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