Learning & Ethology Flashcards
Albert Bandura
Studied observational learning
Breland and Breland
Discovered and studied instinctual drift (raccoon would not drop the coin because of a species-specific behavior patttern)
Charles Darwin
Proposed a theory of evolution with natural selection as its centerpiece
John Garcia
Studied taste-aversion learning and proposed that some species are biologically prepared to learn connections between certain stimuli (rats did not pair water with shock)
Wolfgang Kohler
Studied insight in problem solving using monkeys and food that was just out of reach. In opposition to Thorndike’s notion that problem-solving is trial and error
Konrad Lorenz
Ethologist who studied unlearned, instinctual behaviors in the natural environment (not in a lab setting)
Ivan Pavlov
Discovered the basic principles of classical conditioning
David Premack
Suggested the Premack Principle: that a more-preferred activity could be used to reinforce a less-preferred activity
Robert Rescorla
Performed experiments which showed that contiguity could not fully explain classical conditioning - proposed contingency theory of classical conditioning
B. F. Skinner
Developed principles of operant conditioning
Edward Thorndike
Proposed the law of effect
Used puzzle boxes to study problem-solving in cats (believed that problem solving was a product of trial and error)
Nikolaas Tinbergen
Ethologist who introduced experimental methods into field situations
Karl von Frisch
Ethologist who studied communication in honeybees
John Watson
Performed the experiment on Little Albert that suggested that the acquisition of phobias was due to classical conditioning
E. O. Wilson
Developed sociobiology (how various social behaviors increase fitness - behavior as resulting from interplay between the environment and genetics)
Joseph Wolpe
Developed method of systematic desensitization to eliminate phobias
Unconditioned Stimulus
Stimulus that reflexively elicits the response (aka neutral stimulus)
Unconditioned Response
Response that is reflexively elicited by an unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned Stimulus
Stimulus that, after conditioning, is able to elicit a non-reflexive response
Conditioned Response
A response that, after conditioning, is elicited by a conditioned stimulus
Backward Conditioning
Presenting the unconditioned stimulus before the conditioned stimulus - largely unsuccessful
Forward Conditioning
Presenting the conditioned stimulus before the unconditioned stimulus = most effective
Acquisition in terms of Classical Conditioning
Period of learning
Extinction
Presenting the CS without the UCS
Spontaneous Recovery
After extinction and a period of rest, the CS may produce a weak CR
Generalization in terms of Classical Conditioning
When a stimulus similar to the CS elicits the CR
Second-Order Conditioning
When a NS is paired with a CS instead of an UCS
Step 1 - Regular classical conditioning
Step 2 - Present new UCS just before CS, without presenting reinforcement: CR will happen with new UCS as well
Sensory Reconditioning
When two NS are paired together
Step 1 - Pair two NS
Step 2 - Pair one NS with UCS: CR should occur with this NS. Can then test for sensory preconditioning by exposing to the other NS and looking for CR
Contiguity (Classical Conditioning)
CS and UCS are contiguous (near) in time
Contingency (Classical Conditioning)
CS is a good signal of the UCS
Blocking (Classical Conditioning)
CS is a good signal for the UCS AND provides non-redundant information about the occurrence of the UCS
Law of Effect
E. L. Thorndike
If a response is followed by an annoying consequence, the animal will be less likely to emit the same response in the future
Discriminative Stimulus (Operant Conditioning)
A stimulus condition that indicates that behavior will bring about a certain consequence (i.e. pigeon only gets food for pecking when a light is on)
Schedules of Reinforcement
- Fixed Ratio
- Variable Ratio (most resistant to extinction and produces the most rapid response rate)
- Fixed Interval
- Variable Interval
Shaping
Reinforcing successive approximations to the desired behavior
Flooding
Behavioral treatment based on classical conditioning where the client experiences the feared situation
Implosion
Behavioral treatment based on classical conditioning where the client imagines the feared situation
Systematic Desensitization
Joseph Wolpe
Behavioral treatment based on classical conditioning where the client develops a hierarchy of fear, moves up the hierarchy and practices relaxation techniques (cannot both be relaxed and afraid - relaxation is reinforced: “counter conditioning”)
Conditioned Aversion
Behavioral treatment based on classical conditioning where the desired but unacceptable stimulus is paired with an aversive USC
Contingency Management
The general name for behavioral treatments based in operant conditioning - refers to altering the consequences of behavior in order to change behavior
Behavioral Contracts
Behavioral treatment based on operant conditioning where two people develop a written agreement that states the consequences of a certain behavior (useful for resolving interpersonal conflicts)
Time-Out
Behavioral treatment based on operant conditioning where the person is removed from a potentially reinforcing situation before they can be reinforced for undesirable behavior
Token Economies
Behavioral treatment based on operant conditioning where tokens are given or taken for good or bad behavior and can be traded in for a larger reward
Premack Principle
Behavioral treatment based on operant conditioning that involves using a more-preferred activity to reinforce a less-preferred activity
Challenges to Behaviorists
- Problem solving and insight (Thorndike and Kohler)
- Cognitive maps (Tolman - animals have mental maps of physical spaces)
- Observational learning (Bandura)
- Preparedness (Garcia)
- Instinctual drift (Breland and Breland - instinctual ways of behaving can override conditioning)
Fixed-Action Pattern
Stereotyped behavior sequence that is not learned
Sign Stimuli
Features of a stimulus sufficient to bring about a fixed-action pattern
- Releaser = a sign stimulus that triggers social behaviors between animals
- Supernormal stimulus = a model more effective at triggering a fixed-action pattern than actual sign stimuli found in nature
Innate Releasing Mechanism
A mechanism in an animal’s NS that connects sign stimuli with the correct fixed-action pattern
Reproductive Isolating Mechanism
Behaviors that prevent members of closely related species from mating. Only exist in areas where closely related species are both in the same area (i.e. species-specific call of birds to attract mates)
Reproductive Fitness
The number of offspring that live to be old enough to reproduce
Altruism (Ethology)
Behavior that decreases reproductive fitness to help others of the same species
Theory of Kin Selection
Inclusive fitness - will tr to maximize both numbers of other relatives and numbers of offspring who live to a reproductive age (explains altruism)
Long-Term Potentiation
Long-term increase in responsiveness of a neuron due to experience. Explains classical conditioning at the neural level
