning Flashcards

1
Q

What is learning?

A

The process of acquiring through experience new and relatively enduring information or behaviors

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2
Q

Habituation

A

Process of adapting to unchanging (repeated) stimuli. Ex: Hearing a train several time a day and eventually ignoring it

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3
Q

Evolution vs learning

A

Evolution: changes in behavior that accumulate over generations (stored in genes)
Learning: Changes in behavior that occur over a person’s lifetime (stored in nervous system)

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4
Q

John Watson

A

Ignored mental processes, only studied observable behavior. Believed knowledge is learned and experience shapes growth

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5
Q

Associative Learning

A

Understanding that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli (classical conditioning) or a response and its consequence (operant conditioning).

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6
Q

Classical conditioning

A

Learning by associating environmental stimuli and behavioral responses. One events predicts another

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7
Q

Ivan Pavlov

A

Originally measuring dogs salivary responses. Then realized the dogs would salivate whenever the feeder would walk in

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8
Q

Involuntary response

A

Responses that we don’t have control over. Ex: heartrate, emotions

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9
Q

Pavlov’s Apparatus

A

Tube for collecting saliva from dog’s mouth, Amount of saliva is recorded

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10
Q

Before conditioning

A

Meat powder = unconditioned stimulus
Salivation = unconditioned response
Tone = neutral stimulus –> no salivation

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11
Q

During learning

A

Repeatedly pair unconditioned stimulus (meat powder) and neutral stimulus (tone). After repetition, tone becomes conditioned stimulus.
Salivation = conditioned response

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12
Q

Forward Conditioning - delayed

A

The conditioned stimulus (light) precedes the unconditioned stimulus (food). The light remains on for part of UCS.

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13
Q

Forward conditioning - trace

A

The conditioned stimulus (light) precedes the unconditioned stimulus (food). The light goes off before UCS.

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14
Q

Simultaneous conditioning

A

The CS and the UCS come on and go at the exact same time

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15
Q

Backward Conditioning

A

The UCS (food) precedes the CS (light), and the food is gone before the light comes on.

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16
Q

Least effective type of conditioning

A

Backward conditionig

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17
Q

Most effective type of conditioning

A

Forward - Delayed

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18
Q

Acquisition

A

Learning of the classically conditioned stimulus-response relationship

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19
Q

Extinction

A

Gradual diminishing of a conditioned response

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20
Q

Spontaneous recovery

A

Reappearance, after a pause, of a weakened conditioned response (out of nowhere)

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21
Q

Stimulus generalization

A

Conditioned response to stimuli that are similar to the original conditioned stimulus.

Ex: if you got stung by a bee, you will now be scared of anything that flies.

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22
Q

Stimulus discrimination

A

Learned ability to respond differently to the stimuli that differ from the conditioned stimulus on some dimension.

Ex: got bit by a husky, but have learned the difference between different breeds of dogs.

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23
Q

Higher-order conditioning

A

With repeated pairing, a neutral stimulus can be linked with a CS –> this natural stimulus becomes a CS.

One CS was used to create another CS.

Ex: bell + black square –> salivation
Only black square —> salivation

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24
Q

Learning phobias

A

Applied classical conditioning principles to humans. Had ethical concerns. Ex: Little Albert

