Learning (Test Sep. 24, 2024)

Question 1

Learning

Answer 1

Also known as Acquisition or conditioning. A relatively permanent change in behavior due to experience.

Question 2

Classical conditioning

Answer 2

A stimulus creates a response. When associations are created between unrelated events/ideas/people/objects. It’s instinctive and primitive, occurring without thought. Is the most common form of learning.

Question 3

Ivan Pavlov

Answer 3

In the 1890’s he experimented on dogs to train them to drool at the sound of a bell by associating the bell with bringing food.

Question 4

Neutral stimulus

Answer 4

Doesn’t create an effect, therefore is neutral.

Question 5

Unconditioned response

Answer 5

A response you don’t have to teach.

Question 6

Conditioned stimulus and response

Answer 6

The neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned response becomes the conditioned response for the conditioned stimulus.

Question 7

The “Little Albert Experiment”

Answer 7

1920’s Dr. John B. Watson conditioned a human baby to experience fear and cry at the sight of white rabbits/ fuzzy animals by making a loud painful noise when the baby came in contact with the animal.

Question 8

Higher order conditioning

Answer 8

Using the first stimulus to create the connection to a second one. Ex. Teaching a dog to drool at a bell, and using that connection to add the response when hearing a horn.

Question 9

Generalization

Answer 9

Taugh response spreads to similar stimuli. Ex. Little Albert is afraid not just of white rabbits but now all similar fuzzy animals.

Question 10

Discrimination

Answer 10

Learning the difference between two similar stimuli.

Question 11

Extinction

Answer 11

Response to stimuli stops when there is no association after a while. Ex. Dog stops drooling at the sound of a bell when food stops being brought with the bell.

Question 12

Spontaneous recovery

Answer 12

After a period of extinction, the learning habit randomly returns.

Question 13

Habituation

Answer 13

Stimulus’ effect is weakened by getting used to it, like getting used to a loud sound after a while so that we can continue to function.

Question 14

Counter conditioning

Answer 14

Unlearning associations as a deliberate therapy like unlearning phobias.

Question 15

Operant conditioning

Answer 15

Actions having consequences with rewards and punishments.

Question 16

Reinforcers

Answer 16

Teach you what to do and what not to do by giving us something we want or taking away something we dislike enough to change our behavior.

Question 17

Primary reinforcers

Answer 17

Things we aren’t taught to want, such as food.

Question 18

Secondary reinforcers

Answer 18

Things we’re taught to want like money.

Question 19

Edward Thorndike

Answer 19

Came up with the three laws of learning.
Law of Readiness- Focus on the work.
Law of Exercise- Practice/drill the behavior.
Law of Effect- The consequences of an action. Scientific justification for rewards and effects.

Question 20

Positive vs negative reinforcement

Answer 20

Positive- Increases behavior by giving a reward
Negative- Increases behavior by taking away something negative (eating to get rid of hunger)

Question 21

Punishment

Answer 21

Decreases a behavior by applying a consequence

Question 22

Positive vs negative punishment

Answer 22

Positive- Adds something unpleasant
Negative- Taking something enjoyable away

Question 23

Which form of operant conditioning is the most effective?

Answer 23

Positive reinforcement because it shows the proper way to do something rather than only the wrong way.

Question 24

Shaping

Answer 24

Rewarding subjects as they get closer to a desired result (rewarding a dog every time they get closer and closer to the trick you want them to do).

Question 25

Chaining

Answer 25

Rewarding each link of the chain. Rewarding each specific sequence of behaviors, then later rewarding the completed sequence.

Question 26

What is the difference between operant and classical conditioning?

Answer 26

Operant is consequences while classical is the associations between two stimuli.

Question 27

Continuous reinforcement vs partial reinforcement

Answer 27

Continuous- Getting a reward every single time you do something (putting money in a vending machine and getting a snack every time).
Partial- You don’t know when the reward will be coming.

Question 28

Fixed ratio vs variable ratio

Answer 28

Fixed- You will get the reward after a certain, known number of actions.
Variable- You don’t know how many times you’ll have to perform an action before you get a reward. Ex. Gambling, fishing.

Question 29

Gambler’s/ Hot Hand Fallacy

Answer 29

Believe something will happen and to be true but is objectively not. Ex. Fallacy is when you get three heads on a coin in a row and think you must be “due” for flipping tails. Hot Hand: Thinking someone has control over a situation like they’ll get a lucky dice roll because they’ve been lucky thus far.

Question 30

Fixed interval vs variable interval

Answer 30

Fixed- Reinforcement after a specific amount of time. (An hourly wage).
Variable- Reinforcement comes after an unknown amount of time. Ex. You don’t know how long someone will take to text you back.

Question 31

Which are the most powerful and addictive reinforcers?

Answer 31

Variable ratios and intervals because you don’t know when the reward is coming. The magic of maybe.

Question 32

Overjustification effect

Answer 32

An expected incentive can decrease a person’s motivation to perform a task. The outcome is certain so they get bored.

Question 33

The Skinner Box

Answer 33

Operant conditioning chamber that taught rats to press a lever. One used positive reinforcement (giving food) and the other negative (taking away the electric shocks).

Question 34

Instinctive drift

Answer 34

Training can’t always override biology. An animal’s innate response interferes with conditioning that training can’t always override.

Question 35

Social learning

Answer 35

Also known as observational learning, imitation, modeling, etc. Albert Bandura said we could learn by watching and imitating behavior.

Question 36

Vicarious learning

Answer 36

Classical and operant can be learned vicariously by watching others do an action.

Question 37

Bobo Doll Experiment

Answer 37

1961 Albert Bandura thought watching others be violent would make others less because it was like you had gotten it out of your system. This experiment proved that when children watched adults commit violence they were more likely to also be violent.

Question 38

What does the brain do in a new situation?

Answer 38

Look for a model to follow/imitate/obey (children following their parents, friends, etc.)

Question 39

Prosocial vs antisocial modeling

Answer 39

Prosocial- Positive, constructive, helpful behavior
Antisocial- Negative, destructive, abusive behavior. There is a correlation between viewing violence and acting violent, but no causation.

Question 40

Mirror neurons

Answer 40

Frontal lobe neurons that fire when we observe something doing something or do something ourselves. They allow us to feel empathy and connect with someone more deeply as well as copy someone.

Question 41

Latent learning

Answer 41

Learning without trying to learn or even knowing learning is occurring (educational posters in classrooms).

Question 42

Expectations

Answer 42

They affect how we learn. If we think we can’t learn we won’t try and therefore won’t.

Question 43

Reinforcement value

Answer 43

Rewards and punishments are different for everyone (in the eye of the beholder).

Question 44

Biological limitations

Answer 44

There’s a biological limit to what can be learned, no matter the reward or punishment (nearly impossible to teach a dog to climb a tree for most breeds).

Question 45

Law of Effect

Answer 45

Behaviors followed by rewards are more likely to be repeated and those with punishments are less likely to be repeated.

Question 46

Extrinsic vs intrinsic motivation

Answer 46

Extrinsic- Performing for a prize. Can be controlling and lead to the overjustification effect. Aren’t as motivating.
Intrinsic- Doing an activity simply for the sake of doing the activity because you enjoy it. Much more rewarding and motivational. People will be happier, more creative, more persistent, etc.

Question 47

Which of the reinforcement schedules has a scalloped graph?

Answer 47

Fixed interval because if people know when the reward is coming, they will be ready to receive it right before like the number of people at a restaurant increases right before it opens.

Question 48

Stimulus vs response

Answer 48

Stimulus- Something that causes a behavior.
Response- The reaction to a stimulus.