Unit 4: Learning Flashcards
Modules 26-30. Associative and Observational Learning
learning
relatively permanent change in organism’s behavior due to experience
associative learning
association between 2 stimuli (classical conditioning) or response + consequences (operant conditioning)
conditioning
learning that two events occur together
behaviorism
attempt to understand observable activity in terms of observed stimulus + response
Ivan Pavlov
psychologist who pioneered classical conditioning
Pavlov’s dog: US, UR, NS/CS, CR
US: food in mouth. UR: salivates in response to food in mouth. NS/CS: tone. CR: salivates in response to tone.
acquistion (CC)
formation of assocation between NS/CS and US so that CS triggers CR
extinction (CC)
when CS presented ALONE repeatedly, diminishing of CR
spontaneous recovery (CC)
the reapperance, after a rest period, of extinguished CR
generalization (CC)
tendency to respond to stimuli similar to CS (e.g. afraid of wasps, generalizes to bees)
discrimination (CC)
learning to distinguish betweeen CS + other stimuli that don’t signal US (e.g. generalized rsp to tone and wind chimes, dog learns to discriminate and rsp to tone only)
In most cases of classical conditioning, how much time should elapse between presenting the NS and the US?
no more than half a second - the closer the better
law of effect
Edward Thorndike’s theory that operant conditioning makes behavior more likely if consequences = reward, less likely if consequences = punishment
BF Skinner (u4)
influential figure in behaviorism and operant conditioning who developed Skinner box / operant chamber
operant chamber
Also skinner box: chamber with bar or key that animal manipulates to get food/water reinforcer
reinforcement (OC)
any event that strengthens the behavior/response
shaping
reinforcers gradually guiding subject towards desired behavior (giving food when close to obj, successively moving fwd until it’s req to press object)
positive reinforcement
increases behavior by adding a pleasant stimulus
negative renforcement
increase behavior by removing an unpleasant stimulus
positive punishment
decreases behavior by adding an unpleasant stimulus. ex: fine for speeding
negative punishment
decreases behavior by removing a pleasant stimulus. ex: ban bad person from discord server.
primary vs secondary reinforcer
innate unlearned stimulus like food and water vs learned stimulus b/c of association like money and praise
immediate vs delayed reinforcers
immediate works effectively for both humans and animals. delayed works with humans only, but only be up to 30 sec for any effect
cc - CS 0.5 sec before US…
reinforcement schedules
patterns that define how often desired response reinforced. Fixed interval (every so often), fixed ratio (every so many), variable interval (every ?? time elapsed), variable ratio (every ?? many)
Why were Skinner’s ideas controversial to some?
behaviorism rejected study of internal thought and mental processes (unobservable) which some disagreed with
also manipulated subjects
biofeedback
system used to record and display physiological responses, using cognitive factors to influence physiological factors of stress
helps mitigate tension headaches
response in cc
involuntary and automatic
response in oc
voluntary and based on environment
acquisition (OC)
association of a response and its consequences
extinction (OC)
response rate diminishing when reinforcement stops
spontaneous recovery (OC)
reappearance, after rest period, of an extinguished response
generalization (OC)
response learned in one situation occurring in (generalizing to) other similar situations
discrimination (OC)
learning that some responses, but not others, will be reinforced
John Garcia
psychologist who challenged idea that all associations learned equally well.
noticed that rats that got sick from water developed ONLY taste aversion that didn’t generalize to other senses. concluded classical conditioning is limited by genetic predispositions and adaptation (taste identifies poisoned food)
biological limits on classical conditioning
What’s an example of taste aversion?
Wolves fed sickening poison (US) in sheep (NS) carcass.
Used to avert wolves from live sheep (CS) which they’d fear (CR), saving sheep and wolf lives.
instinctive drift
subjects of operant conditioning reverting to predisposed patterns even after conditioning
shows that OC most easily retains behavior that reflects bio predispo and nat adaptation
biological limits on operant conditioning
Robert Rescorla and Allen Wagner
psychologists who proved subjects can learn predictability of associations (expectancy limits classical conditioning). disagreed with behaviorist Pavlov b/c said NS cannot become CS w/o predictive value (which occurs via mental processes)
ex: light + tone –> shock … tone = better predictor, so stronger CR to the tone
cognitive limits on classical conditioning
How do mental processes affect classical conditioning?
Organisms develop expectancy that CS signals arrival of CS
How do mental processes affect operant conditioning?
subjects develop expectancy that response reinforced/punished
also exhibit latent learning without reinforcement
Edward Tolman
psychologist who discoered cognitive maps with rat maze runners
latent learning
learning that occurs but is not apparent until incentive to demonstrate
cognitive map
mental representation of layout of one’s environment
ex: maze running rats act as if they have mental layout of enviro, even w/o icentive
contradict’s Skinner’s discounting of mental processes
insight learning
learning through sudden realization of a problem’s solution
no reinforcement … thus, cog process involved
intrinsic vs extrinsic motivation
intrinsic: a desire to perform behavior for its own sake
extrinsic: desire to perform behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment
excessive rewards diminish intrinsic motivation (overjustification)
coping strategies
problem-focused: alleviating stress DIRECTLY - changing stressor + way we interact with it (higher success)
emotion-focused: alleviating stress by ignoring/avoiding stressor (symptom management)
* adaptive: good… ex, support from friends
* maladaptive: scroll on tiktok instead of studying for test
learned helplessness
when unable to avoid repeated aversive events, hopelessness + passive resignation
Martin Seligman
discovered learned helplessness in dogs strapped to harness
given repeated shocks w no opportunity to avoid … when later given opp, didn’t do so
internal vs external locus of control
internal: belief that we direct our own fate, correlated with achievement and health (holding self accountable)
external: belief that outside factors mainly affect lives (like luck and other’s treatment of you; not holding self accountable)
self-control
ability to delay gratification and control impulses. depleted through use.
observational learning
learning by studying/observing others
modeling
process of observing and imitating specific behavior (starts as early as 9 months old)
likely to imitate those we perceive as similar, successful, or admirable
Albert Bandura
famous study on observ learning = Bobo Doll (violence modeling)
kids saw adult act aggressively and hostile towards doll … went on to model aggression and demonstrate NOVEL ACTS OF VIOLENCE (guns, stabbing, hammer)
sidenote: lessons we learn as children not easily unlearned as adults
mirror neurons
frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions (or observe others doing so)
may enable imitation, language learning, empathy
prosocial vs antisocial modeling
prosocial: positive, constructive, helpful behavior (ex: sweetness day @ payton, ppl model volunteering efforts)
antisocial: violent, negative, unproductive behavior (ex: bobo doll)
violence viewing effect
the theory that viewing media violence leads to an increased expression of aggression
