Lecture 7: Learning

Question 1

What is learning?

Answer 1

Change in one’s actions, thoughts or emotions as a result of experience

Question 2

What is conditioning? give an example of learning through condition..

Answer 2

Conditioning is forming associations between stimuli, making connections between two things, an example would be a child makes a connection between his moms voice and sees her face, so then when she speaks from the other room he can recognize her.

Question 3

What is classical conditioning?

Answer 3

Form of learning in which one responds to a previously neutral stimulus that has been paired with another stimulus which elicits an automatic response

Question 4

What do we have to do in order to develop to respond?

Answer 4

In order to develop a response, we have to pair the neutral stimuli wit another stimulus to get that response

Question 5

Explain unconditioned stimulus (UCS)

Answer 5

Elicits an automatic response without prior conditioning (i.e., food)

Question 6

Explain Unconditioned Response (UCR)

Answer 6

Automatic response to a stimulus that does not need to be learned (i.e., salivation)

Question 7

Explain Conditioned Stimulus (CS)

Answer 7

Initially neutral stimulus that comes to elicit a response due to association with an UCS (i.e., metronome)

Question 8

Conditioned Response (CR)

Answer 8

Response previously associated with a non neutral stimulus that is elicited by a (previously) neutral stimulus through conditioning (i.e., salivation)

Question 9

when more numerous CS and UCS are paired together, does that make the CR weaker or stronger?

Answer 9

The CR will be stronger

Question 10

If there’s a long delay in pairing the CS with the UCS what will happen?

Answer 10

The slower the speed of learning and the lower the strength of the CR will be

Question 11

Give me an example of UCS

Answer 11

Slamming the door behind u and someone would react in shock to this unexpected loud sound, which would generate an automatic response from you which again would be considered as unconditional stimulus

Question 12

Name 3 phases of classical conditioning

Answer 12

Acquisition, extinction, and spontaneous recovery

Question 13

Define stage 1, acquisition

Answer 13

It is the repeated pairing of CS and UCS increasing the strength of the CR - it’s known as the learning phase during which a conditioned response is being established

Question 14

Define stage 2, extinction

Answer 14

In this the CS is presented by repeatedly without the UCS which results in the gradual disappearance of the CR…

• The gradual reduction and eventual elimination of the CR, after the CS is presented repeatedly without the UCS

Question 15

Define stage 3, spontaneous recovery

Answer 15

It is the sudden re-emergence of an extint after a delay following an extinction procedure

Question 16

What is stimulus generalization?

Answer 16

New CS that are similar, but not identical, to original CS elicit a CR

Question 17

What’s a generalization gradient

Answer 17

It’s when the more similar a new CS is to the original CS, the stronger the CR will be

Question 18

What’s stimulus discrimination?

Answer 18

It’s when it’s displaying a less pronounced to CS that differ from the original CS, it allows one to distinguish between stimuli that share some similarities, but differ in important ways.

example - being bit by a dog and then seeing a similar dog with fear

Question 19

Explain higher order conditioning

Answer 19

When one develops a CR to a CS due to its association with another CS…
- Whereas in classical conditioning - one develops a CR to a CS due to its association with and UCS

Question 20

What is higher order conditioning?

Answer 20

it’s when each progressive level results in weaker conditioning…

2nd-order conditioning tends to be weaker than classical conditioning
3rd-order conditioning tends to be weaker than 2nd-order conditioning
4th-order conditioning tends to be weaker than 3rd-order conditioning

Question 21

How can classical conditioning contribute to overcoming fears and phobias?

Answer 21

Introduce the patient to the feared stimulus while giving them something pleasurable (Candy). The feared stimulus will eventually elicit a new CR pleasure rather than fear

Question 22

Explain operant conditioning

Answer 22

Type of learning that is controlled by the consequences of one’s behaviours.

Operants - behaviours produced to receive a reward

Question 23

Explain the different between classical conditioning and operant conditioning

Answer 23

In classical conditioning the reward is independent of the response, however it’s the opposite for operant conditioning, where the reward is dependant on the response. Operant conditioning is where the behaviour is voluntary, in classical behaviour is pulled out automatically as a response.

Question 24

What is Skinner box

Answer 24

Used to study conditioning by recording behaviours of animals that are in it

Question 25

Explain habitation

Answer 25

The process by which we respond less strongly over time to repeated stimuli. It’s considered to be the simplest form of learning

Question 26

Classical conditioning is known to be used to produce fear in humans, explain the little Albert case and was it ethical or unethical?

Answer 26

Little Albert was an unethical case produced by John B Watson and after pairing the rat with the CR (loud sound), little Albert displayed a CR (crying) to the rat (CS).

Question 27

Explain the difference between reinforcement and punishment…

Answer 27

Reinforcement is when any consequence that makes a behaviour more likely to occur (strengthens the probability of the behaviour), however with punishment any consequence that makes a behaviour less likely to occur (weakens the probability of a behaviour).

Question 28

Which one works better in the long run? reinforcement or punishment?

Answer 28

Reinforcement works better in the long run than punishment. Because punishment
tells people what not to do rather than teaching what to do instead, and it can create anxiety which interferes with future learning.

Question 28

Is discriminative stimulus different from stimulus discrimination?

Answer 28

YES IT IS

Question 29

What’s the difference between discriminative stimulus and stimulus discrimination?

Answer 29

Discriminative stimulus - stimulus that is associated with the presence of reinforcement.
**We are responding to discriminative stimuli all the time, even if were not aware of it

Stimulus discrimination - allows one to distinguish between stimuli that share some similarities, but differ in important ways

Question 30

Explain classical conditioning…

Answer 30

Learning phase during which a conditional response is established

Question 31

Explain operant conditioning…

Answer 31

Learning phase during which an operant response is established

Question 32

Explain stimulus generalization in classical conditioning…

Answer 32

the response is elicited by stimuli similar to the original CS

Question 33

Explain stimulus discrimination in classical conditioning..

Answer 33

Displaying a less pronounced response to stimuli that differ from the original CS

Question 34

Explain stimulus discrimination in operant conditioning….

Answer 34

An example of this would be training pigeons with reinforcers to distinguish Monet’s & Picasso’s artworks

Question 35

Explain stimulus generalization in operant conditioning…

Answer 35

An example of this would be how the trained pigeons can also distinguish between artworks from other painters which are similar to Monet’s & Picasso’s

Question 36

What’s continuous reinforcement?

Answer 36

Reinforcing a behaviour every time it occurs

Question 37

What’s partial reinforcement?

Answer 37

It’s only occasional reinforcement of behaviour which
leads to a greater resistance to extinction…