Chapter 6 Learning Case Study The Little Albert

Chapter 6: Learning Case Study: The Little Albert Experiment Section 1: Classical Conditioning Section 2: Operant Conditioning Section 3: Cognitive Factors in Learning Section 4: The PQ 4 R Method: Learning to Learn Experiment: Applying What You’ve Learned

Case Study: The Little Albert Experiment The Little Albert experiment showed that emotional reactions such as fear can be taught through classical conditioning. The Experiment The Results • Eleven-month-old Albert was conditioned to fear a white rather than be amused by it. • Psychologists achieved this by pairing the rat with something that Albert would find instinctively frightening. • After they paired the rat with loud noises, Albert showed a fear of the rat even when there was no noise. • Albert’s fear spread to similar objects. • By today’s standards, the experiment was unethical.

What do you think? • How did Watson and Rayner condition Little Albert to fear white rats? • Do you think you have learned to fear or enjoy certain things because of conditioning or association? Explain.

Section 1 at a Glance Classical Conditioning • Russian psychologist Ivan Pavlov pioneered research into a form of learning known as classical conditioning. In classical conditioning, one stimulus causes a response that is usually caused by another stimulus. • Classical conditioning can help people adapt to the environment and can help eliminate troubling fears or other behaviors.

Classical Conditioning Main Idea Classical conditioning is a form of learning that involves the use of a stimulus to generate a specific response. Reading Focus • What are the basic principles of classical conditioning? • How might classical conditioning help people or animals adapt to the environment? • What are some applications of classical conditioning?

Why do people have an immediate, physical response to a picture of pizza?

Principles of Classical Conditioning • Conditioning is a type of learning that involves stimulus-response connections. • Classical conditioning is a simple form of learning in which one stimulus calls forth the response that is usually called forth by another stimulus. Pavlov’s Dogs Stimulus and Response • Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov used dogs in his studies of classical conditioning. • He trained the dogs to associate the sound of a bell with food. • They learned that the sound of the bell meant food was coming. • Unconditioned stimulus: a stimulus that causes a response that is automatic, not learned • Unconditioned response: caused by an unconditioned stimulus • Conditioned response: a learned response to a neutral stimulus • Conditioned stimulus: a previously neutral stimulus that causes a conditioned response

Reading Check Summarize How does classical conditioning occur? Answer: One stimulus calls forth the response that is usually called forth by another stimulus.

Adapting to the Environment Taste Aversions Extinction • Taste aversion: learned response to a particular food • One-trial learning • Extinction: Disappearance of conditioned response when unconditioned stimulus no longer follows conditioned stimulus Spontaneous Recovery Generalization and Discrimination • Spontaneous recovery: Reappearance of an extinguished conditioned response after some time has passed • Generalization: The tendency to respond in the same way to stimuli that have similar characteristics • Discrimination: The act of responding differently to stimuli that are not similar to each other

Reading Check Describe Give three examples of ways that classical conditioning can help people adapt to their environment. Answer: Students should cite examples of taste aversion, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, or discrimination.

Applications of Classical Conditioning Flooding and Systematic Desensitization • In flooding, a person is exposed to the harmless stimulus until fear responses to that stimulus are extinguished. • With systematic desensitization, people learn relaxation techniques and then, while they are relaxed, they are gradually exposed to the stimulus they fear. Counterconditioning • In counterconditioning, a pleasant stimulus is paired repeatedly with a fearful one, counteracting the fear.

Reading Check Identify What are three applications of classical conditioning? Answer: flooding, systematic desensitization, counterconditioning

Current Research in Psychology Learning from a Virtual Rat To research learning and conditioning, psychologists often design laboratory experiments with animals such as rats. But experiments with live animals can be costly and time-consuming. Why not take advantage of computer technology and use a virtual rat? • “Sniffy the Virtual Rat” allows students to design lab experiments in a virtual environment with a virtual rat. • To create “Sniffy, ” researchers studied how real rats move and learn. • Students can use the program to design and run classical conditioning experiments. • A virtual rat is less costly than a real animal. • They never get tired, are always hungry, and learn more quickly, saving researchers time and effort.

Thinking Critically • What are some advantages to using a virtual rat like Sniffy? • What drawbacks might there be to using a virtual rat in an experiment instead of a real one?

Section 2 at a Glance Operant Conditioning • Psychologist B. F. Skinner helped pioneer research into a form of learning known as operant conditioning, in which individuals learn from the consequences of their actions. • Operant conditioning depends on the use of reinforcements and a schedule to execute them. • The principles of operant conditioning can be applied to help people or animals learn to combine a series of simple steps or actions to form complex behaviors.

Operant Conditioning Main Idea Operant conditioning occurs when people or animals have learned to respond to a certain situation. Reading Focus • How are operant conditioning and reinforcement related? • What are the main types of reinforcers? • How do rewards and punishments shape learning? • How do schedules of reinforcement influence learning? • What are some applications of operant conditioning?

