Psychology, Ch. 6

Learning

Part 1

Two Main Types of Learning

• Associative learning- learning that certain

events occur together

• Cognitive learning- acquisition of mental

information, by observing or listening

Classical Conditioning

• Definition- a type of learning in which we

learn to link two or more stimuli and

anticipate events

• Ivan Pavlov- Russian physiologist

• Did not set out to learn about learning

– Was interested in the relationship between the

nervous system and digestion

If you have a pet, you already

understand this form of learning!

• Pavlov discovered that the dogs did not

always wait until they had received meat to

start salivating.

• Sometimes, they salivated in anticipation of

food.

– In other words, they had learned to associate

certain sounds or objects with feeding time.

The Terms of Classical

Conditioning• Unconditioned Stimulus- stimulus that causes a response that is automatic

• Unconditioned Response- a response that is natural, or unlearned

• Neutral Stimulus- a stimulus that means nothing to the learner

• Conditioned Response- a learned response to a stimulus that was previously unlearned

• Conditioned Stimulus- a learned stimulus

Applying the Terms of Classical

Conditioning

http://nobelprize.org/medicine/educational/pavlov/

Five Major Conditioning Processes

• Acquisition- initial stage when a NS is linked with US so that NS becomes the CS

• Extinction- a conditioned stimulus no longer brings about a conditioned response

• Spontaneous Recovery- a response that was previously extinct returns

• Generalization- responding the same way to stimuli that are similar

• Discrimination- responding differently to similar stimuli

Little Albert

• Not a true experiment.

• Ethics?

Classical Conditioning in the Real

World

• Certain drugs used to treat cancer can cause

nausea. Many patients report “classically

conditioned” nausea to the sights, smells,

and sounds of the hospital where they

receive treatment.

• Drug counselors advise recovering addicts

to steer clear of people and settings that

may trigger their cravings.

Learning

Operant Conditioning

Disclaimer

• Operant Conditioning is just another way to

explain learning!

• Operant conditioning- learn because of the

results of one’s actions

– Actions increase if followed by a reinforcer

– Actions decrease if followed by a punisher

– Example: Skinner box (operant chamber)- used

to research operant conditioning; records rate

that animal presses button to obtain

reinforcement (you tube video)

Reinforcement

• Reinforcement- process by which a stimulus

increases the chances of the behavior

happening again

– Primary reinforcers- function due to the

biological makeup of a person

– Secondary reinforcers- function due to a value

given when paired with a primary reinforcer

Learning Check

Do you remember Book It?

The book it sticker chart was an example of a

The personal pan pizza was an example of a

Secondary Reinforcer

Primary Reinforcer

More Reinforcers

• Positive Reinforcer- increase the frequency

of the behavior they follow when they are

applied

• Negative Reinforcer- increase the frequency

of the behavior they follow when they are

removed

WARNING!

• Negative Reinforcement is NOT the same

thing as a punishment!

– Remember: Reinforcer – Increases a behavior

• Punishment – Decreases a behavior

– Positive- stops a behavior by giving something

bad

– Negative- stops a behavior by taking away

something good

Schedules of Reinforcement

• Continuous- reinforcement every time the

behavior occurs

• Partial- reinforcement some of the times the

behavior occurs

Types of Partial Reinforcement

• Interval- based on the amount of time

elapsed between reinforcements of the

behavior

• Ratio- based on the number of times the

behavior has occurred

Fixed or Variable?

• Fixed- set

• Variable- at random

Let’s look at some examples…

Interval or Ratio?

Fixed or Variable?

• A slot machine-

• The bell at the end of class-

• Drug tests at work-

• Book It- every 7 books read = free pizza

VR

FI

VI

FR

Applications of Operant

Conditioning

• Shaping- teaching complex behaviors by

breaking it down into steps that can be

reinforced

• Programmed Learning- educational testing

based on shaping

• Classroom discipline

Psychology, Ch. 6

Cognitive Factors in Learning

Cognitive means “thought”

• The cognitive theory of learning believes

that people can learn just by thinking about

it or watching others

– Learning is purposeful, not mechanical

Limits on Classical Conditioning

• The idea that ANY stimulus can serve

equally well as a conditioned stimulus goes

against our biological make up

• We come biologically prepared to learn

some things and not others

– Ex: Taste Aversion

Limits to Operant Conditioning

• We most easily learn and retain behaviors

that reflect biological predispositions

• We tend to learn associations that are

naturally adaptive

– Ex: Animal Training

Cognition and Classical

Conditioning

• Behaviorism- psychology is an objective

science based on observable behavior

• Criticism- there is no room for

consideration of thoughts, perceptions, and

expectations

Cognitive Processes and Operant

Conditioning

• Learning can occur without reinforcement

– Intrinsic motivation- the desire to do a behavior

for its own sake

• Latent Learning- learning that remains

hidden until it is needed

– Ex: Tolman’s rats

– Cognitive Map- a mental representation

Observational Learning

• Observational Learning- learning by watching and imitating others

– Modeling- the process of observational learning

– Mirror Neurons- neurons that fire while observing/imitating

– Ex: Albert Bandura’s “Bobo the Clown”experiment

• How does this experiment relate to learning from the media?

What did

Bobo teach

us about

violence in

the media?