Learning part 1

Question 1

What is learning?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What is habituation?

Answer 2

A decrease in the strength of a reflexive response to a repeated stimulus.

e.g. the boy who cried wolf. The town folk no longer responded to the boy to conserve energy.

Question 3

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 3

When an organism learns to associate a conditioned stimulus (previously neutral stimulus) with an unconditioned stimulus (which naturally evokes a reflexive response without prior learning) so that when exposed to the conditioned stimulus, a similar reflexive occurs because of a learned contingency between the two stimuli.

Question 4

Who discovered classical conditioning?

Answer 4

The Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov in the 1890’s

Question 5

What are the 3 stages of classical conditioning?

Answer 5

1. Acquisition - the gradual learning of the association between the CS and the UCS so that the CS provokes a reflexive response.
2. Extinction - the gradual weakening of the CR when the CS is no longer presented with the UCS.
3. Spontaneous Recovery - the re-emergence of the CR after successful extinction when the CS is encountered after a delay.

Question 6

What are the 3 steps involved in classically conditioning an organism?

Answer 6

1. CS ≠ UCR
   UCS = UCR
2. CS + UCS = UCR
3. CS = CR

In Pavlov’s dog experiment, the variables are as follows:
CS - the tone
UCS - the food
UCR - salivation with food
CR - salivation with only tone

Question 7

What is an unconditioned stimulus (UCS)? Provide 1 example.

Answer 7

A stimulus that elicits a reflexive or innate response without prior learning.

Example = food

Question 8

What is an unconditioned response (UCR)? Provide 1 example.

Answer 8

A reflexive response to a stimulus which requires no prior learning.

Example = salivation

Question 9

What is a conditioned stimulus (CS)? Provide 1 example.

Answer 9

A stimulus that elicits a reflexive response (similar to the initial UCR) through association with an unconditioned stimulus.

Example = bell

Question 10

What is a conditioned response (CR)? Provide 1 example.

Answer 10

A reflexive response to a conditioned stimulus.

Example = salivating to the sound of a bell without food present

Question 11

What is acquisition?

Answer 11

Acquisition is the gradual learning of a conditioned response to the CS when the CS and UCS are paired together.

Question 12

What is extinction?

Answer 12

When the intensity of the conditioned response slowly decreases when the conditioned stimulus is presented by itself without an unconditioned stimulus.

Question 13

What is generalisation in classical conditioning? Provide 1 example.

Answer 13

Conditioned response can be elicited by stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus.

Example: a conditioned response could be evoked from stimuli such as a teddy a bear, or a guinea pig if the conditioned stimulus was a rat.

Question 14

What is discrimination in classical conditioning? Provide 1 example.

Answer 14

The tendency for a response to be elicited more by one stimulus than another.

Example: an organism only has a conditioned response to a tone of 140hz and won’t respond to a tone of 200hz.

Question 15

What are the 4 factors influencing classical conditioning?

Answer 15

1. Timing
2. Predictability
3. Novelty
4. Salience

Question 16

How does timing influence the effectiveness of classical conditioning?

Answer 16

It works best when the conditioned stimulus (CS) is presented just before the unconditioned stimulus (UCS).

Question 17

How does predictability influence the effectiveness of classical conditioning?

Answer 17

It is best when the conditioned stimulus (CS) is notably indicative of when the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) will occur; they can predict the UCS is coming when they sense the CS.

Question 18

How does novelty influence the effectiveness of classical conditioning?

Answer 18

It is most effective when the conditioned stimulus is unusual for the setting.

E.g. the rustling of leaves in a forest would be a bad choice for a conditioned stimulus

Question 19

How does salience influence the effectiveness of classical conditioning?

Answer 19

It is most effective when the conditioned stimulus is noticeable but not too overwhelming.

Question 20

What is operant conditioning?

Answer 20

A type of learning in which behaviour is influenced by the consequences that follow it.

e.g., learning from your own mistakes

Question 21

What is reinforcement in operant conditioning? Provide 1 example.

Answer 21

A behavioural response is strengthened by an event that follows it.

E.g. press a button and get a dollar. Now you won’t stop pressing the button.

Question 22

What is punishment in operant conditioning? Provide 1 example.

Answer 22

A behavioural response is weakened by outcomes that follow it.

E.g. eat a raw egg and get sick. Won’t do that again.

Question 23

What do strengthened and weakened responses mean in the context of operational conditioning?

Answer 23

Strengthened response - increase in frequency of response (pressing a button more than before)

Weakened response - decrease in frequency of response (pressing a button less than before)

Question 24

What is a reinforcer? (Operational conditioning)

Answer 24

An event or stimulus that strengthens (increases frequency of) a response.

Question 25

What is a punisher? (Operational conditioning)

Answer 25

An event or stimulus that weakens (decreases frequency of) a response.

Question 26

What is contingency? (Operational conditioning)

Answer 26

The relationship between the behaviour and the consequence; the consequence only occurs because of the behaviour.

Question 27

How does operational conditioning help with learning and adaptation?

Answer 27

An organism learns to avoid behaviours that lead to negative consequences, and to pursue behaviours that lead to positive outcomes.

E.g. not eating poisonous foods

Question 28

What is observational learning?

Answer 28

The learning that occurs by observing the behaviour of a model.

Question 29

What is modelling? (observational learning)

Answer 29

When an organisms learns through observing.

Question 30

How does observational learning help ensure an organisms survival?

Answer 30

The organism can learn through observing others or their environment without having to experience potentially dangerous events themselves.

i.e. learning to fear dangerous animals rather than learning that the hard way