Learning

Question 1

Define learning

Answer 1

a process by which experience produces a relatively enduring change in an organism’s behavior or capabilities

Question 2

What are the types of basic learning processes

Answer 2

Non-associative learning
Classical conditioning
Operant conditioning
Observational learning

Question 3

Define non-associative learning

Answer 3

response to repeated stimuli

Question 4

What is classical conditioning

Answer 4

Learning the association between events and what they signal

e.g. the sight or smell of a particular food causes nausea because it caused stomach upset in the past.

Question 5

What is Observational learning

Answer 5

Learning from others (imitational modeling of others)

e.g. An infant learns to make and understand facial expressions

Question 6

What is Operant conditioning

Answer 6

Learning one thing leads to another (learning consequences of behaviours)
involves reinforcement

Question 7

Define classical conditioning

Answer 7

A process that creates and association between a naturally existing stimulus and a previous neutral one

Question 8

What is Pavlov’s dogs study used to demonstrate and describe it

Answer 8

Study on Classical conditioning.

Ringing bell initially produced no response in dogs. Tone was then associated with food, to condition dog to tone. After conditioning, dog salivated in presence of tone, in absence of food.

Question 9

What is Watson & Raynor (1920) Little Albert Experiment study used to demonstrate and describe it

Answer 9

Study on conditioning/fear learning.

Rat initially produced no response on baby. Rat was then associated with loud noise, to condition baby to rat. After conditioning, baby cried in presence of rat, in absence of loud noise.

Question 10

What is an unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

Answer 10

A stimulus that elicits a reflexive or innate response (the UCR) without prior learning

Question 11

What is a conditioned stimulus (CS)

Answer 11

A stimulus that, through association with a UCS, comes to elicit a conditioned response similar to the original UCR

Question 12

What is an unconditioned response (UCR)

Answer 12

A reflexive or innate response that is elicited by a stimulus (the UCS) without prior learning

Question 13

What is a conditioned response (CR)

Answer 13

A response elicited by a conditioned stimulus

Question 14

What is stimulus generalisation

Answer 14

A tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar, but not identical, to a conditioned stimulus- will elicit CR but in a weaker form

Question 15

What is stimulus discrimination

Answer 15

The ability to respond differently to various stimuli

Question 16

What is extinction

Answer 16

A process in which the CS is presented repeatedly in the absence of the UCS, causing the CR to weaken and eventually disappear

Question 17

When is classical conditioning strongest

Answer 17

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

Question 18

What is the social learning theory

Answer 18

We observe the behaviours of others and the consequences of those behaviours.
Vicarious reinforcement - If their behaviours are reinforced we tend to imitate the behaviours
Occurs before direct practice is allowed

Question 19

When are people more likely to imitate others’ behaviour

Answer 19

Seen to be rewarded
High status (e.g. Medical consultant)
Similar to us (e.g. colleagues)
Friendly (e.g. peers)

Question 20

What does the Bandura (1961) Bobo Doll Experiment demonstrate and describe it

Answer 20

Study on observational learning

Children watched adults aggressively beat up a toy doll (for no apparent reason)
When allowed to play with the doll themselves, the children imitated the adults and aggressively beat up the doll themselves

Question 21

Define operant conditioning

Answer 21

Occurs before direct practice is allowed)

Question 22

What is Thorndike’s Law of Effect

Answer 22

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

Question 23

Compare reinforcement to the reinforcer

Answer 23

Reinforcement – a response is strengthened by the outcome that follows it
Reinforcer – the outcome that increases the frequency of a response

Question 24

What is the difference between the primary and secondary reinforcer

Answer 24

Primary Reinforcer – stimuli, such as food and water, that an organism naturally finds reinforcing because they satisfy biological needs

Secondary Reinforcer – stimuli that acquire reinforcing properties through their association with primary reinforcers

Question 25

Compare punishment to the punisher

Answer 25

Punishment – a response is weakened by an outcome that follows it
Punisher – a consequence that weakens (decreases) the frequency of a response

Question 26

What is operant extinction

Answer 26

the weakening an eventual disappearance of a response because it is no longer reinforced

Question 27

What is positive reinforcement

Answer 27

occurs when a response is strengthened by the subsequent presentation of a reinforcer

Question 28

What is negative reinforcement

Answer 28

occurs when a response is strengthened by the removal (or avoidance) of an aversive stimulus

Question 29

What are the schedules of reinforcement

Answer 29

Continuous reinforcement 
Fixed Interval Schedule
Variable Interval Schedule 
Fixed Ratio Schedule 
Variable Ratio Schedule

Question 30

Describe the continuous reinforcement schedule

Answer 30

reinforcement after each response
produces more rapid learning than partial reinforcement
extinguish more rapidly than partially reinforced responses

Question 31

Describe the fixed interval schedule of reinforcement

Answer 31

Reinforcement occurs after fixed time interval (activity increases as deadline nears)

Question 32

Describe the variable interval schedule of reinforcement

Answer 32

the time interval varies at random around an average (steady activity results)

Question 33

Describe the fixed ratio schedule of reinforcement

Answer 33

reinforcement is given after a fixed number of responses (activity slows after reinforcement and then picks up)

Question 34

Describe the variable ratio schedule of reinforcement

Answer 34

reinforcement is given after a variable number of responses, all centred around an average (this gives the greatest activity of all the schedules)