Theories of learning

Question 1

What is learning?

Answer 1

A change in knowledge or behaviour as a result of experience

Question 2

Two major types of learning according to psychology

Answer 2

1. Conditional learning.
2. Observational learning.

Question 3

Conditional learning

Answer 3

• Learning to respond to a particular stimulus and a particular way

Question 4

Stimulus

Answer 4

Something in the environment, which illicits a response

Question 5

Response

Answer 5

Behaviour

Example an operant

Question 6

Consequence

Answer 6

Positive or negative result of a behaviour

Question 7

When does learning occur?

Answer 7

Learning occurs through association

For example, the dog makes the link between the treat and the fetching of the newspaper or the scolding and eating the homework

Question 8

Behavioural psychologist believe believe that most human behaviour is a result of what

Answer 8

Conditioning

Question 9

What are two kinds of conditioning?

Answer 9

1. Classical conditioning.
2. Operant conditioning.

Question 10

Classical conditioning
(Name of psychologist)

Answer 10

Ivan Pavlov

Question 11

What are classical conditioning?

Answer 11

• Unconditioned response
• unconditional stimulus
• stimulus 

Question 12

Unconditional response

Answer 12

No one taught the dog to salivate
Natural

Question 13

Unconditional stimulus

Answer 13

No one trained the dog to eat 

Question 14

Neutral stimulus

Answer 14

The dog is a stimulus that has no meaning

Question 15

If the bell rings every time the dog is fed, the bell becomes a…

Answer 15

Conditioned stimulus

Question 16

Because the bell is associated with food when the bell is wrong, the dog will begin salivate and look for food. This is . ….

Answer 16

Condition response

Question 17

Generalization using similar stimuli (to the conditioned stimulus) to elicit the same response * Pavlo used bells, whistles, and buzzers

Answer 17

Extinction results when the conditioned stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus are no longer present together
(the response, no longer exist)

Question 18

Operant conditioning
Who is the psychologist?

Answer 18

B.F Skinner

Question 19

Explain the Skinner box

Answer 19

-It is a soundproof box/cage -As the rat moves around the cage, he eventually presses the bar =food
-when he presses the bar again = more food
-eventually, the rat is constantly pressing the bar for food

Question 20

The Skinnerbox is an example of what?

Answer 20

Operant conditioning

Question 21

What is free responding set up

Answer 21

-subject responses are set by themselves, not by the experimenter

Or example the rat can press the lever if and when it wants to

Question 22

What is successive approximation?

Answer 22

Shaping behaviour by breaking it down into small steps and reinforcing the small steps

For example, reinforcement if the rat moves into the area of the lever, if he faces it, if he stretches his body upward, if he touches the lever with his paws, if he presses the lever!

Question 23

Superstitious behaviours

Answer 23

-produced by the joint act of reinforcement and accident
-Odd motor actions are likely to reoccur if they are reinforced

For example, pigeons given food every 15 seconds regardless of their behavior, if they were all doing different things popping flying, and 1 continued the response it was making before the reinforcement

Question 24

What is operant conditioning

Answer 24

A type of learning in which behaviours are performed and then reinforced or punished

Question 25

Principles of operant conditioning

Answer 25

Reinforcement
Punishment
Positive reinforcement

Question 26

Reinforcement

Answer 26

Always involves increasing behaviour

Reinforcement is more effective if it follows the desired response immediately 

Question 27

Punishment

Answer 27

Always involves decreasing or suppressing behaviour 

Question 28

Positive reinforcement

Answer 28

Any reward that causes the behaviour to be repeated

The subject must value the reward for it to act as a positive reinforcement 

Question 29

Is reinforcement more effective than punishment in shaping behaviour

Answer 29

Yes

Each time a subject performs a desired response the subject receives a reinforcement for that behaviour

Question 30

Once learning has taken place will most subjects continue to perform the desired behaviors?

Answer 30

Yes

The desired behaviors, even though they may not be reinforced every time will continue
(internal control, VS external control)
(potty training)