Learning

Question 1

What is learning?

Answer 1

A relatively permanent change in behaviour as the result of experience

-Skinner

Question 2

What is memory?

Answer 2

The faculty of the mind by which it retains the knowledge of previous thoughts, impressions, or events

Question 3

Are reflexive responses sufficient to achieve adaptation?

Answer 3

They are sufficient enough to sustain basic forms of survival but complex and changing environments require specific adaptations

Question 4

What is neural plasticity?

Answer 4

The brains ability to change continuously throughout life

Question 5

What does plasticity mean for learning?

Answer 5

Plasticity sustains learning

Learning depends on the plasticity of the circuits within the brain - the ability of neurons to make lasting changes in the efficacy of their synaptic transmission

Question 6

Explain Hebbian synapses

Answer 6

Hebbs law: neurons that fire together wore together

Pathways in the brain are formed and reinforced through repetition

Question 7

What is habituation?

Answer 7

The process by which we respond less strongly overtime to repeated stimuli

Question 8

What is an example of habituation?

Answer 8

Aplysia: Touch in same spot repeatedly and begins to ignore the stimulus

In this case it is a decrease in the release of neurotransmitters serotonin

Question 9

What is sensitisation?

Answer 9

Something aversive about the stimulus that we don’t like and therefore we become more reactive to it

Some cases of repeated exposure lead to sensitisation responding more strongly over time it is likely when the stimulus is dangerous, irritating or both

Question 10

What did Carlson propose to be the 4 main types of learning?

Answer 10

Perceptual
Motor
Relational
Stimulus-response learning

Question 11

What is perceptual learning?

Answer 11

Refers to the capacity to learn to recognise and learn about stimuli perceived previously and differentiate them from other similar similar

The main function is to identify and categorise similar such as objects and contexts

Question 12

What is motor learning?

Answer 12

Motor learning is a special type of stimulus response learning because it requires both exteroceptive sensory stimulation and propioceptive sensory simulation

It requires feedback between the environment and the actions we perform

Question 13

What is relational learning

Answer 13

(S-S)

Includes various forms of learning that is required to establish specific associations between stimuli

Question 14

What is stimulus response learning?

Answer 14

(S-R)

1st to the capacity to perform a learned behaviour in response to a specific stimulus with which the behaviour has been associated previously

They can beat me reflexes of complex sequences of actions

Question 15

What is trace conditioning?

Answer 15

The unconditioned stimulus (UCS) and conditioned stimulus (CS) are presented separately with an interval of time in between

Question 16

What is delay conditioning?

Answer 16

In delay conditioning, the unconditioned stimulus (US) immediately follows or coterminates with the conditioned stimulus (CS)

Question 17

Do you need to be conscious to learn by classical conditioning

Answer 17

No it does not require consciousness and can occur even among people who are in a vegetative state

Question 18

What are the three stages of classical conditioning

Answer 18

Acquisition extinction and spontaneous recovery

Question 19

What is acquisition

Answer 19

Is a learning phase during which conditioned response is established

Question 20

What is extinction

Answer 20

Gradual reduction and eventual elimination of the condition response after the condition stimulus is presented repeatedly without the unconditioned stimulus

Question 21

What is spontaneous recovery

Answer 21

In a phenomena whereby a seemingly extinct condition response reappears if the condition stimulus is it present again

Extinction does not delete memories they seem to become dormant and can be reinstated

Question 22

What is renewal affect

Answer 22

Occurs when we extinguisher response in a setting different from the one the animal acquired it when we restore the animal to the original setting the response often appears

Question 23

What is stimulus generalisation

Answer 23

Process by which conditioned stimuli similar but not identical to the original elicit a conditioned response

Question 24

What is stimulus discrimination

Answer 24

Is the ability to differentiate between a conditioned stimulus another stimulated not been paired

Question 25

Classical conditioning & drugs?

Answer 25

Conditioned place preference: explains positive effective reactions to stimuli and places previously paired with drugs

Reinstatement/relapse: drug seeking behaviour can be elicited by cues previously paired with drugs through Pavlovian conditioning

Question 26

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 26

We learn through the consequences of our actions

Question 27

What does operant behaviour depend on?

Answer 27

Skeletal muscles to carry out behaviours

Responses are based in the limbic system as linked to reward

Question 28

What does classical conditioning behaviour depend on?

Answer 28

Autonomic nervous system - not consciously directed

Question 29

What is the law of effect?

Answer 29

If a response, in the presence of a stimulus, is followed by a satisfying state of affairs, the bond between the stimulus and response will be strengthened.

Question 30

What is reinforcement?

Answer 30

Any outcome that strengthens the probability of a response

Differs from reward. An action in response to a behaviour

Question 31

Explain schedules of reinforcement

Answer 31

Continuous reinforcement: reinforce every time

Partial reinforcement: reinforced only some of the time

Question 32

What does skinner suggest about reinforcement schedules?

Answer 32

Continuous allows animals to learn new things quickly.

Partial leads to a greater resistance towards extinction.

Question 33

Interval vs ratio?

Answer 33

Interval is a period of time - can be fixed or variable

Ratio means after a certain amount of responses - can be fixed or variable

Question 34

What is S-O-R learning?

Answer 34

Stimulus - organism - response

Internal evaluation of consequences are incorporated

Question 35

Observational learning?

Answer 35

Vicarious learning - learning by watching others - learning without direct reinforcement

Question 36

What did Albert Bandura do?

Answer 36

The bobo doll experiment.

Found that children who watched an adult being aggressive were more aggressive themselves.

Question 37

What is the hummingbird experiment?

Answer 37

A tutor bird was placed in with novice birds and by watching the tutor they learned to use the feeder