learning theory Flashcards
what is learning definition *
a process by which experiences produces a relatively enduring change in an organisms behaviour or capabilities
experiences - can be an observed experience
enduring - has to persist
capabilities - potential to change
what are the 4 basic learning processes *
non-associative learning - response to repeated stim
associated learning
- classical conditioning - learning what events signal
- operant conditioning - learning one thing leads to another
- observational learning - learning from others
what is associative learning *
when you pair the stimulus with something else
what is non-associative learning *
just the stim itself
what is habituation *
a decrewase in the strength of a response to a repeated stim
eg get used to living next to loud road
what is sensitisation *
an increase in the stength of response to a repeated stim
recognising what a sound is and act on it, after hearing it a few times
what is the relationship between sensitisation and habituation *
can conflict
happen simultaneously and compete to determine behaviour
describe classical conditioning - Pavlov *
dogs changed behaviour in response to bell - digestive process started without the presence of food
condition certain stim to give certain response that would occur with natural stim normally
what is an unconditioned stimulus *
a stimulus that elicits a reflexive or innate response (the UCR) without prior learning
what is conditioned stim *
a stim, through association with a UCS, comes elicit a conditioned response similar to the original UCR *
what is an unconditioned response *
a reflexive or innate response that is elicited by a stimulus (The UCS) without prior learning
what is a conditioned response *
a response ellicited by a conditioned stimulus
what are the UCS UCR CS and CR in pavlov’s dogs *
UCS - food
CS - bell
UCR - salvation
CR - salvation
explain pavlov’s dogs based on UCR etc *
when just tone - no salvation
when food ie UCS = UCR
when tone (CS) and food = UCR
when just tone = CR
what is the difference between CR and UCR *
they are the same response - just CR is in the absence of UCS
when is classical conditioning strongest *
there are repeated CS-UCS pairings
The UCS is more intense - when more intense, need fewer CS-UCS pairings (eg if traumatic experience only need it to happen once)
the sequence involves a forward pairing - ie CS then UCS (if UCS first and already get UCR, unlikely to associate CS with response)
the time interval between CS and UCS is short
what type of learning is classical conditioning (
unconscious
describe extinction of classic conditioning *
takes a few trials to learn the association, then response plateus but persists with pairing
when pairing stops there is a reduction in CR - but CR is still present next day - not completely distinguished just response is turned down
if recouple pairing - musch faster learning slope
describe stimulus generalisation *
a tendancy to respond to stimuli that are similar but not identical to a conditioned stim
similar stim will also elicit the CR but in a weaker form - eg a bell at different frequencies still caused salvation but progressively less as it got further from original freq - normal distribution either side
examples of stim generalisation *
associate all snakes with danger - not just the ones you know are dangerous
own brand mimic already trusted brand because we have an association with it
describe stim discrimination *
the ability to respond differently to various stimuli
examples of stimulus discrimination *
a child will respond differently to various bells - alarm, school timer
a fear of dogs might only include certain breeds
classical conditioning and chemotherapy *
nausea and vom is a common SE of chemo
UCS is chemo - nausea is UCR
related cues eg sight of chemo department is CS - anticipatory nausea is CR
BOVBJERG - took blood samples of pts at home and hospital before chemo - pts rated feelings of nausea and their NK cell activity (chemo lowers immune response) was measured in response to mitogens
nausea increased and immune func decreased is CR to hospital before chemo was taken
describe overshadowing in the conditioned response between nausea and hospital for chemo pts *
cancer pts divided into 2 gps - gp 1 given unpleasant novel (important so that their are no prior associations, otherwise would be harder to condition)
gp2 given tap water
pts in 1 showed reduced nausea to clinical setting alonge - ie the CS has been altered from clinical setting to the drink
describe ‘little albert’ experiment - watson and raynor *
classical conditioning with fear learning
albert played with rat and watson made startling sound behind him as he did
before conditioning - rat was neutral stim = no response
loud noise (US) = crying (UCR)
during conditioning - rat and US = UR
after
rat (CS)= CR
5 days after experiment albert was testes with rat, wooden blocks, coat, white cotton, heads of observers and santa claus mask
results - fear of rat, rabbit, dog, coat, santa mask and watson’s face - the fear had been generalised
describe fear learning - needle phobia *
traumatic injection = pain/fear
trauma (UCS) and needle (CS) = fear response (UCR)
clinical setting (CS) = fear response (CR)
describe 2 factor theory of maintenace of classically conditioned associations eg fear *
trauma UCS, needle CS -> fear UCR when see needle
