Download Learning - SCPsychology

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Behaviours not dependent on learning (reflex
action, fixed pattern action and behaviours
due to maturation)
Classical conditioning (Pavlov’s original
experiments, conditioned stimulus,
unconditioned stimulus, conditioned
response, unconditioned response, process of
acquisition, extinction, stimulus,
generalisation, stimulus discrimination and
spontaneous revovery)
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Learning is a relatively permanent change in
behaviour as a result of learning
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Can you think of any examples?
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Most human behaviour are learned, but some
are innate (inborn), these are:
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Reflex actions
Fixed pattern actions
Maturation
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Kit Kat activity
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Actions that are relatively simple and
automatic and involuntary
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They come directly from the NS
- eg) pulling hand away from hot stove,
salivation, blinking
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When different members of the same species
produce an identical response to the same
specific stimuli
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These actions are genetically programmed
into the animal’s NS and appear to be unable
to be changed
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Nesting
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Salmon migrate thousands of ks through ocean
waters to spawn (reproduce) in the rivers in which
they were born!
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Birds flying south for the winter
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Honey bees perform ritualistic behaviours to
indicate the location of a source of food
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Development related to physical growth,
social, emotional and intellectual
development
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It occurs in a sequence and is largely
predictable – determined by genes (+ a bit of
environment)
- eg) learning to walk, learning socially
acceptable behaviour, learning how to read
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We learn in different ways and it differs for
the individual and the situation
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Reinforcement is a key to learning – it refers
to any event that increases the chance that
the response will occur again
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A response is any identifiable behaviour
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Conditioning is a form of learning that
emphasises the relationship between a
stimulus and a response
- What is a stimulus? Can you think of examples
from your everyday lives where a stimulus
evokes a certain response
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Classical conditioning: also known as
respondent conditioning where we learn by
association
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Operant conditioning: also known as
instrumental conditioning where we learn by
consequences
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Observational learning: also known as
modelling where we learn through observing
skinner box.mp4
pavlovs dogs.mp4
clockwork orange.mp4
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C:\Program Files\Sniffy Demo For
Windows\SniffyDemo.exe
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We will discuss this in more depth later in the
AOS
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However a token economy is a form of
behaviour modification where an individual
receives a token (reinforcement) for
appropriate behaviour and these tokens can
be collected and exchanged for real rewards
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Define the following terms in relation to
Classical Conditioning (pg 284-289)
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Conditioned stimulus
Stimulus generalisation
Stimulus discrimination
Extinction
Spontaneous recovery
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Respondent, Pavlovian or Associative Conditioning
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Also known as respondent or Pavlovian
conditioning
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Conditioning that occurs through repeated
association between two or more stimuli
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There are several terms we use to describe
the events in classical conditioning
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Unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
Unconditioned response (CR)
Neural stimulus (NS)
Conditioned stimulus (CS)
Conditioned response (CR)
Extinction
Spontaneous recovery
Stimulus generalisation
Stimulus discrimination
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Before learning a neural stimulus (NS) will
NOT evoke a response
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After learning the neural stimulus becomes a
conditioned stimulus (CS)
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Is a stimulus that is naturally capable of
creating a response
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EG:
Food
A loud sound
Cold weather
A loud sound
A puff of air on your eye
A hot stove
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Is a naturally occurring (innate) response to
an unconditioned stimulus (UCS)
EG:
- When you smell food you salivate
(food is the UCS salivation is the UCR)
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When it is cold you shiver
(cold is the UCS shivering is the UCR)
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Is a stimulus that will evoke a response AFTER
learning has taken place
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EG:
In Pavlov’s experiment the bell becomes a CS which
triggers salivation (CR)
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You eat every time you go to the kitchen. Food is
originally the UCS and feeling hungry is the UCR. In
time the kitchen itself becomes the CS and feeling
hungry becomes a CR
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A response to a stimulus that has been
learned
EG:
Salivating at the sound of the bell becomes a
CR
You get bitten by a spider in your bed one
night. The spider is the UCS, pain is the UCR,
your bed becomes the CS and being scared of
being bitten becomes the CR
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Often the UCR will become the CR but NOT
always
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For example with the spider. Pain was the
original UCR but then fear of pain becomes
the CR
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The period of time it takes for a response or
behaviour to be learned
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To acquire behaviour a CS must be reinforced
during training
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After conditioning has occurred, if the UCS is
no longer followed by the CS, conditioning
will gradually disappear
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EG:
When Pavlov rang the bell (CS) but no longer
presented the food (UCS), the dog eventually
stopped salivating (CR) after hearing the bell
(UCS)
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When the conditioned response (CR)
reappears after a period of time following the
conditioned stimulus (CS) spontaneous
recovery has occurred
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EG:
The next day the experimenter rings the bell
(CS) and the salivation occurs (CR) after it was
thought to be extinct
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After conditioning has occurred, other
stimulus that appears to be the same (similar)
to the conditioned stimulus (CS) may also
trigger the conditioned response (CR)
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EG:
Pavlov’s dog might salivate at the sound of a
phone ringing or a door bell
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This happens when the person or animal
responds ONLY to the conditioned stimulus