How can a squirrel learn how to water ski?

Operant Conditioning and Reinforcement • In operant conditioning, people and animals learn to do certain things—and not to do others—because of the results of what they do. • They learn from the consequences of their actions. • In operant conditioning, voluntary responses are conditioned. • B. F. Skinner studied operant conditioning by using the “Skinner box. ” • His experiment demonstrated reinforcement, or the process by which a stimulus (food) increases the chances that a preceding behavior (a rat pressing a lever) will occur again. • Knowledge of results is often all the reinforcement that people need to learn new skills.

Reading Check Describe How does reinforcement result in operant conditioning? Answer: In operant conditioning, people and animals learn to do certain things because of the results of what they do. Reinforcement increases the chances that such behavior will occur again.

Types of Reinforcers Primary and Secondary Reinforcers Positive and Negative Reinforcers • Primary reinforcers are reinforcers that function due to the biological makeup of an organism. • Positive reinforcers increase the frequency of a behavior. • Secondary reinforcers are learned by being paired with primary reinforcers. • Money is a secondary reinforcer because we have learned that it may be exchanged for primary reinforcers like food and shelter. • In positive reinforcement, a person receives something he or she wants following the behavior. • Negative reinforcers increase the frequency of a behavior when they are removed. • In negative reinforcement, a behavior is reinforced because something unwanted stops happening or is removed following the behavior.

Reading Check Summarize Describe the four main types of reinforcers. Answer: Primary reinforcers are those that people and animals do not need to be taught to value, such as food and water. Secondary reinforcers, like money, must be learned. Positive reinforcers, such as food and fun, increase the frequency of the behavior they follow when they are applied. Negative reinforcers increase the frequency of the behavior that follows when they are removed. They are unpleasant, and include discomfort and fear.

Rewards and Punishments Rewards Punishments • Like positive reinforcement, rewards help encourage learning. • Punishments are quite different from negative reinforcers. • Some psychologists, however, prefer positive reinforcement because the concept of reinforcement can be explained without trying to guess what an organism will find rewarding. • Punishments are unwanted events that decrease the frequency of the behavior they follow. • Punishments tend to work only when they are guaranteed. • Most psychologists believe it is preferable to reward children for desirable behavior than punish them for unwanted behavior.

Reading Check Contrast Explain how punishments are different from negative reinforcers. Answer: Negative reinforcers increase the frequency of a behavior by being removed, whereas punishments, when applied, decrease the frequency of the behavior they follow.

Schedules of Reinforcement • The effectiveness of a reinforcement depends on the schedule of reinforcement—when and how often the reinforcement occurs. Continuous and Partial Reinforcement Interval Schedules • Continuous reinforcement is the reinforcement of a behavior every time the behavior occurs. • Continuous reinforcement is not always practical or possible. • The alternative is partial reinforcement, which means a behavior is not reinforced every time the behavior occurs. • Fixed-interval schedule: a fixed amount of time must elapse between reinforcements • Variable-interval schedule: varying amounts of time go by between reinforcements

Ratio Schedule • Fixed-ratio schedule: reinforcement occurs after a fixed number of responses • Variable-ratio schedule: reinforcement occurs after a varying number of responses Extinction in Operant Conditioning • In operant conditioning, extinction results from repeated performances of the response without reinforcement.

Reading Check Infer Why are both variable-interval schedules and variable-ratio schedules successful? Answer: because timing is unpredictable; reinforcement can come at any time

Applications of Operant Conditioning Shaping and Chaining Programmed Learning • Shaping is a way of teaching complex behaviors in which one first reinforces small steps in the total activity. • Programmed learning is based on shaping and chaining. • Chaining is combining the steps of a sequence to progress toward a final action. • Chaining can be forward or backward. • Chaining can be used to teach complex behavior patterns to animals. • Developed by B. F. Skinner, it assumes that any task can be broken down into small steps. • Programmed learning does not involve punishments. • Instead, it reinforces correct responses.

Reading Check Identify Supporting Details What are three examples of applications of operant conditioning? Answer: shaping, chaining, programmed learning

Section 3 at a Glance Cognitive Factors in Learning • Cognitive psychologists focus on the mental aspects of learning and are interested in what people or animals know, not just what they do. • Cognitive learning is based on the idea that people and animals can learn by thinking or by watching others. • Some techniques for behavioral modification are based on the ideas of operant conditioning and cognitive factors.

Cognitive Factors in Learning Main Idea Cognitive learning focuses on the mental aspects of learning, such as obtaining, processing, and organizing information. Cognitive psychologists are interested not only in what people do, but also what they know. Reading Focus • What is latent learning? • In what situations does observational learning take place? • What learning principles are involved in behavior modification?