2nd factor:
avoid injections -> fear reduced -> tendancy to avoid is reinforced
therefore it is not just response to stim - we are active agents and it is the consequence of our actions that determines what gets reinforced
describe thorndike’s law of effect *
a response followed by a satisfying consequnce will be more likely to occur
a response followed by an aversibe consequence will be less likely to occur
eg when put cats in cages with a lever that would get them out, they got out faster
response followed by electric shocks were less likely to occur
describe operant conditioning *
skinner - made skinner’s boxes - elaborate boxes for rats to exhibit different behaviours in response to different stimuli some pleasant - some unpleasant
what is positive reinforcement *
occurs when a response is strengthed by the subsequent presentation of a reinforcer
what are primary and secondary reinforcers *
primary - those needed for survival eg food, water, sleep, sex
secondary - stimuli that acquire reinforcing properties through their assocaition with primary reinforcers - money, praise
what is -ve reinforcement *
occurs when a substance is strengthened by the removal (or avoidance) of an aversive stimulus
what is a negative reinforcer *
the aversive stim being removed or avoided
what does +ve/-ve refer to in reinforcement *(
presentation or removal of a stimulus - not good/bad
what is positive punishment *
occurs when a response is weakened by the presentation of a stimulus - eg squirting a cat with water
what is -ve punishment *
occurs when a response is weakened by removal of a stim
eg when phone is confiscated to reduce disruption
is reinforcement or punishment stronger *
skinner maintained that reinforcement is a more potent influence on behaviour than punishment
punishment can only make certain responses less frequent - you cant teach new behaviour through punishment
therefore need to reinforce the positive things the ot has done, rather than critising them for the thigs they are not doing
what is the difference between reinforcement and punishment *
reinforcement is about increasing behaviour
punishment is about decreasing behaviour
what is the effect of reinforcement schedules *
continuous reinforcement - more rapid learning than partial reinforcement - the association between consequence and behaviour is easier to understand
however, continuously reinforced responses extinguish more rapidly than partially reinforced stimulus - the shift to no reinforcement is sudden and easier to understand
partial - eg reward every 5 attempts lasts longer but takes longer to learn
reward at irregular intervals lasts even longer
eg gambling - people play to get the reinforcement they’ve had before
the higher the ratio = higher response rate
the shorter the time intervals (if reinforcement given after certain lengths of time) = higher response rate
what is a fixed interval schedule *
reinforcement after fixed time interval
what is a variable interval schedule *
the time interval varies at random around an average
what is fixed ratio schdule *
reinforcement is given after a fixed number of responses
what is variable ratio schedule *
reinforcement is given after a variable number of responses, centred around an average
describe operant conditioning and health behaviour *
chronic pain behaviour includes limping, grimacing and med requests
this is reinforced by family/staff showing sympathy, encouraging rest and increasing med
the family’s behaviour is reinforced by the gratitude signals from pts
a cycle is created in whic pt recieves +ve signals for being in pain so pain is more likely to occur more frequently
what did bandura show *
humans afe active info processors and think about how their relationship between their behaviour and its consequences
social imitation may hasten/short-cut the acquisition of new behaviours without the necessity of reinforcing
describe social learning theory *
observational (vicarious learning) - we observe the behaviours of others and the consequences of those behaviours
varicarious reinforcement - if their behaviours are reinforced we initate the behaviours
what is modelling/observational learning *
occurs by watching and imitating actions of another person or by noting consequences of a person’s actions
occurs befroe direct practice is allowed
what are the steps to successful modelling *
pay attention to model
remember what was done
must be able to reproduce behaviour
if successful/behaviour is rewarded - more likely to recur
describe the Bobo doll experiment - bandura *
72 children spent time in playroom with adult who modelled aggressive/non-aggressive play
all children then spent a furtehr 20mins in room alone and their behaviour was observed - aggressive behaviour both imitive and non-imitive is observed
children who observed aggressive behaviour showed a higher level of aggression to doll
when are we more likely to imitate behaviour *
when seen to be rewarded
person is high status
person is similar to us eg colleague - can relate to them
person is friendly - peer
when is modelling learning used *
in health campaigns - when rying to influence staff use pics of high status members of staff, or use higher status in particular communities
hear from patients who have had treatment and had positive experience- people are more likely to take that option
