PRINCIPLES OF LEARNING

Chapter 7

Classical Conditioning

Ivan PavlovClassical Conditioning – person’s or

animal’s old response becomes attached to a new stimulus

Digestion○ Originally what Pavlov investigated ○ He began to notice that the sight or smell of

food was enough to get the dog to salivate

Classical Conditioning

Pavlov’s ExperimentRang a tuning fork and then placed meat

powder on the dog’s tongue○ After a few times the dog start salivating as

soon as it heard the sound – food or no foodUnconditioned Stimulus – event that

leads to a certain predictable response with previous training

Unconditioned Response – reaction that occurs naturally and automatically

Generalization and Discrimination Generalization – occurs when an animal

responds to a second stimulus that is similar to the first but without prior trainingExample: Pavlov conditioned the dog to salivate

when it saw a circle. When he showed the dog an oval the dog salivated as well

Discrimination – ability to respond differently to different stimuli Example: Pavlov conditioned the dog to salivate

at the circle but not the oval

Classical Conditioning and Human Behavior John Watson and Rosalie Rayner

Attempted to condition an 11-month old infant named Albert to fear lab rats

This experiment is now viewed as unethical because they taught Albert to fear something he never feared before

Hobart and Mollie Mowrer Stop children from wetting the bedTwo metallic sheets with small holes and wires set to an

alarm are placed under the sheetsAs soon as the first drops occur the circuit closes and the

alarm goes offEventually the child is able to wake up when his or her body

senses their bladder is full Showed the opposite of Watson’s Experiment

Taste Aversions

John Garcia and R.A. Koelling Rats were placed in a cage with a tube

containing flavored waterWhenever the rat took a drink lights flashed and

clicks sounded ○ After a while some rats were given an electric shock

after they drank These rats associated the lights and clicks with the shock

○ The other rats were given a drug that made them sick after they drank and the lights and sounds occurredThese rats developed an aversion to the flavored water

Reinforcement

BF SkinnerOperant Conditioning

○ Skinner Box Experiment Reinforcement is a stimulus or event that

increases the likelihood the behavior will be repeated

Schedules of Reinforcement Fixed-Ratio Schedule

Reinforcement depends on a specified quantity of responses○ Example: Dentists getting paid $75 for every

cavity they fill

Variable-Ratio ScheduleThe number of responses needed for a

reinforcement changes from time to time○ Example: Slot Machines

Schedules of Reinforcements Fixed Interval Schedule

First correct response after a specified amount of time is reinforced○ Example: Teachers giving quizzes are test –

you are more likely to study harder right before the test than afterwards

Variable-Interval Schedule Time at which the reinforcement is given

changes○ Example: Trying to call your best friend but

they are not answering – you will keep trying

Aversive Control

Negative ReinforcementA painful or unpleasant stimulus is

removed○ Example: Walking with a rock in your shoe

causes you to limp, removing the rock allows you to walk without hurting

Punishment○ Behavior that is punished decreases or is

not repeated

Aversive Control

Disadvantages of PunishmentAversive Stimuli can produce unwanted

side effects such as rage, aggression, and fear

People learn to avoid the person delivering the aversive consequences

Does not teach appropriate and acceptable behavior

Social Learning

2 TypesCognitive

○ Focuses on how information is obtained, processed, and organized

Modeling ○ We do what we see

Cognitive Learning

Latent LearningNot demonstrated by an immediately

observable change in behavior at the time of learning○ Example: You are looking for a building in a

part of town you are not real familiar with you but when you think about it random facts start appearing in your mind

You have learned some details without intending to do so

Learned Helplessness

Major Cause of DepressionPeople maybe less motivated to act and

they stop tryingExample: Students who fail a math test can

decide if the problem is:○ Temporary: I did poorly because I was sick○ Stable: I have never done well on math tests

and never will

Modeling

Modeling – observe others and follow their lead

Children follow the behavior of their parents

Individual differences in personalityPeople act differently when watching

violence

Behavior Modification

Behavior Modification – systematic application of learning principlesExample: Give your little brother a quarter to

leave you alone is behavior modification

Token Economies

You are given a reward for doing well Example: Troubled Boys in Washington DC

○ Given points for good grades and are allowed to cash them in for snacks, lounge privileges, or other items