Learning, Psych

Página 1

Classical conditioning:

Getting a response from two normally unassociated items

CS = Conditioned stimuli, after conditioning causes response

CR = conditioned response, learned response

UCS = Unconditioned stimuli, without previous conditioning

UCR = Unconditioned response, biological responses

NS = A stimulus that does not produce an automatic response.

Factors affecting classical conditioning :

Stimulus contiguity (time):

- Time between presentation of the CS and UCS

- Perfect time 0.5 of a second

- CS followed by UCS

- Requires repeating

Contingency (predictability):

- Requires the UCS to be predictable

Learning history:

- Prior learning will influence memory recall and performance

Preparedness:

- Biological (able to learn, bodily able)

- Type of organism

Principles of classical conditioning:

Stimulus discrimination:

- a CR does not occur to stimuli that are different to the original CS based on the difference of these stimuli to the CS

- Slight difference of stimuli (different ball) will illicit no response

Stimulus generalisation:

- A CR occurs to stimuli other than the original CS based on the similarity of these stimuli to the CS

- Similar stimulus, does illicit the response

Extinction:

- CS occurs but the UCS isn't presented therefore weakening the CR and stopping it from happening all together

Spontaneous response:

- Reappearance of a CR after a period of time

Operant conditioning:

Positive reinforcement:

- Something is added to strengthen a behaviour

Negative reinforcement:

- Something is taken to strengthen a behaviour

Punishment:

- Something of importance is taken or given to decrease the chances of a behaviour being performed

Extinction in operant

- If reward is given in a predictable manner extinction is more likely to occur

- VAriable schedules are much harder to extinguish

Factors influencing behaviour:

Order of presentation:

- Reinforcement should follow the desired responses (never before) timing

Timing:

- Reinforcements should be presented as close in time to the desired response as possible to ensure that association between the response and reinforce without interference from other factors

Appropriateness of the reinforcer:

- Reinforcer must lead to a pleasing result

Characteristics of the individual:

- Reinforcement needs to be appropriate to the age, sex and interest of the individual

Side effects of punishment:

- Increases aggression (child abuse)

- Passive assertiveness (showing up late)

- Avoidance behaviour

- Modelling (parent serves as a model)

- Temporary suppression

- Learned helplessness (learning escape is not possible, leads to depression)

Schedules of reinforcement (only applies to operant)

Continuous reinforcement:

- Rewarded every-time

- Higher rate of response (faster)

- Not resistant to extinction

Partial reinforcement:

- Occasionally rewarded

- Some, but not all correct responses are reinforced

- More resistant to extinction (better long term)

Ratio schedule:

- Makes a response a designated number of times (response based)

Interval schedule:

- Requires time to pass between presentation of reinforcers (time based)

Schedules variation:

- Fixed is predictable and variable is not (gambling)

Secondary reinforcer:

- Something without exact value/physical value (money is only useful with currency in place, useless otherwise)

Modelling:

- Modelling is our capacity to learn by watching others

Modelling process - Observational learning

- Attention

- Retention (Must be able to retain and recall information)

- Reproduction (Must be physically capable of reproducing models behaviour)

- Motivation

Acquisition and performance:

Acquisition describes the response by which the behaviour is learned through observation

Performance is the process by which the observer acts out a newly learned response

- Acquisition of a behaviour however, does not automatically lead to its performance

Behaviour therapy and treatment of choice for phobias, alcoholism and truancy

-Exposure therapy

- Systematic desensitisation

Psych based therapies

- Modelling

- Aversion therapy

Behaviour modification:

- Rewards and punishment

- Undesirable behaviour to become extinct

-Identify maladptive behaviour

- Identify the reinforcers that are maintaining the maladaptive behaviour

- Change environment so that the behaviour is no longer reinforced

LEarning, psych