Learning Flashcards
define learning
“a process by which experience produces a relatively enduring change in an organism’s behavior or capabilities.”
4 basic learning processes
- Non-associative learning – response to repeated stimuli
– Classical conditioning – Learning what events signal a consequence
– Operant conditioning - Learning one thing leads to another
– Observational learning – Learning from others
define habituation
Habituation is a decrease in the strength of a response to a repeated stimulus.
define sensitisation
Sensitisation is an increase in the strength of response to a repeated stimulus
-Responses happen simultaneously and compete to determine behaviour
classical conditioning terminology:
-stimuli:
unconditioned stimulus, conditioned stimulus
Unconditioned stimulus (UCS): A stimulus that elicits a reflexive or innate response (the UCR) without prior learning
Conditioned stimulus (CS): A stimulus that, through association with a UCS, comes to elicit a conditioned response similar to the original UCR
classical conditioning:
response:
- unconditioned response
- conditioned response
Unconditioned response (UCR): A reflexive or innate response that is elicited by a stimulus (the UCS) without prior learning
Conditioned response (CR): A response elicited by a conditioned stimulus
when is classical conditioning strongest?
– There are repeated CS-UCS pairings
– The UCS is more intense
– The sequence involves forward pairing (i.e. CS -> UCS)
– The time interval between the CS and UCS is short
dog, chime and mint scenario:
- US
- CS
- UR
- CR
• US – Mint • CS – Computer chime • UR – Salivation when mint is presented • CR – Implied salivation/physiological response and expectation of the mint when computer chime occurs
stimulus generalisation
• A tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar, but not identical , to a conditioned stimulus.
Similar stimuli will also elicit the CR, but in a weaker form
Stimulus Discrimination:
The ability to respond differently to various stimuli. – E.g. A child will respond differently to various bells (alarms, school, timer) – A fear of dogs might only include certain breeds
Overshadowing
stimulus and responses can be overridden
- Cancer patients divided into two groups • Group one given unpleasant, novel drink • Group two given water
- Patients in group one showed significantly reduced nausea to clinic setting alone i.e. the CS had been altere
describe the little albert’ experiment
before conditioning:
neutral stimulus
US
UR
during conditioning:
US
UR
after conditioning:
CS
CR
neutral stimulus: rat before conditioning:
neutral stimulus = rat (leads to no response)
US = loud noise
UR = crying
during conditioning: (rat noise)
US = loud noise
UR = crying
after conditioning:
CS = rat
CR = crying
Two-factor theory of maintenance of classically conditioned associations e.g. fear
avoid injections
fear reduced
tendency to avoid is reinforced
thorndike’s law of effect
Law of Effect: A response followed by a satisfying consequence will be more likely to occur. A response followed by an aversive consequence will become less likely to occur
operant conditioning
Operant conditioning: • Behaviour is learned and maintained by it’s consequences
positive reinforcement =
Reinforcement
• Positive Reinforcement: occurs when a response is strengthened by the subsequent presentation of a reinforcer
primary and secondary reinforcers
– Primary Reinforcers: those needed for survival e.g. food, water, sleep, sex
– Secondary Reinforcers: stimuli that acquire reinforcing properties through their association with primary reinforcers e.g. money, praise
negative reinforcement
Negative Reinforcement: occurs when a response is strengthened by the removal (or avoidance) of an aversive stimulus
negative reinforcers
Negative Reinforcer: the aversive stimulus that is removed or avoided (e.g. the use of painkillers are reinforced by removing pain)
“Positive” and “Negative” refer to presentation or removal of a stimulus, not “good” and “bad
positive punishment
Positive Punishment: occurs when a response is weakened by the presentation of a stimulus (e.g. squirting a cat with water when it jumps on dining table)
negative punishment
• Negative Punishment: occurs when a response is weakened by the removal of a stimulus (e.g. phone confiscated
reinforcement vs punishment
Skinner maintained that reinforcement is a much more potent influence on behaviour than punishment • Largely because punishment can only make certain responses less frequent – you cant teach new behaviour
reinforcement schedules:
Continuous reinforcement produces more rapid learning than partial reinforcement – The association between a behaviour and its consequences is easier to understand
However, continuously reinforced responses extinguish more rapidly than partially reinforced responses – The shift to no reinforcement is sudden and easier to understand
- fixed interval schedule
- variable interval schedule
- fixed ratio schedule
- variable ratio schedule
Fixed interval schedule: reinforcement occurs after fixed time interval Variable interval schedule: the time interval varies at random around an average Fixed Ratio Schedule: reinforcement is given after a fixed number of responses Variable Ratio Schedule: reinforcement is given after a variable number of responses, all centered around an average
Operant Conditioning and health behaviour
Chronic pain behaviour includes limping, grimacing, and medication requests. • This is often reinforced by family or staff e.g. by being overly sympathetic, encouraging rest, increasing medication • This behaviour is likewise reinforced by gratitude signals from the patient • A cycle is created in which the patient receives positive consequences for “being in pain“, so pain is more likely to occur in frequenc
cognitive approach
• Unlike Skinner, Bandura believes that humans are active information processors and think about the relationship between their behaviour and its consequences. • Social imitation may hasten or short-cut the acquisition of new behaviours without the necessity of reinforcing
observational learning
Observational (vicarious) learning - We observe the behaviours of others and the consequences of those behaviours.
vicarious reinforcement
Vicarious reinforcement - If their behaviours are reinforced we tend to imitate the behaviours
Modeling or Observational Learning
Occurs by watching and imitating actions of another person, or by noting consequences of a person’s actions – Occurs before direct practice is allowed
Steps to Successful Modeling
– Pay attention to model
– Remember what was done
– Must be able to reproduce modeled behavior
– If successful or behavior is rewarded, behavior more likely to recur
Social Learning
- we don’t imitate the behaviour of everyone we encounter
- more likely if model is:
– Seen to be rewarded
– High status (e.g. Medical consultant)
– Similar to us (e.g. colleagues)
– Friendly (e.g. peers)
