Learning Theory Flashcards
Ivan Pavlov
Classical Conditioning
Dogs learn through association - 2 stimuli are paired together to create a new, learned response
Experiment - Bells and Saliva
John Watson
Behaviorism
Behavior is a response to a given stimulus
Experiment - Baby Albert learning fear
Edward Thorndike
Law of Effect
Most learning comes from trial and error
Responses producing pleasant effect would be more likely to be repeated
Responses producing unpleasant effect would be less likely to be repeated
B.F. Skinner
Operant Conditioning
Behavior is controlled by a stimulus, immediately followed by an action and a consequence
Introduced terms reinforcement and punisher
David Premack
The Premack Principle
Animals will perform a lower probability behavior in order to be allowed to do the higher probability behavior
Acquisition in Classical Conditioning
A neutral stimulus (NS) is presented before an unconditioned stimulus (US). An association will be created which then turns the neutral stimulus into a conditioned stimulus (CS).
The US creates an unconditioned response (UR), when the animal learns association between CS and US, the UR turns into a conditioned response (CR)
Second - Order Conditioning
In Classical Conditioning - a stimulus occurs before the CS
Example - squeaky door on dog food cabinet. Dog hears door, then hears bag crinkle, and then the dog is fed. Dog learns that squeaky door means food is coming.
Extinction
The conditioned response is broken when the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus - “undoing the learned association”
Spontaneous Recovery
Return of an extinct conditioned response following a period of rest
Classical Counter Conditioning
Changing the response to a stimulus - teaching a new association
Present the stimulus with distance or at a low strength
Want to change the conditioned emotional response
Operant Conditioning
Instrumental learning
Learning associations between behaviors and consequences
A stimulus occurs first followed by a response and a consequence
ABC of Learning
Antecedent - environmental cue or stimulus that occurs before behavior
Behavior - observable response made by animal
Consequence - what happens after the behavior; often considered the outcome of a behavior - predicts whether the behavior will strengthen/ repeat or weaken/be avoided
Types of Reinforcement
Positive - adding good stuff to increase a behavior
Negative - delaying bad stuff to increase a behavior
Primary Reinforcer
Anything that is biologically important to survival of an animal
Secondary Reinforcer
Any stimulus that becomes rewarding when paired with a primary reinforcing stimulus
2 Reinforcement Schedules
- Continuous Reinforcement Schedule
2. Intermittent Reinforcement Schedule
4 Intermittent Reinforcements Schedules
- Fixed Interval
- Fixed Ratio
- Variable Interval
- Variable Ratio
Fixed Interval Reinforcement Schedule
Behavior is rewarded after a set, predictable amount of time
The least productive and the most susceptible to extinction
Fixed Ratio Reinforcement Schedule
Behavior is rewarded after a set, predictable number of responses
Variable Interval Reinforcement Schedule
Behavior is rewarded after an unpredictable amount of time
Variable Ratio Reinforcement Schedule
Behavior is rewarded after an unknown, unpredictable number of responses
Most resistant to extinction
Types of Punishment
Positive - adding bad stuff to decrease behavior
Negative - delaying good stuff to decrease a behavior
Extinction - OC vs CC
Operant Conditioning - learned behavior is no longer displayed
Classical Conditioning - conditioned stimulus loses value
5 Types of Prompting
- Lure - using food for a dog to follow - you want to fade this out over time
- Physical - gently touching dog
- Visual - hand gesture
- Unintentional prompt
- Body blocking
Shaping
Successive approximations to a goal behavior are rewarded
Chaining
Linking a particular order of behaviors
Forward - first desired behavior is taught first and progresses to last
Back - last behavior is taught first - often preferred
Stimulus Control
Discrimination - dog only responds to a specific stimulus and not others that may be similar
Generalization - able to perform same behavior in different situations
Operant Counter Conditioning
Teaching the dog to do an alternative, more desirable behavior
Sensitization
Opposite of desensitization - have a stronger/amplified response to stimulus
Habituation
Occurs when a dog gets used to a stimulus
Doesn’t come with rewards or punishment - dog learns without having a response to it
Flooding
Immersing a dog in a “scary” stimulus until the response goes away
Learned Irrelevance
Dog stops responding to a previously learned stimulus or cue rather than being accustomed to stimulus in the environment
Poisoned Cue
Dog associates negative consequence with a cue
Learned Helplessness
Mental state that occurs after a dog is repeatedly forced to bear aversive stimulus
Deprivation
Withhold something the dogs loves to modify their behavior
Nothing in life is free concept
Differential Reinforcement
- Differential reinforcement of alternative behavior
- Differential reinforcement of other behavior
- Differential reinforcement of incompatible behavior
- Differential reinforcement of excellent behavior
Cues
An antecedent - present new cue before old cue
Blocking
When a cue the dog already knows gets in the way of their ability to learn a new cue for the same behavior
Modeling
Physically manipulating the dog into position
Capturing
Waiting for spontaneous offer of behavior
