Download PSYC 100 Chapter 7

Chaffee Winter 2013
CHAPTER 7
Learning
CHAPTER 7: LEARNING
How Do We Learn?
  Classical Conditioning
 
 
 
 
 
Operant Conditioning
 
 
 
 
 
Pavlov’s Experiments
Extending Pavlov’s Understanding
Pavlov’s Legacy
Skinner’s Experiments
Extending Skinner’s Understanding
Skinner’s Legacy
Contrasting Classical and Operant Conditioning
Learning by Observation
 
 
 
Mirrors in the Brain
Bandura’s Experiments
Applications of Observational Learning
INTRODUCTION
  One
Chaffee Winter 2013
of nature’s most important gifts to us may be
our adaptability – our capacity to learn new
behaviors that help us cope with changing
circumstances
  Learning: a relatively permanent change in an
organism’s behavior due to experience
HOW DO WE LEARN?
Chaffee Winter 2013
We learn by association.
Imagine you heard the theme tune from Jaws. What do
you associate with this stimulus?
Associative learning: learning that certain events
occur together. The events may be two stimuli (as in
classical conditioning) or a response and its consequence
(as in operant conditioning)
TYPES OF LEARNING
Chaffee Winter 2013
Classical conditioning
2.  Operant conditioning
3.  Observational learning
1. 
BEHAVIORISM
  Most
psychologists today do account for mental
processes: Cognitive-behaviorists.
  Famous Behaviorists:
 
 
 
 
John Watson
Ivan Pavlov
B.F. Skinner
Albert Bandura
Chaffee Winter 2013
Behaviorism: the view the psychology (1) should
be an objective science that (2) studies behavior
without reference to mental processes
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
  Classical
 
 
 
 
Conditioning
First explained by Ivan Pavlov (1849 – 1936)
Pavlov won the first Russian Nobel Prize for his work
in 1904.
A type of learning in which one learns to link two or
more stimuli and anticipate events.
Common example: Pavlov’s dogs salivating to the
sound of a bell
PAVLOV’S EXPERIMENTS
  Pavlov
made observations of dogs’ salivation when
they tasted food.
 
 
 
the mechanism of the salivation
Isolated the dog in a small room (control environment)
Secured it in a harness
Attached a device to measure the amount of salivation
  From
the next room, they presented food.
  Paired: Neutral Stimulus (NS) + food in mouth
Chaffee Winter 2013
  Test
PAVLOV’S EXPERIMENTS
PAVLOV’S EXPERIMENTS CONTINUED
  Unconditioned
 
E.g. the sound of a bell was neutral to Pavlov’s dogs
  Unconditioned
response (UR): in classical
conditioning, the unlearned, naturally occurring
response to the unconditioned stimulus, such as
salivation when food is in the mouth.
Chaffee Winter 2013
stimulus (US): in classical
conditioning, a stimulus that naturally and
automatically triggers a response.
  Neutral stimulus (NS): in classical
conditioning, a stimulus that elicits no response
before conditioning.
PAVLOV’S EXPERIMENTS CONTINUED
  Conditioned
Chaffee Winter 2013
response (CR): in classical
conditioning, the learned response to a previously
neutral (but now conditioned) stimulus.
  Conditioned stimulus (CS): in classical
conditioning, a previously neutral stimulus that,
after association with an unconditioned stimulus
(US), comes to trigger a conditioned response.
PAVLOV’S EXPERIMENTS
QUIZ YOURSELF
  If
the aroma of a cake baking sets your mouth
watering, what is the US? CS? CR?
Chaffee Winter 2013
QUIZ YOURSELF
  If
the aroma of a cake baking sets your mouth
watering, what is the US? CS? CR?
(taste) = US
  Aroma = CS
  Salivation to the aroma = CR
Chaffee Winter 2013
  Cake
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING CONTINUED
  Acquisition:
 
  Timing
– read the importance of timing in classical
conditioning. Page 296
  Conditioning helps animals survive and reproduce
Chaffee Winter 2013
 
Initial stage of classical conditioning
When one links a neutral stimulus and an
unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus
begins triggering the conditioned response
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING CONTINUED
  Higher-order
conditioning: a new neutral
stimulus can become a new conditioned stimulus
 
AKA second order conditioning
Pavlov: add a light with the bell, eventually the light
produces the salivation
  My
dog: The dog treats are located in a cabinet.
She comes running whenever she hears that
specific cabinet open.
Chaffee Winter 2013
 
HIGHER-ORDER CONDITIONING
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING CONTINUED
Extinction: the diminished response when the CS no
longer signals an impending US
  Spontaneous Recovery: the reappearance of a
weakened CR after a pause
 
Chaffee Winter 2013
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING CONTINUED
tendency to respond to a
stimuli similar to the CS
  Discrimination:
the learned ability to
distinguish between a CS and other (similar)
stimuli
Chaffee Winter 2013
  Generalization:
EXTENDING PAVLOV’S UNDERSTANDING
  Cognition
 
 
 
