Models of human learning #2

Question 1

Rescorla

Answer 1

1968

~ conditions is closely related to contingency

Question 2

Kamin

Answer 2

1969
cue interactions effect a.k.a. competition
~ if two cues are both presented before response then the conditioned response is weak

Question 3

When is CR learning blocked?

Answer 3

when light –> food and then light + tone –> food

Question 4

When is CR learning mutually overshadowed?

Answer 4

when light + tone –> food

Question 5

Beesley and Le Pelley

Answer 5

(2011)
~ experiment demonstrating blocking
~ most attention goes to established predictive cue
~ less attention goes to blocked cue

Question 6

Theories of blocking

Answer 6

SUPRISE (Rescorla-Wagner, 1972) the outcome is not surprising as it is already predicted
ATTENTION (Mackintosh, 1975) the predictive cue grabs out attention, leaving little processing for blocked cue
- more evidence for attention
- stronger evidence would be found looking at overt biases in selective attention

Question 7

Eye-tracking

Answer 7

~ useful for examining changes in attention
~ precise recording of gaze direction and duration
ASSUMPTION = eye movement reflects overt changes in attention

Question 8

Associative models

Answer 8

cue competition is explained by models of animal conditioning
e.g. Rescorla-Wagner (1972)

Question 9

Rescorla-Wagner

Answer 9

(1972)

~ if events are surprising (large error term) then the model updates it associative strengths

Question 10

Propositional account

Answer 10

~ learning occurs from the operation of controlled reasoning processes
~ the processes result in beliefs about the world

Question 11

Verbal instructions

Answer 11

~ linked to propositional account

~ if behaviour is related to reason, verbal instructions should directly influence behaviour

Question 12

Lovibond (suggested ideas)

Answer 12

(2003)
~ propositional account occurs after trial-by-trial learning and then acquisition of propositional knowledge
~ associative account after trial-by-trial learning

Question 13

Perruchet effect

Answer 13

(1985)
~ participant has to rate expectancy for air-puff
~ participants have a tendency to show a gambler’s fallacy effect

Question 14

Lovibond’s claim

Answer 14

~ learning is based on reasoning and belief formation

~ verbal instructions directly influence behaviour, even in automatic responses