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Psychology 3306Psychology 3306
Dr. D. BrodbeckDr. D. Brodbeck
IntroductionIntroduction
You knew it would start this way….You knew it would start this way….What is learning?What is learning?Many people think of things like:Many people think of things like:
Kids in schoolKids in schoolStudyingStudyingDisabilities etcDisabilities etc
The study of Learning certainly has things The study of Learning certainly has things to say about some of these thingsto say about some of these things
What is learning?What is learning?
Talks about other things too:Talks about other things too:What cognitive constants there are across What cognitive constants there are across
speciesspeciesWhat cognitive differences there are across What cognitive differences there are across
speciesspeciesHow do you make good rat poisonHow do you make good rat poisonDo you only learn by doing or can you learn Do you only learn by doing or can you learn
by observing?by observing?Lots of other stuffLots of other stuff
What is learningWhat is learning
OK, Dave, you have convinced us that OK, Dave, you have convinced us that there are a lot of issues, and lots of stuff there are a lot of issues, and lots of stuff that isn’t boring (?) but….that isn’t boring (?) but….
WHAT IS LEARNING?WHAT IS LEARNING?OK, stop shoutingOK, stop shoutingChange resulting from experienceChange resulting from experienceSome event at time 1 affects behaviour at Some event at time 1 affects behaviour at
time 2time 2
What it isWhat it is
Both are pretty broad definitionsBoth are pretty broad definitionsPretty reasonable thoughPretty reasonable thoughOK, so, specifically, what do psychologists OK, so, specifically, what do psychologists
that study learning study?that study learning study?Basically there are two broad types of Basically there are two broad types of
questionsquestionsThose about process and those about the Those about process and those about the
productproduct
ProcessProcess
How it happensHow it happensWhat at time 1 leads to change at time 2What at time 1 leads to change at time 2How time 1 affect time 2 mechanisticallyHow time 1 affect time 2 mechanisticallyUnder what conditions do you get learningUnder what conditions do you get learning Interval between stimuli for exampleInterval between stimuli for example
Long for a taste aversion, short for eyeblink Long for a taste aversion, short for eyeblink for examplefor example
ProductProduct
What are the long term changes in What are the long term changes in behaviourbehaviour
What are the short term changes in What are the short term changes in behaviourbehaviour
For example, what is the form of the CR in For example, what is the form of the CR in drug conditioning?drug conditioning?
Why does a pigeon peck at a key in a Why does a pigeon peck at a key in a classical conditioning paradigm?classical conditioning paradigm?
Types of questionsTypes of questions
There are, of course, sub areas tooThere are, of course, sub areas tooAcquisitionAcquisitionLearning versus performanceLearning versus performanceDifferent types of conditioning and learningDifferent types of conditioning and learning
Hold on…Hold on…
Different types of learning?Different types of learning? Well maybeWell maybe The search for general laws or a general The search for general laws or a general
process theory has been going on for almost process theory has been going on for almost 100 years, maybe a tad more100 years, maybe a tad more
Driven by physics envyDriven by physics envy F=maF=ma E=mcE=mc22
6.02 x 106.02 x 102323
Umm, maybe this is crazyUmm, maybe this is crazy
Think of biologyThink of biologyThere is an overriding principle (evolution)There is an overriding principle (evolution)Many commonalities in how systems workMany commonalities in how systems workHowever, each species is differentHowever, each species is differentPerhaps it should be the same thing with Perhaps it should be the same thing with
learning, and in psychology in generallearning, and in psychology in generalCorrelations between events are Correlations between events are
important, could be the key thing in important, could be the key thing in learninglearning
Welcome to my laboratory..Welcome to my laboratory..(Insert evil laugh here)(Insert evil laugh here)
What about the notion that the lab is an What about the notion that the lab is an artificial environment?artificial environment?
