learning theory Flashcards

1
Q

what is learning definition *

A

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

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2
Q

what are the 4 basic learning processes *

A

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
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3
Q

what is associative learning *

A

when you pair the stimulus with something else

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4
Q

what is non-associative learning *

A

just the stim itself

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5
Q

what is habituation *

A

a decrewase in the strength of a response to a repeated stim

eg get used to living next to loud road

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6
Q

what is sensitisation *

A

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

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7
Q

what is the relationship between sensitisation and habituation *

A

can conflict

happen simultaneously and compete to determine behaviour

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8
Q

describe classical conditioning - Pavlov *

A

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

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9
Q

what is an unconditioned stimulus *

A

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

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10
Q

what is conditioned stim *

A

a stim, through association with a UCS, comes elicit a conditioned response similar to the original UCR *

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11
Q

what is an unconditioned response *

A

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

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12
Q

what is a conditioned response *

A

a response ellicited by a conditioned stimulus

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13
Q

what are the UCS UCR CS and CR in pavlov’s dogs *

A

UCS - food

CS - bell

UCR - salvation

CR - salvation

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14
Q

explain pavlov’s dogs based on UCR etc *

A

when just tone - no salvation

when food ie UCS = UCR

when tone (CS) and food = UCR

when just tone = CR

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15
Q

what is the difference between CR and UCR *

A

they are the same response - just CR is in the absence of UCS

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16
Q

when is classical conditioning strongest *

A

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

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17
Q

what type of learning is classical conditioning (

A

unconscious

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18
Q

describe extinction of classic conditioning *

A

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

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19
Q

describe stimulus generalisation *

A

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

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20
Q

examples of stim generalisation *

A

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

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21
Q

describe stim discrimination *

A

the ability to respond differently to various stimuli

22
Q

examples of stimulus discrimination *

A

a child will respond differently to various bells - alarm, school timer

a fear of dogs might only include certain breeds

23
Q

classical conditioning and chemotherapy *

A

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

24
Q

describe overshadowing in the conditioned response between nausea and hospital for chemo pts *

A

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

25
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
26
describe fear learning - needle phobia \*
traumatic injection = pain/fear trauma (UCS) and needle (CS) = fear response (UCR) clinical setting (CS) = fear response (CR)
27
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
28
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
29
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
30
what is positive reinforcement \*
occurs when a response is strengthed by the subsequent presentation of a reinforcer
31
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
32
what is -ve reinforcement \*
occurs when a substance is strengthened by the removal (or avoidance) of an aversive stimulus
33
what is a negative reinforcer \*
the aversive stim being removed or avoided
34
what does +ve/-ve refer to in reinforcement \*(
presentation or removal of a stimulus - not good/bad
35
what is positive punishment \*
occurs when a response is weakened by the presentation of a stimulus - eg squirting a cat with water
36
what is -ve punishment \*
occurs when a response is weakened by removal of a stim eg when phone is confiscated to reduce disruption
37
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
38
what is the difference between reinforcement and punishment \*
reinforcement is about increasing behaviour punishment is about decreasing behaviour
39
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
40
what is a fixed interval schedule \*
reinforcement after fixed time interval
41
what is a variable interval schedule \*
the time interval varies at random around an average
42
what is fixed ratio schdule \*
reinforcement is given after a fixed number of responses
43
what is variable ratio schedule \*
reinforcement is given after a variable number of responses, centred around an average
44
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
45
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
46
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
47
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
48
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
49
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
50
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
51
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