Download Chapter 5: Learning - Gordon State College

Chapter 6: Learning
• Learning (permanent change in behavior or
behavior potential based on experience):
* behaviorist models (SR associations):
1. classical conditioning (association
between two stimuli before a response)
2. operant conditioning (association
between a response and its reinforcing or
punishing consequences)
* cognitive and social influences on learning
• Classical (Pavlovian) conditioning:
- Ivan Pavlov’s learning model (before, during, after):
* unconditioned stimulus (UCS) = natural
* unconditioned response (UCR) = unlearned
* conditioned stimulus (CS) = neutral
* conditioned response (CR) = learned
* temporal contiguity = repeated pairing of CS
and UCS (delayed conditioning)
* selective associations = certain CS-UCS
associations are more easily learned
* extinction = repeated presentation of CS
without UCS
* stimulus generalization = CR occurring to
stimuli similar to CS (early)
* stimulus discrimination = restricting CR to
CS only (later)
* some practical applications:
~ conditioned taste aversions
~ physiological respondents (e.g., caffeine)
~ bed wetting
~ snoring
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• Operant conditioning:
- B. F. Skinner’s operant conditioning:
* reinforcement increases vs. punishment
decreases behavior probability
~ positive and negative
* shaping = successive approximations
* continuous (every time) vs. partial (ratio or
interval) reinforcement schedules
* accidental (incidental) reinforcement =
superstitious behavior
* overjustification = reinforcing an alreadyrewarding task
• Cognitive and social influences on learning:
- cognitive social-learning theory (Albert Bandura):
* observational learning
* modeling
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