Example: John Garcia (1966) and the rats, page 300
Example: taste aversion in humans
Stimulus must be ecologically relevant
  Learning
enables animals to adapt to their
environment – to predict food, mates, and
dangers
Chaffee Winter 2013
and conditioning: perception and
thoughts matter.
  Biological predispositions
FIGURE 7.9
Chaffee Winter 2013
PAVLOV’S LEGACY
  Are
 
 
Behavioral therapy
Exposure therapy
Chaffee Winter 2013
Pavlov’s work and classical conditioning
relevant today?
  Read pages 302 – 303, plus Trauma as Classical
Conditioning on page 304.
  Applications of classical conditioning
OPERANT CONDITIONING
 
 
Actions followed by reinforcement increase behavior while
actions followed by punishment decrease the behavior.
Operant behavior
Chaffee Winter 2013
How is operant conditioning different than classical
conditioning?
  Classical conditioning forms association between
stimuli. It involves respondent behavior – actions
that are automatic responses to stimuli
  In operant conditioning, organisms associate their
own actions with consequences.
OPERANT CONDITIONING
  Thorndike’s
Chaffee Winter 2013
Law of Effect – behaviors followed by
favorable consequences become more likely
  Operant Chamber (see next slide): a chamber/
Skinner box containing a bar or key that an
animal manipulates to obtain a reward (food or
water reinforcer).
OPERANT CHAMBER, SKINNER BOX
Chaffee Winter 2013
TYPES OF REINFORCERS
 
Reinforcer: in operant conditioning, any event
that strengthens the behavior it follows.
 
 
 
E.g. tangible reward such as money or food; other
rewards like praise, attention, or an activity
Positive reinforcement: increasing behaviors
by presenting a positive stimuli, such as food.
Any reinforcer that strengthens the response.
Negative reinforcement: increasing behaviors
by stopping or reducing negative stimuli.
REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULES
Chaffee Winter 2013
REINFORCEMENT SCHEDULES
Chaffee Winter 2013
PUNISHMENT
Punishment is an event that decreases the
behavior it follows
  Drawbacks of physically punishing children
  Positive = administer
  Negative = withdraw
 
Chaffee Winter 2013
FORM YOUR OWN EXAMPLE
  Please
 
Example 1: Include reinforcement.
Is your reinforcement positive or negative
  Primary or conditioned?
  Immediate or delayed?
  What type of reinforcement schedule is used?
 
 
Example 2: Include punishment.
 
Is your punishment positive or negative?
Chaffee Winter 2013
carefully consider the aspects of operant
conditioning.
  Form your own examples of operant conditioning.
EXTENDING SKINNER’S UNDERSTANDING
  Cognition
 
Cognitive map: a mental representation of the
layout in one’s environment
Latent learning: learning that occurs but is not
apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it
  Biological
 
 
Predispositions
Organisms learn associations that are naturally
adaptive
Instinctive drift: animals revert to their biologically
predisposed patterns
Chaffee Winter 2013
 
and Operant Conditioning
APPLICATIONS OF OPERANT CONDITIONING
  Please
read examples for the following:
  At School
  In Sports
  At Work
  At Home
  Pages 314 –
316
CONTRASTING CLASSICAL AND
OPERANT CONDITIONING
LEARNING BY OBSERVATION
  Children
Observational learning:
learning by observing others
Modeling:
the process of observing and imitating a specific
behavior
Chaffee Winter 2013
learn certain things without being
directly conditioned – what explains this?
  We do not purposely teach their children swear
words or bad habits, thus, learning can occur by
observation.
MIRRORS IN THE BRAIN
 
 
Enable imitation and empathy
 
Mirror neurons do not function properly in Autism
Chaffee Winter 2013
Mirror neurons are frontal lobe neurons that fire when
performing certain actions or observing another person
performing those action.
BANDURA’S EXPERIMENTS
  Watch
the short video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=lCETgT_Xfzg&feature=related
  Bandura’s Bobo Doll study is a perfect
example of observational learning.
APPLICATIONS OF OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING
  Prosocial
Chaffee Winter 2013
behavior: positive, constructive,
helpful behavior, especially with no immediate
gain.
  Antisocial behavior: behavior aimed at
harming others.
  Violence-viewing effect, page 321-323
CHAPTER 7 REVIEW
 
 
Define learning.
Understand Classical Conditioning
 
 
 
 
Understand Operant Conditioning
 
 
 
 
Describe behaviorism.
Recognize the unconditioned stimulus and response as well as the
conditioned stimulus and response (US, UR, CS, CR). Be able to apply
these terms.
Define extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, and
discrimination.
Give a real-life example of classical conditioning (including all stimulus
and response terms).
Define and describe operant conditioning and operant behavior.
Define reinforcement and punishment.
Give a real-life example of operant conditioning.
Understand Social Learning
 
 
 
 
Define social learning and modeling
Describe Bandura’s Bobo Doll experiment
Describe mirror neurons
Distinguish prosocial and antisocial behavior
Chaffee Winter 2013
