Learning A Introduction to learning 1 Why do

Learning

A. Introduction to learning • 1. Why do psychologists care about learning? • 2. What is and isn’t learning? IS: A relatively permanent change in an organism’s behavior due to experience. ISN’T: reflex or effects of drug (temporary) natural maturation (not experience) • 3. How do we know we’ve learned?

B. Association in Learning • Everyday examples. . . • Association: linking two events or stimuli that occur together in space or time. Early theories of learning were based on principles of association. – Classical Conditioning – Operant Conditioning

C. Classical Conditioning • 1. Example… – Learning that results from pairing two events in the environment. – Learn to associate a neutral event with another event or stimulus from the environment. • 2. Ivan Pavlov – Review from video

C. Classical Conditioning • 2. Pavlov: – Paired neutral stimulus (tone/bell) with coming of food. – What occurred when bell alone was sounded? – What is the difference between when the dog salivated to food versus the bell? – Food – naturally causes salivation – Tone/bell – learned to associate with food – causes salivation.

C. Classical Conditioning • 3. Classical Conditioning Terms: • Two parts: response (action that takes place) stimulus (cause of action) • Response: salivation • Stimulus: food, bell/tone • How do we differentiate between food/salivation and bell/salivation?

C. Classical Conditioning • 3. Classical Conditioning Terms • Food and salivation: • a. Unconditioned Stimuli and Response – UCS (food) & UCR (salivation) – occurs naturally, automatically, unconditionally. – NOT learned, like reflex

C. Classical Conditioning • 3. Classical Conditioning Terms • Bell and Salivation: • b. Conditioned Stimuli and Response – CS (tone/bell) & CR (salivation) – originally NEUTRAL stimulus, that, after being paired with UCS, triggers CR. – learned, NOT automatic. – not naturally occurring.

C. Classical Conditioning • 4. Conditioning Processes and Principles • a. Acquisition: initial stage of learning. • b. Extinction: diminishing of a CR. – When CS is no longer paired with UCS, eventually, the CS ALONE will not elicit the CR. • c. Spontaneous Recovery: – The reappearance, after a rest period, of an extinguished CR. (What does this suggest? )

C. Classical Conditioning • Example of Little Albert (Watson). • d. Generalization: when a CS is paired with a UCS, stimuli similar to CS can evoke similar responses (like CR). • e. Discrimination: learned ability to distinguish between two stimuli. – How could an animal be trained to discriminate between stimuli?

C. Classical Conditioning 5. Limits and concerns with original theory. From CC – early psychologists concluded: • Any organism can be conditioned to any stimulus. a. Influence of biological predispositions (Garcia & Koelling, 1966). • Only study observable responses/behavior. b. No mention of mental processes (dogs were passive, mechanical, mindless) – Behaviorism: only study observable behavior, no thoughts, cognition, etc. – Couldn’t use terms: expectation, prediction

D. Operant Conditioning • Do we always learn by associating neutral stimuli with other stimuli in environment? – Importance of controlling learning, particularly complex, voluntary, goal-directed behavior. • 1. Examples. . .

D. Operant Conditioning • 2. Law of Effect: Thorndike Cats in puzzle box

D. Operant Conditioning • 3. B. F. Skinner: Operant Conditioning: Learning that relies on associating behavior with its results or consequences. Defined as “operant” – animal is operating on environment – not passive like CC. Highlights importance of reinforcement & punishment in learning.

D. Operant Conditioning • To study this type of learning – needed to design controlled environment. – Skinner Box • 4. Procedure • a. Shaping: Conditioning procedure that uses reinforcers to guide behavior closer to desired behavior. – successive approximations • b. Reinforcer: Anything that increases the frequency of the preceding response or strengthens behavior.

D. Operant Conditiong • b. Reinforcers i. Positive reinforcers: strengthens response by presenting stimulus after response. ii. Negative reinforcers: strengthens response by removing an aversive stimulus after a response. - NOT PUNISHMENT What happens if you remove reinforcement? – Extinction of response.

D. Operant Conditioning • iii. Important characteristics of reinforcement. • aa. Immediate vs. Delayed Reinforcement: – in animals? • “Superstitious pigeons” – in humans? • bb. Continuous vs. Partial Reinforcement: – Continuous more effective: • initially learning response (during shaping). – Partial more effective: • to resist extinction, create persistence, continue behavior.

• Too much reinforcement? Overjustification effect: • An already enjoyable activity becomes “overjustified” by providing reward for activity. Become extrinsically motivated.

D. Operant Conditioning • c. Punishment: An aversive consequence that decreases the frequency of the preceding behavior. – Positive and negative punishment. – Effective? • Maybe – if strong, immediate, consistent, inescapable – Why not effective? • • Only suppresses behavior. Only tells you what NOT to do, not what TO do. May cause anger, resentment, fear. Demonstrates aggression is way to deal with conflict.

D. Operant Conditioning • 5. Concerns with original theory. – No room for mental operations again. But evidence for “thinking” (even in animals. ) Latent Learning that becomes apparent only when there is some incentive to demonstrate it. **Difference between learning and performance.

F. Observational Learning • Also called: Social Learning Theory • Different take on learning: We not only learn through direct experience, but also by observing and imitating others (through modeling). – Not simple, automatic, requires attention & sometimes motivation

F. Observational Learning • 1. Bandura - Bobo Doll Studies. – Learned how to aggress (modeled behavior). – Inhibitions were lowered (thought of new ways to aggress). • 2. Vicarious Learning: learning by watching others with NO reinforcement.

F. Observational Learning 3. Influence of TV and media on behavior: APA’s Conclusion: There is a causal link between watching aggressive acts on TV and being aggressive IN SOME CHILDREN. TV/Media – not the ONLY cause of aggressive behavior.

F. Observational Learning • 4. How does social learning theory differ from classical conditioning and operant conditioning?