UNIT 6: Learning Flashcards
Learning
process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors.
associative learning
when two events that occur together are linked and remembered.
habituation
when a response decreases with repeated exposure
Behaviourists
all behaviours are learned through conditioned interaction with the environment
conditioning
form of learning
classical conditioning
-when someone learns to associate a particular stimulus with a specific response
-the subject learns to give a response it already knows, to a new stimulus
Operant conditioning
-when someone learns to associate a behaviour with a consequence
unconditional stimulus (UCS)
an object/event, causes a reaction which is an unconditioned response (UCR)
Unconditioned response (UCR)
the automatic reaction to that stimulus
neutral stimulus (NS)
something that would not normally cause any reaction, produces the same UCR
Conditioned stimulus (CS)
initially neutral stimulus that, through pairing with a biologically relevant stimulus
Conditional response (CR)
must be learned by the individual by pairing a neutral stimulus with a potent stimulus
Generalization
tendency to respond to stimulus similar to the CS
Discrimination
Learning to distinguish between a CS and other stimuli that do not signal a UCS
Extinction
a learnt response (CR) decreases when the CS is repeatedly presented alone
Spontaneous recovery
the reappearance, after a period of extinction, of a learnt response (CR)
biological preparedness
an evolutionary predisposition to easily learn behaviours related to survival
taste aversion
the avoidance of a certain food following a period of illness after consuming that food
One-trial conditioning
-underlying conditioning component of taste aversion
- a single pairing of a stimulus (dodgy salmon) and response (illness) will be enough to create an association
Higher-order conditioning
a well learned conditioned stimulus is paired with a new, second neutral stimulus, creating a weaker conditioned response. This term is also known as second-order conditioning.
Counter conditioning
pairing the trigger stimulus (for example, being in a small physical space), with a new response that is NOT related to fear (e.g relation or happiness).
Operant conditioning
learning to associate a behaviour with a consequence
Law of effect
behaviours followed by positive consequences are more likely to occur, while behaviours followed by negative consequences are less likely to occur
discriminative stimulus
the stimulus that elicits a response after association with a consequence (reinforcement)
EX: a treat when a dog sits down is the DS
Positive reinforcment
when a behaviour is followed by receiving something favourable (like a reward), the behaviour is likely to be strengthened in the future
Punishment
when a behaviour is followed by something negative, the behaviour is likely to decrease in the future
Negative reinforcement
when a person is trapped in a bad situation, they perform a behaviour to escape. The unpleasant consequence is taken away after a behaviour is given, and this reinforces that behaviour to continue to avoid
EX: a car beeps until the seat belt is fastened, reinforcing the behaviour of buckling up
continous reinforcement
the desired behaviour is reinforced every single time it occurs. This schedule is best used during the initial stages of learning to create a strong association between the behaviour and response
EX: Every time a child remembers to raise their hand in class, the teacher gives them a sticker
partial reinforcement schedule
the response is reinforced only part of the time. Learned behaviours are acquired more slowly with partial reinforcement, but the response is more resistant to extinction
Fixed ratio
Reinforcement is after every **th behaviour
‘Buy one coffee, get one free’
NUMERIC
Fixed interval
Reinforcement for the behaviour is after a fixed time
‘Tuesday discount day’
TIME
variable ratio
Reinforcement is after a random/varied number of behaviours
‘Gambling’
variable interval
Reinforcement for behaviour is after a random amount of time
‘Checking your phone for messages’
scalloped graph
- can help identify a fixed interval graph
Primary reinforcer
include food, water, sleep, oxygen and sex (biological drives)… and money
secondary reinforcers
any neutral stimulus that needs to be paired with a primary reinforcer, for it to become rewarding.
EX: Money
learned helplessness
the feeling that you are hopeless no matter what behaviour and results from the inability to avoid repeated aversive events
EX: studies have shown that if a dog doesn’t learn that a certain button can release it from electric shocks, it will eventually give up trying
If no reinforcement occurs, you will give up
Instinctual Drift
The animal no longer performs the behaviours it has been taught, but goes back to behaviours that are in its nature. It begins to do what it is driven to do regardless of the resulting punishment.
superstitious behaviour
-accidental rewards are associated with behaviours
EX: a gambler playing with his bracelet just as he wins, may in the future continue to wear his ‘lucky charm’.
Social learning theory
The notion that we learn our behaviours through social learning
Modelling
-identification, observation and imitation
-process of learning new skills/information
-only occurs if the behaviour is seen to be rewarded (reinforced) rather than punished
Vicarious reinforcement
occurs when the frequency of certain behaviors increases as a result of observing others rewarded for the same behaviors
Insight learning
fairly immediate process where clear learning or understanding takes place without overt trial-and-error testing or reinforcement - it just happens. It is often referred to as the ‘aha moment’
Latent learning
form of learning that occurs without any obvious reinforcement of the behaviour. It typically presents itself later on
cognitive maps
we don’t have to be reinforced to learn how to get around new environments. It’s a learning process that just happens
