Learning Chapter 5 Define Learning is a relatively

Learning Chapter 5

Define Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior as a result of experience.

Conditioning is the process of learning associations. -that two events or stimuli occur together

Learning to Associate 2 events

Classical Conditioning n In classical conditioning, we learn to associate two stimuli and anticipate events. For example, we learn that a flash of lightening signals an impending crack of thunder, as so we start to brace ourselves when lightening flashes nearby.

2 stimuli… First Stimulus - Yelling Word “Flush”… Second Stimulus - Hot Water! I RESPOND by jumping out of the way!

After this happens a few times…. I have been CONDITIONED to jump out of the way when I hear the word “Flush”!

Two related events: Stimulus 1 Lightning Stimulus 2 Thunder Result after repetition: Stimulus We see lightning Response We wince anticipating thunder

Classical Conditioning Ivan Pavlov Russian; Medical doctor who spent two decades studying the digestive system. Nobel Prize in 1904. Studied learning for the next three decades, by “accident”.

Classical Conditioning After studying salivary secretion in dogs, he knew that when he put food in a dog’s mouth the animal would invariably salivate. n n He also began to notice that when he worked with the same dog repeatedly, the dog began salivating to stimuli associated with the food

Classical Conditioning Pavlov’s Experiment: Through experimentation, Pavlov asked: If a neutral stimulus (something the dog could see or hear that would not normally cause salivation) regularly signaled the arrival of food, would the dog associate the two stimuli (the food and the neutral stimuli)?

What if we

Classical Conditioning involves: Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) n A stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response (usually a reflex) n Food in Pavlov’s case

Classical Conditioning Unconditioned Response (UCR) n The unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus n Salivation in Pavlov’s case

Pavlov’s Experiment (continued): Just before placing food in the dog’s mouth to produce salivation, Pavlov sounded a bell (Neutral Stimulus). After several pairings of bell and food, the dog began to salivate to the sound of the bell alone, in anticipation of the food.

Classical Conditioning Conditioned Stimulus (CS) An originally irrelevant (neutral) stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response n The Bell in Pavlov’s case n

Classical Conditioning Conditioned Response (CR) The learned response to a previously neutral conditioned stimulus n Salivation (to the bell) n

Classical Conditioning For example: n For Pavlov, the previously neutral stimulus was the tone. During conditioning, the tone was paired with the food (UCS). After conditioning, the tone, when presented alone, produced salivation in the dog. The tone is now considered the CS, and the dog’s salivation to the tone alone is now considered the CR.

UCS (passionate kiss) CS (onion breath) UCR (sexual arousal) UCS (passionate Kiss) CR (sexual arousal) UCR (sexual arousal)

OH BABY !!!!

UCS (drug) CS (waiting room) UCR (nausea) UCS (drug) UCR (nausea)

Classical Conditioning – Extra Baby Albert Experiment – Fear Conditioning An 11 -month infant named Albert feared loud noises, but not white rats. In the experiment, when Albert was presented with a white rat and reached out to touch it, a hammer was struck on a steel beam behind his head. n

Can you UCS, identify the: UCR, NS, CR The last few times you went to the dentist, you had a painful experience with the dentist’s drill…. . …. now, your mouth aches just sitting in the dentist’s waiting room…

Lets Review: What is the neutral stimulus that has now become a “conditioned stimulus? What is the “conditioned response” to that stimulus?

Five Major Conditioning Processes Acquisition Generalization Discrimination Extinction Spontaneous Recovery

Acquisition The process of developing a learned response The subject learns a new response (CR) to a previously neutral stimulus (CS)

Acquisition Findings: n The time between presenting the neutral stimulus and the unconditioned stimulus needs to be short. For most species and procedures, about ½ second works best. n Conditioning is not likely to occur if the conditioned stimulus is presented before the unconditioned stimulus

Give an Example From what you know of classical conditioning, give an example of acquisition

Generalization The tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses IE. A child bitten by a dog may fear all dogs. n After 9/11, many people responded anxiously when planes flew near by. n Baby Albert n

Classical Conditioning - Extra Five days after the testing, Albert showed generalization of his conditioned response by reacting with fear to a rabbit, a dog, and a sealskin coat.

Discrimination n The learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and other stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus

Extinction and Spontaneous Recovery After conditioning, what happens if the conditioned stimulus occurs repeatedly without the unconditioned stimulus…. . will it continue to elicit the conditioned response? n Extinction – the diminishing of a conditioned response when an unconditioned stimulus no longer follows a conditioned stimulus

Extinction n diminishing of a CR The conditioned response continues to get weaker after less pairings of the CS and the UCS, and after more and more rest periods

Spontaneous Recovery n reappearance, after a rest period, of an extinguished CR Review by watching this clip…

OPERANT CONDITIONING

Operant Conditioning Type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reward, or diminished if followed by a punisher

Operant Conditioning We repeat behavior that is followed by a reward

Operant Conditioning n In operant conditioning, we learn to associate a response and its consequence, and we repeat acts followed by rewards, and avoid acts followed by punishment. we learn that pushing a vending machine button relates to the delivery of a candy bar.

Response: Pushing vending machine button Consequence: Receiving a candy bar

Operant Conditioning B. F. Skinner’s Experiments: n n Based on Edward Thorndike’s LAW OF EFFECT – states that rewarded behavior is likely to recur Click on my Experiments conducted with animals in an operant conditioning chamber (Skinner Box) – a soundproof box, with a bar or key that an animal presses or pecks to release a reward of food or water picture to learn about me!