(CS) and no other similar stimulus
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EG:
Pavlov’s dog only salivates at the sounds of
the bell
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With reference to taste aversion
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One trial learning with reference to taste
aversion
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Classical conditioning where it only takes one
pairing of a neural stimulus prior to
unpleasant stimulus to create a lasting
association between the two
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Most often occurs with pain or food
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Time lapse between NS and UCS could be
hours – different to classical conditioning
where it needs to be immediate
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Sometimes called Garcia response (John
Garcia first demonstrated this with animals in
1974) – pg 289 read its interesting
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Type of one-trial learning
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Association between stimuli (smell or taste)
and unpleasant response (vomiting, nausea)
With reference to Thorndike’s experiments
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Trial and error learning, including Thorndike’s
puzzle-box experiment
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Thorndike studied animal intelligence – he placed
hungry cat in box with salmon outside box just out of
reach and cat had to work out how to press a lever to
open the door (puzzle box experiment)
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Trial and error learning occurs when an organism
eliminates responses that do not achieve desired
goals and continue to explore environment until they
discover the response that gains the desired reward
Instrumental or Skinnerian Conditioning
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Operant conditioning, including Skinner’s
original experiments (the Skinner box) and
processes of acquisition, extinction, stimulus
generalisation, stimulus discrimination and
spontaneous recovery
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Where we associate a response with a
consequence
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Behaviours or responses that are reinforced
tend to be repeated (Thorndike called this the
law of effect)
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A response is followed by a reinforcer (food,
praise, removal of unpleasant stimuli etc)
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Most operant studies take place in a conditioning
chamber (think back to the video on the Skinner box)
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Hungry rat (or other animal) is placed in box and
receives reinforcement (food) for behaviours such as
grooming or pressing a lever (positive reinforcement)
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Unpleasant stimuli such as an electric shock may also
be removed after the response (negative
reinforcement)
• Positive reinforcement
• Negative reinforcement
• Punishment
• Response cost
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When a pleasant or desirable event follows a
response (action/behaviour) and then
chances of the response occurring again are
increased
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EG:
You get $5 for doing the dishes
You get verbal praise for working hard in class
You get an A+ on an essay your worked really
hard on
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Occurs when an unpleasant stimulus is
removed or reduced, increasing the chances
of the response occurring again
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EG:
You have a headache and take a panadol
Rat is given shock and shock is removed if it
presses the level
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Any event following a response that will
decrease the likelihood of the response
occurring again
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EG:
Being sent out of class for talking, talking will
become less likely in the future
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Your parents send you to your room without
dinner for being naughty, you will be less
likely to be naughty in the future
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Another type of punishment (involved in
punishment)
Reinforcement where a positive reinforcer is
removed after a response
EG:
Parking tickets
Speeding fines
TV privileges
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(Skinner box – operant conditioning)
video02.mp4
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(Thorndike – trial and error learning – type of
operant conditioning) video03.mp4
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In operant conditioning, it is more effective
when reinforcement directly follows the
desired response (refer to graph on page 300)
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If there is a delay in the reinforcement,
learning is less likely to occur therefore the
chance of the response occurring again will
not be increased
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Refers to plans for determining which
responses will be reinforced
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Continuous reinforcement is when a
reinforcer follows every correct response (not
realistic under non-lab conditions)
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Partial reinforcers do not follow every correct
response (extinction is less likely to take
place)
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Fixed ratio: number of responses must be
made before reinforcement
EG: I give you a lollie for every 5 minutes you
are quiet
Variable ratio: varied number of responses
must be made before reinforcement
EG: playing a poker machine – you don’t
know how many dollars you will have to put
in to be rewarded
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Fixed interval: reinforcer given after response
after a fixed amount of time
EG: pedestrian button – light will only go
green after a fixed amount of time after you
press it
Variable interval: reinforcer given after
correct response after a varied amount of
time
EG: fishing – you don’t know how long you
will have to wait for the fish to bite
Bobo doll experiment – (observational learning)
video01.mp4
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Observational learning (modelling)
processes: attention, retention, reproduction,
motivation, reinforcement; Bandura’s
experiments with observational learning in
children
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We learn by observation – but how does it
occur?
Learner pays attention to model
Learner perceives the model to be interesting
Learner remembers what was done by the
model (retention)
Learner reproduces the behaviour
(reproduction)
Learner has motivation to repeat the task
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Learning set and its influence on future
learning
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Is a positive transfer of information from a
previous learning situation to a new learning
situation
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EG: a driving simulator – a real car
EG: playing tennis – playing badminton
EG: gymnastics – diving
EG: Sprinting – hurdles
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Comparison of classical and operant
conditioning, role of learner, timing of
stimulus and response, nature of response
(reflex/voluntary)
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Role of learner
Timing of stimulus and response
Nature of response (reflexive/voluntary)
Task:
In your booklets you need to write up a
comparison of classical and operant
conditioning
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Ethical issues in conditioning behaviour
including Watson’s ‘little Albert’ experiment
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Little Albert experiment
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Task:
Read focus on research Little Albert page 298
What are the ethical issues?
Why would this experiment not be conducted
today? There is a section in your booklets for
these answers
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