Lecture 1 - Associative structures in simple conditioning

Question 1

Briefly define ‘Learning’

Answer 1

Learning is any relatively long-lasting change in behaviour resulting from experience.

Question 2

Briefly define ‘Associative Learning’

Answer 2

Associative learning is said to have occurred when this change in behaviour results from the pairing of two (or more) events.

Question 3

Briefly define an ‘Association’

Answer 3

An association is a hypothetical link that allows activity in one entity in the conceptual nervous system (e.g., memory or response program) to provoke activity in another entity (e.g., memory or response program).

Question 4

List some everyday examples of associative learning in humans.

Answer 4

See orange text on page 1 of G doc notes.

Question 5

List some examples of associative learning in animals.

Answer 5

See orange text on page 1 of G doc notes.

Question 6

Read green text on page 1-2 on G doc notes.

Answer 6

Understand?

Question 7

What are 4 contemporary procedures used in pavlovian conditioning?

Answer 7

• Pigeon autoshaping
• Appetitive (food-based) conditioning in rats
• Aversive conditioning in rats (small discrete shock)
• Flavour-aversion learning in rats (coming to reject eating something)

Question 8

Describe the procedure of pigeon autoshaping in pavlovian conditioning.

Answer 8

See blue text on page 2 of G doc notes.

Question 9

Describe the procedure of appetitive conditioning in pavlovian conditioning.

Answer 9

See blue text on page 2 of G doc notes.

Question 10

Describe the procedure of aversive conditioning in pavlovian conditioning.

Answer 10

See blue text on page 2 of G doc notes.

Question 11

Describe the procedure of flavour aversion in pavlovian conditioning.

Answer 11

See blue text on page 2 of G doc notes.

Question 12

Describe the:
- Stimulus -> Response
- Stimulus -> Stimulus

In pavlovian conditioning.

Answer 12

See blue text on page 3 of G doc notes.

Question 13

Describe some studies that use US (unconditioned stimulus) devaluation as a way of discriminating between S -> S and S -> R associative structures.

(in pavlovian conditioning)

Answer 13

See blue text on page 3-4 of G doc notes.

Question 14

List 3 contemporary procedures used in instrumental conditioning.

Answer 14

• Key pecking in pigeons
• Lever (or bar) pressing in rats
• Chain pulling in rats

Question 15

Describe the:
- Stimulus -> Response
- Response -> Outcome

In instrumental conditioning.

Answer 15

See green text on page 5 of G doc notes.

Question 16

Describe studies that use outcome devaluation as a way of discriminating between S -> R and R -> O associative structures.

Answer 16

See green text on page 5-6 of G doc notes.

Question 17

Conclusions from lecture:
1. Pavlovian and instrumental conditioning procedures bring about marked changes in animal behaviour.
2. Reinforcer devaluation and sensory preconditioning procedures help us to understand the nature of the associative structures that underlie these changes in behaviour.
3. Associations between representations or memories of the stimulus and reinforcer (in Pavlovian conditioning) and a response and the reinforcer (in Instrumental conditioning) play an important role in generating behaviour (i.e., conditioned responding).

Answer 17

Understand?