Learning

Definition

Learning:
is a relatively permanent change
in behavior due to experience.

Can you think of changes in behavior that are

not learning? What could they be due to?
Discuss.
Is there of learning of one type, or are
there many kinds? Substantiate.

Theories of Learning
Behavioral learning Theories:
1- classical
conditioning,
2- operant conditioning,

Cognitive learning Theories

Social (observational) Learning

Learning: Classical Conditioning

This Theory explains learning as the
association made by the learner between
reflexive response and a new stimulus.
Classical Conditioning : is a type of
learning in which a neutral stimulus brings
A response similar to that of another that
naturally elicits that response.
It happens when it is paired with it.

Learning: Classical Conditioning

Ivan Pavlov
1849-1936
www.experiencefestival.com/a/...Classical.../id/1287986

Pavlovs Experiment shows that:

UCS (food)
CS (bell)
CS (bell)

UCS (food)

UCR (salivation)
UCR (salivation)
CR (salivation)

Read the book p. 170 for definitions. Of NS, UCS CF, UCR and CR.

Learning: Classical Conditioning

www.experiencefestival.com/a/...Classical.../id/1287986

Learning: Classical Conditioning

www.experiencefestival.com/a/...Classical.../id/1287986

Learning: Classical Conditioning

www.experiencefestival.com/a/...Classical.../id/1287986

Learning: Classical Conditioning

www.experiencefestival.com/a/...Classical.../id/1287986

Learning: Classical Conditioning

Principles

Extinction The process of unlearning a CR

If the unconditioned stimulus stops to

follow conditioned stimulus, the
conditioned response will gradually slow
down and will finally disappear.
How can you get a CR to stop occurring?
What would you do to get Pavlovs dog to stop salivating to
the sound of the tone?
The key is to break the association between the CS and the
US
How can you apply this to many of human behavior, See examples
of the textbook p 172-173) and say how can this be applied

Learning: Classical Conditioning

Principles

Spontaneous Recovery:
Be careful if you have de-learned a bad
habit such as smoking or drinking too
much stimulants (coffee, tea, coke etc..).
You habit may be learned again easier than
you think?
Spontaneous Recovery: the reoccurrence of
an extinguished conditioned response.

Learning: Classical Conditioning

Principles

Generalization:
(
Stimuli resembling the CS will also produce the
CR although never having been associated with
the US
Discrimination: (ability to differentiate between
stimuli.
When we respond to similar CS in different ways. We
will learn to respond to the appropriate CS.
Wrong generalizations will stop.

Learning: Classical Conditioning

Factors Affecting Conditioning
1. Contiguity: Contiguity is the closeness in time and space

between the CS and US.

closer association elicits stronger conditioning. (however delayed

association may still elicit association Garcia effect (read top paragraph p.175
textbook)

2. Contingency: Contingency represents the number of times that

the CS is paired with the US. This strengthens the conditioning
especially when CS precedes US.

3. Stimulus Features: The physical characteristics of the CS and

US affect the rate of conditioning. The more salient the stimulus, the
more likely it is to create conditioning.
Sense organs stimulated will also determine salience (e.g., auditory
vs. visual)

Learning: Classical Conditioning

Factors Affecting Conditioning
4. Prior Experience with CS and US

Experiencing a stimulus prior to associating it with

a US decreases the likelihood that it will become
a CS (latent inhibition). Novel stimuli are more
likely to become CSs than are stimuli that have
been experienced many times in the absence of
the US.
5. Temperament Hereditary differences in
temperament may influence conditionability.
It was found that more anxious people are more easily
conditioned.

Learning: Classical Conditioning

Applications
1- Higher-Order Conditioning Once a stimulus has been developed as a
CS, it can then serve as a US to develop a second CS and so on.

2-

Semantic Conditioning Words can become CSs. Words

associated with USs or strong CSs can become CSs themselves.
Once this happens, the words can evoke the same emotional
response as the US did initially

3-

Prejudice Words with bad associations can be paired with words

for groups of people, producing bad associations toward those

people. Words such as dirty, thieving, clannish, smelly, etc., when
used to describe people can make us prejudiced toward those
people.
4- Use in Advertising: Pairing pleasant images with products makes
us more agreeable to purchase and use of the product.

Learning: Classical Conditioning

Applications
5-Classical conditioning of emotional responses: Pictures of peoples faces
were paired with either a pleasant, neutral, or unpleasant odor.
When later asked to evaluate the faces the subjects the highest ratings
were given to those pictures that had been associated with the pleasant
odor.
The lowest ratings were given to those pictures which had been paired with
the unpleasant odor Todrank, Byrnes, Wrzesniewski, & Rozin, 1995)
6- Immunological Reactions: The immune system is susceptible to
Allergic reactions can be conditioned as can immune suppression in
response to chemo-therapy.
Increases as well as decreases in immune functioning have been found
capable of being classically conditioned.

Useful links
http://psychology.about.com/od/eindex/g/extinction.htm.

It answers many

questions and gives easy and straightforward definitions.

http://answers.yahoo.com/ Gives answers about almost everything. Beware,

answers could be given by a person who may not specialized in the field.

http://www.mentalhelp.net/ Nice for general reading and information about

many a thing in psychology and behavior.
(http://academics.tjhsst.edu/psych/links.php) gets to many useful links about

psychology topics.