Chapter 6

Learning

What is Learning?

• Learning

l A relatively permanent change in an organism’s disposition to behave in certain ways as a result of experience

• Habituation

l Orienting Reflex

Classical Conditioning

• Classical conditioning

l A form of learning in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus and acquires the capacity to elicit a similar response

• Reflexes

l Automatic stimulus-response connections that are “hardwired” into the brain

Classical Conditioning

• Unconditioned stimulus (US)

• Unconditioned response (UR)

• Conditioned stimulus (CS)

• Conditioned response (CR)

Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning

• Associative learning

• Contingency

• Second-Order Conditioning

• Extinction

• Spontaneous recovery

• Reconditioning

Classical Conditioning

• Generalization

• Discrimination

How Classical Conditioning Works

• Stimulus substitution (Pavlov)

l The nervous system is structured in such a way that the CS and US bond together and eventually the CS substitutes for the US

• Information theory

l The key to understanding classical conditioning is the information the organism obtains from the situation

Classical Conditioning in Humans

• Phobia

• Counterconditioning

• Treatment for asthma and other physical problems

Operant Conditioning

• Operant conditioning

l Consequences of behavior produce changes in the probability of the behavior’s occurrence

• Thorndike’s law of effect

l Behaviors followed by positive outcomes are strengthened, whereas behaviors followed by negative outcomes are weakened

Operant Conditioning

Operant Conditioning

Schedules of Reinforcement

• Schedules of reinforcement

l Timetables that determine when a response will be reinforcement

• Continuous reinforcement

l Reinforcement of a response every time it occurs

• Partial reinforcement

l Reinforcement of response only a portion of the time they occur

Schedules of Reinforcement

• Fixed-ratio schedule

• Variable-ratio schedule

• Fixed-interval schedule

• Variable-interval schedule

Schedules of Reinforcement

Punishment

• Why is reinforcement better than punishment?

• Punishment is effective if you use the 3 Ss

Operant Conditioning

• Clark Hull

l Primary reinforcement

l Secondary reinforcement

• Token Economy

• Premack Principle

Operant Conditioning

• Aversive Conditioning

l Escape Learning

l Avoidance Learning

l Punishment

• Skill Building

l Timing

l Shaping

l Chaining

Observational Learning

• Observational learning (Modeling)

l Learning that occurs when a person observes and imitates someone else’s behavior

Cognitive Factors in Learning

• Spatial Learning

• Cognitive map

• Insight learning

Biological Factors in Learning

• Instinctive drift

l The tendency of animals to revert to instinctive behavior that interferes with learning

• Preparedness

l The species-specific biological predisposition to learn in certain ways but not in others

• Taste aversion

Cultural Factors in Learning

• Cultural factors

l Cultural customs can influence the degree to which learning processes are used

l Culture often determines the content of learning