Lecture 1 : Overview & Typical Problems that Confront Learning Theories Flashcards
Hilgard and Bauer: Respondent Definition of Learning:
Frequency-based, contiguity, associative→ Classical
Change in the subject’s behavior to a given situation is brought up by repeated experiences in that situation, provided that the characteristics of the change of cannot be explained by:
• native response tendencies
• maturation
• temporary state of the organism [such as fatigue or drugs]
McBeough: Operant Definition of Learning
Learning as we measure it, is a change in performance as a function of practice in most cases, if not in all
This change has a direction which satisfies the current motivating conditions of the individual (reinforcement)
• Response operates on environment to produce a change
Learning must always remain an inference from performance change
The Role of Punishment
Skinner was initially negative toward the use of punishment [cf. Walden 2]
Azrin & Holz placed punishment back into the behavioral model
o Skinner later thanked them
RO: there is a need for punishment in the model, plain and simple—the current trend of anti-punishment is ineffective and delusional
o E.g., “headbanging” – the treatment is a helmet or medication instead of punishment
o e.g., Judge Rothenberg Clinic
Judge Rothenberg Clinic
Originally named Behavioral Institute, was run by Dr Matt Israel, was criticized for its use of punishment
• Group home for MR & ASD in Rhode Island
• Opened branch in Massachusetts, was forced to close due to its punitive approach
• Rothenberg visited the center to observe effects of different strategies and overturned the state’s ruling, and the center was later named in his honor
“The Conditioning Therapies”
Andrew Salter’s book that really announced the arrival of behavior therapy with attacks on psychoanalysis
Justification for basing learning theory in animal behavior
If we do study learning using rats or pigeons, what is it that humans do that you cannot demonstrate in lower organisms?
Sophistication of dolphin language – e.g. first name, last name
Seagull in Scotland stealing Doritos
Extensive memory of ravens
*Learning by exception
o tell a dog “bring me the pad”
o even though the dog has never heard the word “pad” before, it knows the names of the other items, so it grabs the pad since it doesn’t match up with what is already knows
Memory of Lions with Christian in Jungle youtube
RO study of rats with white square remembered placement 3months later
Harlow’s study:
o There are food cups behind the walls
o The monkeys has to choose the right symbol (X)
o They change them to a car and a bicycle
o Then to triangle and square
o Humans don’t make more than one mistake because they get the concept
o It is the same with chimps
Monkeys reared in isolation did not know how to have sex
Dancing bee study:
o The dance communicates not only the direction but the distance as well [and will ignore nearer sources of food to get to said location]
Solomon, Kamin and Wynn (1953)
Dog was placed in a box with heated /shocked floors and could jump over a short obstacle to get to the other side of box with floor was not heated, light was on each side and paired with shock, and then cross-paired
“just motivating” levels of shock were administered
dialing in until animal moves
“just sub-tetanizing” [extremely severe] levels of shock
without shock, even after 1000 trials, the dog would still jump when light was presented
The lights were reversed, so now jumping to the other side was punished
• i.e.—they would jump on presentation of the light, feel the shock and then jump back
o some dogs stopped jumping
**Example of exposure and response prevention
Typical Problems that Confront Learning Theories
What are the limits of learning?
o Are these limits set at birth?
o What is the capacity?
o What are the individual differences?
o Do organisms get more alike or different via practice?
o Are the limits similar across a species, or do they differ across individuals?
What is the role of practice?
o What conditions are favorable to practice?
o Does improvement depend on practice
How important are drive, punishment, and rewards?
o Where do goals and purpose come from?
How do we reach a level of understanding and insight?
Does learning one thing help us learn another?
o What helps us generalize?
o What leads to the transfer of training?
o What leads to negative transfer?
6. What influences memory and forgetting?
o What control do we have over these processes?
o How do we purposefully forget?
o How do we purposefully remember?
