Schacter Gilbert Wegner

PSYCHOLOGY
Chapter 6
Learning

Part I Class Outline

Review midterm scores Learning Classical Conditioning Pavlovs Dogs Principles of Classical Conditioning Watson Little Albert Real Life Examples

Learning
Learning:

an experience that results in a relatively permanent change in the state of the learner.
can be conscious and deliberate or unconscious.

Classical Conditioning

Behaviorism measures only observable, quantifiable behavior (no reference to our mind).

Classical conditioning: when a neutral stimulus evokes a response after being paired with a stimulus that naturally evokes a response.

Classical Conditioning

Four components

unconditioned stimulus (US)

unconditioned response (UR)

conditioned stimulus (CS) conditioned response (CR)

Pavlovs Apparatus for Studying Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning: Pavlovs Dogs

Match the Classical Conditioning Component With Its Definition

US
UR

CS
CR

A reaction that resembles an UR, but is produced by a CS. Something that reliably produces a naturally occurring reaction in an organism. A stimulus that is initially neutral and produces no reliable response in an organism. A reflexive reaction that is reliably elicited by an US.

Pavlovs Dogs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhqumfpxuzI&feature=related

Understanding Drug Overdoses

Drug overdose deaths are puzzling:

victims are often experienced drug users. the dose is not larger than they usually take. deaths tend to occur in unusual settings.

A CS includes the context and many CRs can be compensatory reactions to the US. Taking drugs in a new environment can be fatal.

Principles of Classical Conditioning

Extinction: the weakening and eventual disappearance of a learned response that occurs when the CS is no longer paired with the US.
Never present food after the bell

Higher Order Conditioning: a neutral stimulus becomes a CS when paired with an already established CS
Light bell food salivation.

Principles of Classical Conditioning

Stimulus Generalization: when a stimulus that resembles the CS also elicits the CR
Salivate to one bell, will salivate to any bell sound

Stimulus Discrimination: the tendency to respond differently to > 2 stimuli

Middle C on piano evokes CR, but not middle C on guitar

Acquisition Spontaneous recovery-

John B. Watson

Watson: (1878-1958) Entire array of rich human emotions and behavior can be accounted for by conditioning principles Learning to Like- CC plays role in our emotional response to object, people, places, events, symbols

Learning to Fear- learn to fear almost anything if paired with something associated with pain, embarrassment
PHOBIAS

The Case of Little Albert

In Watsons experiment, Little Albert (9months) associated a frightening loud noise (US) with a white rat (CS) to elicit fear (CR).
also showed stimulus generalization in fear responses to similar stimuli.

Fear can be learned just as any other behavior. Conditioning can be applied to humans just as any other animal. Ethics?

Watsons Experiment with Little Albert

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt0ucxOrPQE

The Cognitive Elements of Classical Conditioning

Classical conditioning only occurs when an animal has learned to set up an expectation.
Conditioning is easier when the CS is an unfamiliar event than a familiar one (no pre-existing expectations).

Real Life Examples

Pair

neutral stimulus with aversive stimuli even when unrelated

Food Aversions: Biological readiness/preparedness to associate sickness with taste more than sights or sounds
Natural selection to enhance survival

Reacting to Medical Treatments

Schacter Gilbert Wegner

PSYCHOLOGY
Chapter 6 Part II
Operant Conditioning:
Reinforcements From The Environment

Part II Class Outline

Operant Conditioning Consequences & Punishers Skinner Box Principles of Operant Conditioning Schedule of Reinforcement Bandura: Observational Learning

Law of Effect

Operant conditioning: a type of learning in which the consequences of an organisms behavior determine whether it will be repeated in the future. Law of effect: the principle that behaviors that are followed by a satisfying state of affairs tend to be repeated and those that produce an unpleasant state of affairs are less likely to be repeated.

Consequences

Neutral Consequence: neither increases nor decreases the probability that something will occur Reinforcer: strengthens a behavior or makes it more likely to occur.
positive reinforcement negative reinforcement.

Punisher: weakens behavior or makes it less likely to occur.

positive punishment negative punishment.

Skinner Box
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_ctJqjlrHA&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGazyH6fQQ4&NR=1

Primary & Secondary Rs & Ps

Primary reinforcer: inherently reinforcing, satisfy physiological needs.

Food, water, stroking of skin Primary punisher: pain, extreme heat/cold

Secondary reinforcer: learned; associated with primary reinforcers through CC.

Money, good grades Secondary punishers: fines, bad grades

Can rewards ever backfire?

Overjustification effect: circumstances when external rewards can undermine the intrinsic satisfaction of performing a behavior
Two groups asked to solve a puzzle
Group A paid, Group B unpaid Group A was paid, and both groups no longer required to work on puzzle Group B kept working while Group A stopped

Reinforcement and Punishment

Match the Operant Conditioning Component With Its Example

Positive Reinforcement Negative Reinforcement Positive Punishment Negative Punishment

Getting a pizza party for earning a good grade on an exam. Saying Please and Thank you will help you avoid having to set the table. Having to do more weekly chores for getting caught stealing money. Having your car privileges taken away for disobeying a curfew.

Operant Conditioning in Pop Culture

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J

A96Fba-WHk&feature=related

Principles of Operant Conditioning

Extinction: the weakening and eventual disappearance of a learned response

When response is no longer reinforced May have initial burst of behavior

Coins in broken vending machine

Principles of Operant Conditioning

Stimulus Generalization: a behavior that has been reinforced/punished in presence of one stimulus, will/will not occur in the presence of other similar stimuli
Pigeon reinforced for pecking circles, will also peck at ovals

Stimulus Discrimination: behavior will/will not occur in presence of stimuli that differ from initial reinforced/punished stimuli
Pigeon only reinforced for circle, will not peck at square

Principles of Operant Conditioning

A discriminative stimulus is one that is associated with reinforcement.

May come right before a stimulus If the light is on, the pigeon will be reinforced when he pecks on the circle Smile

Schedules of Reinforcement

Schedule of reinforcement: when/how an organism is reinforced for a particular behavior.

interval schedule: time intervals. ratio schedule: ratio/number of responses.

Fixed interval schedule (FI): reinforcements are presented at fixed time periods, provided that the appropriate response is made. Variable interval schedule (VI): reinforcements are based on an average time that has expired since the last reinforcement. Fixed ratio schedule (FR): reinforcements are presented after a specific number of responses have been made. Variable ratio schedule (VR): reinforcements are based on a particular average number of responses.

Intermittent reinforcement: only some of the responses made are followed by reinforcement. Continuous reinforcement: all responses are reinforced

Match the Schedule of Reinfocement With Its Example

FI
VI

FR
VR

After every 10 pizzas you buy, you get one free. A casino jackpot machine hits on average every 100th player. For every 10 minutes you sit still at the doctors office, you get a lollipop. A car dealership gives away keys to a brand new car every hour (at any time in the hour).

Real Life Operant Conditioning

Behavior Modification aka Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

Defiant Children Children with Autism

When Punishment Fails

Over used Causes fear/anx/rage Person/context specific Conveys little information on appropriate behavior May actual reinforce behavior Kids may want any attention they can get

Observational Learning

Observational learning: learning takes place by watching the actions of others.

model: someone whose behavior might serve as a guide for others.

Bandura: Beating Up Bobo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHHdovKHDNU&feature=related