WEEK 10 COMPLETED SET Flashcards
define learning
a relatively permanent change in behaviour as a result of experience
function of the nervous system (learning)
allows the organism 2 respond adequately 2 external stimuli and continuously adapt to changing environmental conditions eg. find food, water, sex and avoid danger
what are reflexive responses
occur without learning, simple, allow little flexibility, and typically associate with invariable forms of external stimulation- may be sufficient to sustain basic forms of survival but more complex requires specific adaptations
neural plasticity is the set of mechanisms that allow..
the modification of behaviour responses based on previous experiences - sustains learning
what is plasticity
the ability of the neutrons to make lasting changes in the efficacy of their synaptic transmission
what does hebbian synapses mean
if two neutrons are active at the same time the synapses between them are strengthened- when axon A is near enough to excite B and repeatedly takes part in firing it, some growth processes or metabolic changes take place in one or both cells- therefore, As efficiency at firing B is increased
hebbian put simply
a X fire b learning occurs
then- a can fire b
what is perceptual learning
the capacity to learn 2 recognise and learn about stimuli perceived previously and differentiate them from other similar stimuli
main function of perceptual learning
to identify and categorise stimuli such as objects and contexts or situations- recognise why or what something is
what is motor learning
a type of stimulus response learning as it requires both extrecoceptive sensory stimulation and proprioceptive stimulation- requires feedback between the environment and the actions we perform
what is relational learning
various forms of learning that are required 2 establish specific associations between stimuli and how things relate eg. spatial learning
spatial learning
involves association between different stimuli present in a given context, allows the organism to respond adequately- creates cognitive map
habituation and sensitisation-
we experience a stimulus and respond innately, then either stop responding or respond more strongly after repeated exposure
what is stimulus response learning
refers to the capacity to perform a learned behaviour in response to a specific stimuli which it has been associated with
characteristics of classical conditioning
CS presented first learning is best, don’t need to learn to do UCR- it is a reflex, natural, CR is a less one, does not require consciousness and can occur even among people in a negative state
acquisition
learning phase during which a conditioned response is established
extinction
gradual reduction and elimination of the CR after the CS is repeated with out the UCS
spontaneous recovery
in a phenomena whereby a seemingly exinct CR reappears often weaker if the CS is presented again
renewal effect
a related phenomena to spontaneous recovery which occurs when we extinguish a response in a setting different from the one in which it was acquired when in original setting, response reappears- displays that extinction doesn’t delete memories (they become dormant)
stimulus generalisation
process by which a similar stimulus to the CS but not identical elicits a CR
discrimination
ability to differentiate between a CS and other stimuli which have not been paired with a UCS
conditioned fear
fear can be learned via CC- when a NS does not cause fear is associated with an adverse stimulus which causes fear the NS can cause fear-cause of phobia
operant conditioning suggests
we learn through the consequences of our actions
how is operant different from classical
behaviour is voluntary and reward is contingent on behaviour, depends on skeletal muscles
what is the law of effect
if a response in the presence of a stimulus is followed by a satisfying state of affairs the bond between them will be strengthened - due to trial and error
what is reinforcement
any outcome that strengthens the probability of a response - differs from reward, which is experience of pleasure
continuous reinforcement is when
behaviour is reinforced everytime- works better
partial reinforcement is when
responses are reinforced only some of the time- less chance of exinction
fixed ratio..
constant number of responses
fixed interval..
first response after constant amount of time
variable ratio…
changing number of times
variable interval…
first response after a changing amount of time
SOR
stimulus-organism-response- not just automatic
observational learning
important variant of latent learning- it is vicarious learning by watching others learn
what is habituation
Habituation is a form of non-associative learning in which an innate response to a stimulus decreases after repeated or prolonged presentations of that stimulus
what is sentisitation
Sensitization is a non-associative learning process in which repeated administration of a stimulus results in the progressive amplification of a response