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Latent Learning • One kind of cognitive learning is latent learning, which is learning that remains hidden until it is needed. • Most psychologists believe that much learning takes place without reinforcement.

Reading Check Recall When is latent learning revealed? Answer: Latent learning is revealed when it is needed.

Observational Learning • Observational learning is knowledge and skills acquired by observing and imitating others. Modeling The Effects of Media Violence • Modeling is basically a kind of imitation. • Vicarious reinforcement is the ability to learn from the experiences of another. • Observational learning and modeling account for much human learning. • Television is a major source of informal observational learning. • Most health professionals agree that media violence contributes to aggression.

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Reading Check Describe What are three examples of observational learning? Answer: child learning to speak, eat, and play from parents

Behavior Modification Classroom Discipline • Teachers are taught to pay attention to students when they are behaving appropriately and to ignore misbehavior that is not harmful to themselves or others. Token Economics • People are “paid” to act correctly by earning rewards that can be cashed in for treats, merchandise, or privileges.

Personal Contracts • A personal contract is a personal behavior modification technique. • It works by first identifying a behavior you want to change, setting a goal for a new behavior, and creating a system of rewards or punishments that encourage the new behavior.

Reading Check Explain How are learning principles used to modify behavior? Answer: classroom discipline—misbehaving students may be separated from the rest of the class; token economies—people are “paid” to act correctly by earning rewards; personal contracts —people can create a system of rewards or punishments to alter their behavior

Psychology in Today’s World Pathways to Rewards is a program that seeks to help improve the lives of public housing residents in Chicago. The program uses the principles of token economies and has proved to be highly successful in helping people modify their behavior through a system of individual goals and rewards. • The Pathways to Rewards program is for residents of Henry Horner Homes in Chicago. • Residents set monthly goals and establish the steps needed to reach them. • Adults and children may participate in the program. • Participants earn points for meeting their goals. • The points can be redeemed for rewards such as merchandise, billpaying assistance, and health club membership. • At the end of 2007, 58 percent of eligible residents had enrolled in the program.

Thinking Critically • Why do you think this program is successful? • Some people have criticized the Pathways to Rewards program as being bribes for good behavior. How do you view this criticism?

Section 4 at a Glance The PQ 4 R Method: Learning to Learn • The PQ 4 R method is a study method based on the work of educational psychologist Francis P. Robinson believed that students will learn more when they take an active approach to learning. • The PQ 4 R method includes these six steps: preview, question, read, reflect, recite, and review.

The PQ 4 R Method: Learning to Learn Main Idea The PQ 4 R method for studying is a system of active learning based on the work of an educational psychologist. Reading Focus • When should you preview and question new material? • Why is it important to read, review, recite, and reflect on material?

Have educational psychologists created an easy way to study and learn new material?

Preview and Question Preview • Previewing a textbook means getting a general picture of the material before you start to read. • Many textbooks are designed to encourage previewing. • Previewing helps form a cognitive map of a chapter. Question • You can create learning goals by writing questions about the chapter after you preview it. • One way to write questions is to read the headings or the first sentence of each paragraph and write a question about it.

Reading Check Compare How are the steps of previewing and questioning similar? Answer: Both take place before a person starts reading.

Read, Reflect, Recite, and Review Read Reflect • Read the chapter with the goal of answering the questions you wrote. • Relate new information to old information. • As you read, jot down a few key words that will remind you of the answer. • Relate new information to events in your own life or to people you know. Recite Review • After you have answered your questions, recite the answers out loud or silently to yourself. • Learning that occurs regularly and is distributed over time is distributed learning. • You can recite alone or with a study group. Both are effective. • Learning that occurs all at one time is massed learning, or cramming.

Reading Check Summarize What are the “four Rs” in the PQ 4 R method? Answer: read, reflect, recite, review

Experiment: Applying What You’ve Learned Reinforcement and Discouragement How can positive reinforcement and discouragement affect people’s behavior and performance? 1. Introduction 2. Preparing for the Experiment • You will work with classmates to conduct an experiment on the number of sit-ups a person can do in three different situations: with no feedback, with positive reinforcement, and with discouragement. • Find about 30 students from another class to be research subjects. • Do not reveal the purpose of the study. • Randomly assign the students to three groups. • Assign roles for running the experiment.

Experiment (con’t. ) 3. Conducting the Experiment 4. Analysis and Conclusion • Follow the Experiment Schedule. • On Day 1, Group A is the control group. • On Day 1, Group B will receive encouragement and positive reinforcement. • On Day 1, Group C will receive discouragement. • On Days 2 and 3, the groups will rotate to different stations according to the schedule. • Compare each participant’s performance at each station. • Discuss the experiment with the study participants. • Revisit your hypothesis and draw some conclusions about the effects of positive reinforcement and discouragement on behavior.