The environment Flashcards
What is learning?
process of acquiring new & relatively enduring info/behaviour
- includes behaviour change resulting from experience/practice
When ppl learn anything, some part of their brain is physically changed to record what was learnt
Social cognition in learning
learning includes changes in behaviour & changes in thoughts, expectations & knowledge
- these influence behaviour in a reciprocal process
Behaviourism in learning
learning is the result of observable acts & events, excl mental processes
What is conditioning?
theory that states behaviours can be modified/learned based on a stimulus & a response
process of learning assoc. (associative learning) = link events that occur close tgt
What are the two types of conditioning?
- Classical conditioning = assoc. b/w 2 stimuli & a response
- Operant conditioning = assoc. b/w response & consequence
What is classical conditioning?
when a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a stimulus that naturally produces a behaviour
E.g. dog see food –> dog salivate; if ring bell (neutral stimulus) & give food –> salivate; eventually dog assoc. ring bell w food so just ringing the bell will cause dog to salivate
What is:
unconditioned stimulus (US)
unconditioned response (UR)
US: stimulus that triggers a response w/o additional learning
UR: response triggered by US w/o additional learning
What is:
conditioned stimulus (CS)
conditioned response (CR)
CS: an initially neutral stimulus triggers a CR, when paired with US
(note: CS & neutral stimulus are essentially the same thing)
CR: response triggered by CS
What must occur for the CS & US for classical conditioning to take place?
- CS must come BEFORE US
- CS & US must occur VERY CLOSE tgt in time (< 5s)
- CS must be paired w US MANY TIMES
- CS must be DISTINCT frm other competing stimuli
List the features of classical conditioning (5 points)
- Generalisation
- Discrimination
- Extinction
- Spontaneous Recovery
- Higher-Order Conditioning
What is generalisation (classical conditioning features)?
tendency to respond to stimulus that is similar to CS –> trigger similar response
What is discrimination (classical conditioning features)?
learn to distinguish b/w a CS & other irrelevant stimuli & respond differently
basically, can tell which is the CS and which is not
What is extinction (classical conditioning features)?
extinguishing the CR by repeatedly presenting the CS in the absence of the US
basically, now you keep showing the CS w/o US, then the CR eventually disappear
What is spontaneous recovery (classical conditioning features)?
reappearance of EXTINGUISHED CR after a pause
basically, you see smth, then the CR come back
What is higher-order conditioning (classical conditioning features)?
the CS paired w new neutral stimulus creating a new (weaker) CS
e.g. you get stung by wasp, then you see lots of wasps in the trash can, then later on you see trash can & have slight fear response
What are some classical conditioning applications?
- Learning to like - +ve emotional responses (for CS) to certain objects/events (US)
- Learning to fear - pair US w a stimulus that elicits pain/surprise/embarrassment
- Acquired tastes: likes/dislikes for certain foods/odours
- React to medical treatments
What is operant conditioning?
aka instrumental conditioning
the process by which a response becomes more likely/less likely to occur –> depends on consequences
A response (operant) is influenced by:
- Reinforcement: strengthens response/make it more likely to happen
- Punishment: weakens response/make it less likely to recur
What are primary reinforcers?
innately reinforcing stimulus satisfying biological needs
natural & X depend on learning to become desirable
(“UR”)
What are secondary reinforcers?
stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its assoc. w a primary reinforcer
(“CS”)
What is positive reinforcement?
Response is followed by presentation/inc in intensity of a pleasurable stimulus –> response becomes stronger/more likely to occur
e.g. praise/direct reward
What is negative reinforcement?
Response is followed by removal, delay, dec. in intensity of an unpleasant stimulus –> response become stronger/more likely to happen
rmb, reinforcement means response will become stronger/more likely!!
How does reinforcement schedules play a part?
Reinforcement schedule –> pattern that defines how often a desired response will be influenced (e.g. every 5 qns)
Reinforcement timing –> influences speed of learning, strengthens learned response & behaviour pattern (e.g. every hour)
continuous: every time; quick learning
partial: only sometimes; slower but longer lasting learning
look at slide 24 of part 1 of the environment
overview of schedules of reinforcement
look at it
LOOK AT IT NOW
What is punishment?
process by which a stimulus/event weakens the response/make it less likely to occur
What are the punishment types?
Punishment by application (+ve punishment) = smth UNPLEASANT follows the response
Punishment by removal (-ve punishment) = smth PLEASANT is removed
look at slide 26 of part 1 of the environment
overview of reinforcement & punishment
have you LOOKED AT IT??????
What are the features of operant conditioning?
- Extinction
- Generalisation
- Discrimination
- Instinctive Drift
- Shaping
What is extinction (operant conditioning)?
behaviour is X followed by the consequence that reinforced it (reinforcer stops = behaviour stops)
What is generalisation (operant conditioning)?
response reinforced/punished in presence off one stimulus is also done in the presence of a similar stimulus
e.g. you know to open the door when the doorbell rings, you will also answer the door if the doorbell rings but with a different sound
What is instinctive drift (operant conditioning)?
tendency to revert to instinctive behaviour (bio constraint)
What is discrimination (operant conditioning)?
response occurs in presence of one stimulus but not in presence of similar ones that differ from i
What is shaping (operant conditioning)?
reinforcing small steps/each successive approximation until desired behaviour occurs
Application of operant conditioning
Behaviour modification –> use operant conditioning techniques = teach new resp/reduce/eliminate problematic behaviour
E.g. hospital:
Children w autism –> improve communication skills
brain damage –> train to control inappropriate behaviours
What are the problems with punishment?
- inappropriate administration –> harsh methods
- harsh/frequent = anxiety/fear/anger
- effectiveness is temp & dependent on presence of punisher
- hard to punish immediately
- X instruct what person should do
- may be reinforcing bc it brings attention
What are some problems with reward?
- often misused –> give indiscriminately = unrelated to desired behaviour
- there may be more focus on rewards instead of the purpose of the action (do smth for the reward instead of e.g. joy/learn smth)
- effectiveness depends on: initial motivation, context in which rewards are achieved & sincerity of person giving praisee
What is the biological predisposition of. learning?
predispose organisms to learn assoc. that enhance survival
(e.g. babies assoc fear w snakes & spiders more easily than guns; bc guns are evolutionary novel)
What is latent learning?
learning occurs but X shown until person demonstrates it
suggests that learning happens even w/o reinforcement & is X apparent
What is insight learning?
all of a sudden learning by understanding r/s of various parts of the problem, rather than trial & error
- unconscious cognitive processes happening in background
What is learned helplessness?
tendency to fail to act due to past history of repeated failures
What is observational learning?
process. in which an individual learns new responses by observing the behaviour of another (instead of through direct experience)