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25
Little Albert
Demonstrates acquisition of phobias, classical conditioning of fear. During conditioning: - child is not originally scared of rat (neutral stimulus) - scientist bangs on steel with hammer - kid is startled ---> fear (unconditioned response) After conditioning: - rat is presented - child is now scared of rat, and other white fluffy animals (generalization)
26
Behavioral Therapy (Inspired by classical conditioning) Includes what? (2)
1. Systematic Desensitization and 2. Aversive Conditioning
27
Systematic Desensitization
Progressive technique designed to replace anxiety with relaxation Ex: treating a spider phobia
28
Aversive Conditioning
Associate unpleasant state with unwanted behavior Ex: Using unpleasant looking ads to prevent people from smoking, alcohol Ex: pill that makes you sick when having alcohol
29
Preparedness
Biological predisposition to learn associations that have survival value. (you wouldn't risk something twice if you know it's harmful)
30
Taste aversions
Classically conditioned negative reactions to a particular taste that have been associated with illness. Avoiding a food because it made you sick.
31
Role of Cognition (classical conditioning)
Expectations- the idea of some things just "making sense" - a reliable pairing
32
Operant conditioning
Learning by associating a voluntary behavior with its consequences (knowing that one event predicts another)
33
Law of Effect
Responses followed by positive outcomes are more likely to be repeated, whereas those followed by negative outcomes become less likely.
34
Thorndike's experiment
Puzzle box - cat had to figure out how to get out - after many trials it takes less and less time to get out - creates a "learning curve"
35
First trial of Thorndike's experiment
Tendency to first explore, sniff, reach, scratch, reach and then finally press lever --> REWARD!
36
Later trial of Thorndike's experiment
Tendency to first press the lever right off the bat--> REWARD
37
Shaping Behavior and B.F Skinner
Reinforcing successful behavior Ex: Skinner rewarded pigeon every time it got close to completing desired behavior
38
Reinforcement (operant conditioning)
An event that strengthens the behavior it follows, increases likelihood of behavior - Can be positive (adding something) OR negative (removing something) - Can be primary (didn't have to learn--innate) OR conditioned (learned)
39
Punishment (operant conditioning)
An event that tends to decrease the behavior it follows - Can be positive (adding) OR negative (removing) - Can be primary (not learned) OR conditioned (learned)
40
Giving money is an example of:
Positive reinforcement
41
Giving chores is an example of:
Positive punishment
42
Taking away curfew is an example of:
Negative reinforcement
43
Taking away phone is an example of:
Negative punishment
44
Partial reinforcement
A conditioning process in which a behavior or response is reinforced only a portion of the time, rather than every time it occurs
45
Fixed ratio (partial reinforcement)
Reinforced after a FIXED number of responses
46
Variable Ratio (partial reinforcement)
Reinforced after a VARIABLE number of responses
47
Fixed interval (partial reinforcement)
reinforced after a given amount of TIME has elapsed
48
Variable interval (partial reinforcement)
Reinforced after a variable interval of TIME has elapsed
49
Do ratio or intervals have high response rate?
Ratios
50
Continuous reinforcement
Rewarding after every single time
51
Behavioral Therapy (inspired by operant conditioning) includes what? (2)
1. Behavior modification therapy 2. Token Economies
52
Behavior modification therapy
Using positive reinforcement (adding) to change behavior
53
Token economies
Desired behaviors are positively reinforced with tokens... tokens are later exchanged for a tangible reward
54
Role of Cognition (operant conditioning)
-learned helplessness ("nothing you can do") -beliefs about reinforcement (believing we will get rewarded) -contrast effects (weighing it against other possibilities) -self-evaluations (behaving a certain way because it makes us feel better)
55
Biological constraints
Can't learn some behaviors (ex: chickens cannot play baseball), can't unlearn others
56
What is the difference between classical and operant?
Classical: Delivery is controlled by the experimenter. Reponses are involuntary. Operant: Delivery is controlled by the participant. Responses are voluntary.
57
Cognitive maps
A mental representation of the layout of one's environment (picturing a map inside your head) Ex: rats in a maze
58
Latent learning
Hidden learning that exists without behavioral signs (hidden until given incentive to show it) Ex: rats being able to get out of maze faster when given incentive
59
Mirror neurons
Frontal lobe neurons that some scientists believe fire when we perform certain actions or observe another doing so. This helps us empathize with others.
60
Observational Learning/Social learning theory
Learned by observing others. Albert Bandura experiment with Bobo Doll
61
Bobo doll experiment
An adult would kick, punch a doll repeatedly. Children observed this behavior and would mimic this.
62
Albert Bandura's 4 Cognitive Processes
1. Attention 2. Retention (remembering it) 3. Reproduction 4. Motivation
63
Antisocial outcomes (observational learning)
- media - children's media (children mimic what they see) - video games (actively reproducing the behavior) - pornography (can lead to engaging in aggressive behavior)
64
Prosocial outcomes (observational learning)
- parenting (can model positive behavior) - training (observing others when starting a new job) - helping (after seeing others help others)
65
Stimulus
Any event or situation that evokes a response.
66
Respondent behavior
Behavior that occurs as an automatic response to some stimulus.
67
Operant behaviors
Behavior that operates on the environment, producing a consequence.
68
Cognitive learning
The acquisition of mental information, whether by observing events, by watching others, or through language.
69
Behaviorism
The view that psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2).
70
Neutral stimuli
In classical conditioning, a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning.
71
Unconditioned response
In classical conditioning, an unlearned, naturally occurring response (such as salivation) to an unconditioned stimulus (US) (such as food in the mouth).
72
Unconditioned stimulus
In classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally—naturally and automatically—triggers an unconditioned response (UR).
73
Conditioned response
In classical conditioning, a learned response to a previously neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus (CS).
74
Conditioned stimulus
In classical conditioning, an originally neutral stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus (US), comes to trigger a conditioned response (CR).
75
Operant chamber
In operant conditioning research, a chamber (also known as a Skinner box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to obtain a food or water reinforcer; attached devices record the animal’s rate of bar pressing or key pecking.
76
Reinforcement schedule
A pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced
77
Instinctive drift
The tendency of learned behavior to gradually revert to biologically predisposed patterns.

psych (3 decks)

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