Topic 4: Learning Flashcards
What is learning?
- enduring change due to response of an experience
- change/adaptation to behaviour
- can change the way we perceive, think, feel, act
- cannot be observed directly = inferred from behaviour observed
What are the 3 main types of learning?
- classical conditioning
- operant conditioning
- modelling/observational learning (cognitive-social)
What is classical conditioning (CC)?
learning of a new association/relationship between two previously unrelated stimuli
What is only applied to CC?
reflexes and autonomic responses
What is the process of CC?
stimulus elicit sensory/behavioural response + automatic reflexive response = behavioural response outside out conscious awareness
Who is associated with CC?
Ivan Pavlov - salivating dogs - Pavlovian Conditioning John Watson (behaviourism) - little Albert - reflexive emotional response
Model of CC
Prior:
UCS (meat) - UCR (salivation)
NS (bell) - No UCR (no salivation)
During:
NS (bell) - UCS (meat) - UCR (saltivation)
After:
CS (bell) - CR (salivation)
What is operant conditioning (OC)?
learning of a new association between behaviour and its consequences = voluntary response
reinforcement + punishment
OC and reinforcement
INCREASES likelihood of future behaviour
+ reinforcement = pleasant stimulus
- reinforcement = removal of aversive stimulus
OC and punishment
DECREASES likelihood of future behaviour
+ punishment = aversive stimulus
- punishment = removal of pleasant stimulus
Who is associated with OC?
B.F Skinner - skinner box; rats and reward system
Problems of punishment
learner may not understand which behaviour is being punished, fear the ‘punisher’, may not undo existing rewards for a behaviour, punitive aggression = future aggression
Schedules of reinforcement
how often and when we receive reinforcement
Continuous reinforcement
behaviour reinforced every time it occurs, best used during initial learning
Intermittent/partial reinforcement
behaviour reinforced part of the time, more difficult to extinguish
Ratio schedule
fixed ratio - reinforcement after certain # of responses = high response rate
variable ratio - reinforcement after varying # of responses = higher response rate, resilient against extinction
Interval schedules
fixed interval - reinforcement after specific time period has passed = low response rate
variable interval - reinforcement after first response and then varying time periods = stable response rate
Real world OC examples
behavioural modification (remedial education, therapy for ASD) behavioural therapy (quitting smoking)
What is cognitive-social learning?
role of thought + social learning on behaviour
observational & modelling
What is observational learning?
learn by observing behaviour of others (models), with/out CC and OC
What is modelling?
reproduce/copy another’s behaviour
imitation depends on prestige of model, likeability, attractiveness, whether model is rewarded/punished for behaviour (vicarious conditioning)
Who is associated with cognitive-social learning?
Albert Bandura - bobo doll experiment
Stimulus generalisation and discrimination (CC)
if a response is conditioned to one stimulus, the organism may also respond to a similar stimulus (generalisation) but not to a disimilar stimulus (discrimination)
Eg: little albert conditioned fear of rats generalised to other furry white objects
Habituation
DECREASE in behavioural response when stimulus is presented repeatedly
Sensitisation
INCREASE in behavioural response when stimulus is presented repeatedly
Extinction
learned inhibition response - not unlearning
CR becomes weaker when CS is presented without UCS = response has extinguished
eg: treating phobias
Spontaneous recovery
re-emergence of previously extinguished CR
time passing/new context following extinction can partially renew CR