““Well sure, species X behaves like Y in the Well sure, species X behaves like Y in the lab, and so does species Z, but, that’s in lab, and so does species Z, but, that’s in the lab, so it is not real behaviour”the lab, so it is not real behaviour”
Oh shut upOh shut upLooking at effects in isolation is the Looking at effects in isolation is the
essence of experimentationessence of experimentation In order to control conditonsIn order to control conditons
There is nothing wrong with looking at stuff There is nothing wrong with looking at stuff in the real world, let’s be clear on thatin the real world, let’s be clear on that
It is a great place to test the generality of It is a great place to test the generality of your findingyour finding Indeed, if something only happens in the lab, is Indeed, if something only happens in the lab, is
it that interesting?it that interesting? It is a great place to get ideasIt is a great place to get ideasStill, testing theories (which tend to be Still, testing theories (which tend to be
statements about cause and effect statements about cause and effect relationships) is best done under controlled relationships) is best done under controlled conditionsconditions
CausationCausation
To make causal inferences you need three To make causal inferences you need three things:things:
1) Covariation1) Covariation2) Temporal Precedence2) Temporal Precedence3) Elimination of alternative explanations3) Elimination of alternative explanationsUnless you satisfy all three of these you Unless you satisfy all three of these you
cannot say that X causes Ycannot say that X causes Y
Judging TheoriesJudging Theories
Theories must be falsifiableTheories must be falsifiableMust make precise enough predictions to be Must make precise enough predictions to be
shown falseshown falseThe simpler the theory the betterThe simpler the theory the betterThe more general the theory the betterThe more general the theory the betterFruitful theories are good theoriesFruitful theories are good theoriesTheories make predictionsTheories make predictions
Judging TheoriesJudging Theories
That was not an exhaustive listThat was not an exhaustive listBeware the Einstein syndromeBeware the Einstein syndromeSo, how do we test theories?So, how do we test theories?Well, we have to collect dataWell, we have to collect data
How do we collect dataHow do we collect data
AnecdotesAnecdotesCan be useful for generating hypothesesCan be useful for generating hypothesesLousy for testing theoriesLousy for testing theories I know a guy who….I know a guy who….
Observational approachesObservational approachesNeed for operationismNeed for operationismExample, Imprinting studiesExample, Imprinting studies
More ways to test theoriesMore ways to test theories
CorrelationCorrelation Still not causationStill not causation Which direction?Which direction?
ExperimentationExperimentation Vary one variableVary one variable Observe the otherObserve the other Hold all others constantHold all others constant Watch out for confoundsWatch out for confounds Placebo effectsPlacebo effects expectationexpectation
More key points about More key points about experimentationexperimentation
Double blind proceduresDouble blind proceduresComparing groupsComparing groupsLooking at change over timeLooking at change over timeSystematic replicationSystematic replicationStatistical methods are used to see if Statistical methods are used to see if
group differences are ‘real’group differences are ‘real’
Different approaches to learningDifferent approaches to learning
Behaviourist vs. CognitivistBehaviourist vs. CognitivistThe true behaviourist deals only with the The true behaviourist deals only with the
observableobservableBehaviourists rarely use intervening Behaviourists rarely use intervening
variablesvariables
stimulus behaviourInterveningvariable
However….However….
Cognitive psychologists do not just toss Cognitive psychologists do not just toss intervening variables around carelesslyintervening variables around carelessly
Cognitive psychologists study Cognitive psychologists study representationsrepresentations
Explain Suzuki et al, 1980 without any Explain Suzuki et al, 1980 without any reference to a spatial representationreference to a spatial representation
You can’tYou can’t
Cognition and behaviourCognition and behaviour
Both cognitive and behaviourist Both cognitive and behaviourist psychologists study humans and non psychologists study humans and non humanshumans
We are animalsWe are animalsEach species is different, though there are Each species is different, though there are
some overriding commonalitiessome overriding commonalities
EthicsEthics
There are potential ethical issuesThere are potential ethical issuesYou can’t test animal learning with a tissue You can’t test animal learning with a tissue
culturecultureRules are strictRules are strictSome are actually ridiculousSome are actually ridiculousCCACCCAC IACCIACCA – E ratingA – E rating
Who pays for it?Who pays for it?
You doYou doNSERCNSERCThey pay between 10 and 60 K or so to They pay between 10 and 60 K or so to
qualified researchersqualified researchersVERY competitiveVERY competitivePay for grad school for somePay for grad school for somePostdocsPostdocs
Determinism and free willDeterminism and free will
Many scientists are deterministsMany scientists are deterministsMe for exampleMe for exampleWith enough data I can predict the futureWith enough data I can predict the futureHard to get all the dateHard to get all the dateSo, it feels like you have free willSo, it feels like you have free will