Lecture 7: Learning Flashcards
What is learning?
Change in one’s actions, thoughts or emotions as a result of experience
What is conditioning? give an example of learning through condition..
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.
What is classical conditioning?
Form of learning in which one responds to a previously neutral stimulus that has been paired with another stimulus which elicits an automatic response
What do we have to do in order to develop to respond?
In order to develop a response, we have to pair the neutral stimuli wit another stimulus to get that response
Explain unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
Elicits an automatic response without prior conditioning (i.e., food)
Explain Unconditioned Response (UCR)
Automatic response to a stimulus that does not need to be learned (i.e., salivation)
Explain Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
Initially neutral stimulus that comes to elicit a response due to association with an UCS (i.e., metronome)
Conditioned Response (CR)
Response previously associated with a non neutral stimulus that is elicited by a (previously) neutral stimulus through conditioning (i.e., salivation)
when more numerous CS and UCS are paired together, does that make the CR weaker or stronger?
The CR will be stronger
If there’s a long delay in pairing the CS with the UCS what will happen?
The slower the speed of learning and the lower the strength of the CR will be
Give me an example of UCS
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
Name 3 phases of classical conditioning
Acquisition, extinction, and spontaneous recovery
Define stage 1, acquisition
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
Define stage 2, extinction
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
Define stage 3, spontaneous recovery
It is the sudden re-emergence of an extint after a delay following an extinction procedure
What is stimulus generalization?
New CS that are similar, but not identical, to original CS elicit a CR
What’s a generalization gradient
It’s when the more similar a new CS is to the original CS, the stronger the CR will be
What’s stimulus discrimination?
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
Explain higher order conditioning
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
What is higher order conditioning?
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
How can classical conditioning contribute to overcoming fears and phobias?
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
Explain operant conditioning
Type of learning that is controlled by the consequences of one’s behaviours.
Operants - behaviours produced to receive a reward
Explain the different between classical conditioning and operant conditioning
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.
What is Skinner box
Used to study conditioning by recording behaviours of animals that are in it
Explain habitation
The process by which we respond less strongly over time to repeated stimuli. It’s considered to be the simplest form of learning
Classical conditioning is known to be used to produce fear in humans, explain the little Albert case and was it ethical or unethical?
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).
Explain the difference between reinforcement and punishment…
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).
Which one works better in the long run? reinforcement or punishment?
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.
Is discriminative stimulus different from stimulus discrimination?
YES IT IS
What’s the difference between discriminative stimulus and stimulus discrimination?
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
Explain classical conditioning…
Learning phase during which a conditional response is established
Explain operant conditioning…
Learning phase during which an operant response is established
Explain stimulus generalization in classical conditioning…
the response is elicited by stimuli similar to the original CS
Explain stimulus discrimination in classical conditioning..
Displaying a less pronounced response to stimuli that differ from the original CS
Explain stimulus discrimination in operant conditioning….
An example of this would be training pigeons with reinforcers to distinguish Monet’s & Picasso’s artworks
Explain stimulus generalization in operant conditioning…
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
What’s continuous reinforcement?
Reinforcing a behaviour every time it occurs
What’s partial reinforcement?
It’s only occasional reinforcement of behaviour which
leads to a greater resistance to extinction…