Oh, not bad. The light comes on, I press the bar, they write me a check. How about you?

OH! THAT WAS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL REPORT The Vice-President in Charge of Sincerity

“Bathroom? Sure, it’s just down the hall to the left, jog right , left, another left, straight past two more lefts, then right, and it’s at the end of the third corridor on your right. ”

Operant Conditioning Shaping – while conditioning an animal to perform certain behaviors, re-inforcers are successively given as the subject gets closer to the ultimate behavior goal n n IE. If the purpose of putting a rat in a maze is to teach it to get from Point A to Point B while following a certain path Every time the rat makes a turn towards the right path, a reward is given. If it makes a turn towards the wrong path, NO reward is given.

Operant Conditioning If we can shape animals to respond to one stimulus and not to another, then obviously they can perceive the differences. (discrimination) n IE. Some pigeons have been trained to be able to distinguish between Bach and Stravinsky. IE. If the goal of a teacher is to get all students to strive for 100% accuracy on their spelling tests, then every time a student improves on successive spelling tests they should be rewarded. NOT just reward those that get a 100%. n

Operant Conditioning Reinforcement – any event that increases the frequency of a preceding response, or strengthens the behavior that it follows n IE. Being able to borrow the car after the dishes are done. A snack break after one-hour of study time.

Operant Conditioning Positive Reinforcement – Strengthens (or ensures the continuation of) a response by presenting a typically pleasurable stimulus after a response. n IE. Food for a hungry animal. Attention, approval, money for people.

“I wrote another five hundred words. Can I have another Cookie? ”

Operant Conditioning Negative Reinforcement – strengthens (or ensures the continuation of) a response by reducing or removing an aversive stimulus n IE. Taking aspirin to relieve a headache will increase the behavior of taking aspirin because it reduces or eliminates the pain. Smoking a cigarette to relieve stress will increase the behavior of smoking because it reduces or eliminates anxiety and pressure.

Positive Reinforcement Positive ADDS a desirable stimulus, like getting a hug or watching TV.

Negative Reinforcement Negative REMOVES an aversive stimulus, For example, cleaning the room allows a child to escape a parent's nagging or like fastening a seatbelt to stop the annoying beeping

Operant Conditioning Continuous Reinforcement – Reinforcing the desired response immediately, every time it occurs. Learning occurs quickly, but as soon as reinforcement ends, extinction occurs very quickly also. • Training a dog to sit – make him sit, give him a treat; so on… He learns to sit quickly but the behavior will become extinct quickly after several times of saying “sit” with no treat.

Operant Conditioning Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement – Reinforcing a response only part of the time n This results in slower acquisition of a response, but much greater resistance to extinction also. IE. Slot machines. You may win only once in long while, but you’ll keep playing because the reinforcement is worth it, and the habit may last a long time.

Operant Conditioning Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement Schedules: n Fixed-Ratio = a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces only after a specified number of responses. IE. Every 10 th sale gets a prize.

Operant Conditioning Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement Schedules: n Variable-Ratio Schedule = a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses IE. Slot machines, fishing.

Operant Conditioning Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement Schedules: n Fixed-interval schedules = a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed IE. At the end of every 30 minutes a new batch of cookies will be baked.

n n Variable. Interval Schedule = a schedule of reinforcement that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals IE. “You’ve Got Mail”…you don’t know when you will get an email, but you are always checking for it.

Operant Conditioning Punishment – An event that decreases or eliminates the behavior that it follows n May be done by administering an undesirable consequence, or by withdrawing a desirable consequence IE. Shock treatment and spanking are added, undesirable consequences, while taking away phone or car privileges withdraws desirable consequences.

Punishment Issues: Physical punishments are not forgotten, just suppressed They may increase aggressiveness by demonstrating that aggression is a way to cope with problems Punishments may create fear New Castle County Courthouse around 1900

If punishment isn’t delivered swiftly, or proportionally with regards to the crime, those punished may be confused, depressed, or helpless Punishments still do not teach the proper behavior – it only suppresses unwanted behaviors

Observational Learning is learning by watching and imitating others

Observational Learning For example, a child sees his big sister burn her fingers on the stove has thereby learned not to touch it.

Observational Learning Modeling is the process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

Observational Learning Pro-Social Models exemplify positive, constructive, helpful behavio

Anti-Social Models exemplify negative and hurtful behavior.

Observational Learning Mirror Neurons in the frontal lobe are partially responsible for allowing humans to imitate simple language and emotions

Observational Learning Albert Bandura’s Experiment – The Bobo Doll n Children exposed to an adult taking out their frustrations on a Bobo doll would imitate their punches and kicks when presented with a Bobo doll when they were frustrated.

Observational Learning is learning by watching and imitating others The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior is called Modeling

Behavorism John Watson (Little Albert) Ivan Pavlov (Pavlov’s Dogs) B. F. Skinner (pigeons, shaping, etc) Bandura (bobo doll) All are considered “Behavoral Psychologists” They study only observable behaviors…

Acquisition, Punishment, Classical Conditioning, Spontaneous Recovery CR (conditioned UCS (unconditioned stimulus), response), UCR (unconditioned CS (conditioned response) stimulus), Modeling Conditioning, Observational learning Pavlov Discrimination, Watson Extinction, Skinner Generalization, Bobo Doll Law of Effect, Shaping Partial Reinforcement Learning, Negative