Learning basic

Learning basic

1. Classical Conditioning

   • GARCIA EFFECT
     • Happens when learning occurs AFTER pairing a stimulus & response
       • EG - you eat a prawn, are sick, never eat a prawn again
         • learning is VERY QUICK - ONE TRIAL - resistant to EXTINCTION
   • PROCEDURE DURING WHCICH AN ANIMAL ETC LEARN TO ASSOCIATE A REFLEX RESPONSE WITH A NEW STIMULUS

2. PAVLOV

   • Pavlov's dogs
     • pavlov established dogs could learn to salivate
       • ie learning a reflex response to a new event ie sound of food bucket
         • set up series of trials - each time dog fed - bell rung - amount of salivation measured
           • then bell rung and no food given - salivation measured
             • amount of salivation the same when as when food is given
     • unconditioned - unlearnt
     • conditioned - learnt
       • learning by association
     • food ---------------------salivation
     • during ns + ucs-------------------ucr
   • before - ucs --------------------ucr
     • classical conditioning schedule
       • Pavlov learnt that if he continued to keep ringing the bell without food
         • after a short time the dog would not salivate - EXTINCTION
       • Pavlov also found that if he changed the tone of the bell the dog would still salivate
         • this is called GENERALISATION - animal widening learning response
           • Pavlov worked out that if he rang a number of bells but only produced food at 1
             • the dog stopped salivating at them all and only at the one with the food
               • this is called DISCRIMINATION - dog has learnt to narrow response to particular stimulus
   • bell + food ---------------------salivation
   • after cs -------------------- cr
   • bell ----------------- salivation

3. WATSON

   • Little Albert
     • aim to see if the response of fear can be conditioned to a human being
       • ALBERT - WHITE RAT = NO RESPONSE
         • WATSON HITING METAL BAR BEHIND ALBERT WHEN HE TOUCHES THE RAT
           • ALBERT SEES RAT (NO BANG) , TRIES TO RUN AWAY CRYING = FEAR RESPONSE
     • Not ethical to do on small child
       • Study was only on one child so should concentrate on more to generalise.
       • HOW ITS USED = advertising agencies - build a positive association between advert + product = might buy product more often

4. learning is = a change in behaviour, & something that could not be done previously can now be done

5. learning = a relatively permanent change in behaviour due to experience

6. Operant Conditioning

   • LEARNING DUE TO CONSEQUENCE OF BEHAVIOUR
     • THROUGH POSITIVE + NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT
   • TREATMENT OF PHOBIAS - OPERANT ?
     • FLOODING
       • PERSON IS EXPOSED TO FEAR - FLOODED WITH THOUGHTS AND EXPERIENCES
         • IE FEAR OF SPIDERS = VISUALISING (THOUGHTS) HOLDING (EXPERIENCE)
           • FLOODING PREVENTS ESCAPE = PEOPLE LEARN ANXIETY LEVELS DROP & REALISE NOT IN DANGER
       • FLOODING MEANS HAVE TO UNLEARN CONNECTION BETWEEN STIMULUS & FEAR RESPONSE
       • ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF FLOODING
         • NO RIGHT TO WITHDRAW
           • STRESSFUL
         • DIFFICULT TO PROTECT & AVOID HARM TO SOMEONE BEING FLOODED
     • SYSTEMATIC DESENSITISATION - PERSON LEARNS TO RELAX & GRADUALLY EXPOSED TO FEAR
       • PEOPLE CANNOT BE ANXIOUS & RELAXED AT SAME TIME = FEAR RESPONSE REPLACED BY RELAXATION
       • 1 - PERSON TAUGHT TO RELAX THEMSELVES - LISTEN TO MUSIC
         • 4 - FINAL STAGE = RELAXED AT LAST EVENT
       • 2 -PERSON & THERAPIST CREATE A HIERARCHY OF FEARS CONTAINING THING THEY ARE SCARED OF - LEAST FRIGHTENING FIRST
         • 3 - PERSON RELAXES AND WORKS THROUGH HIERARCHY OF FEARS - RELAXING AFTER EACH ONE, CANNOT MOVE TO NEXT STAGE UNTIL RELAXED AT PREVIOUS
       • ETHICS
         • USED IF FLOODING IS TOO STRESSFUL - OFTEN CHILDREN
           • PERSON TAKES AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THERAPY - CAN ALWAYS WITHDRAW
             • NO DECEPTION - TAKES LONGER THAN FLOODING - COSTS MORE AS MORE TIME - LESS ANXIETY AROUSING
     • AVERSION THERAPY - CLASSICAL COND
       • TREATMENT OF BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS - FAULTY LEARNING = BAD BEHAVIOUR UNLEARNT
       • AIM - GET PATIENT TO DEVELOP EXTREME NEGATIVE REACTION TO DRUG/ALCOHOL USING VOMITING REFLEX
       • IE - EMETIC USED - UCS EMETIC -----------------UCR VOMITING
         • EMETIC WORKS INSTANTANIOUSLY WHEN PEOPLE SWALLOW ALCOHOL BECAUSE EMETIC IS DESIGNED TO DO SO
       • CS ALCOHOL + UCS EMETIC --------- ---------- UCR VOMITING
       • CS ALCOHOL ------------------------------------ CR VOMITING
       • PATIENTS DESIRE FOR ALCOHOL DECREASES & ADDICTION CAN BE OVERCOME
       • THERAPISTS BELIEVE WORKS BEST WITH ANOTHER SUPPORT. IE - HELPING PEOPLE STAY AWAY FROM PEOPLE THEY USED TO BE AROUND AND PLACES
         • NOT ALWAYS SUCCESSFUL OVER TIME
           • LIKELY TO GO BACK TO BEHAVIOUR IF NO SUPPORT TO STAY AWAY - PARTICULARLY YOUNG ADDICTS
       • EXAMPLE OF HOW IT WORKS - AUTISTIC CHILDREN - HEADBANGING - HEADBANGING PAIRED WITH ELECTRIC SHOCK.. ONCE ASSOCIATION IS LEARNT CHILD DOES NOT REVERT TO HEADBANGING WITH ELEC SHOCKS. ETHICAL ISSUES

7. SKINNER

   • SKINNER BOX
     • Called Operant cond cause people OPERATE on environment
     • Consequence of animal behaviour = increase/decrease likelihood of repetition
   • Skinner Box - HUNGRY RAT IN BOX
     • RAT WOULD SNIFF, EXPLORE & GROOM BY ACCIDENT PRESS LEVER & FOOD PELLET WOULD FALL OUT
   • EVERY TIME LEVER PRESSED FOOD WOULD DROP IN TRAY = LEVER = POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT

8. THORNDIKE

   • Problem solving abilities of animals
   • PUZZLE BOX - CAT
     • HYPOTHESIS - IF SOMETHING HAS PLEASANT CONSEQUENCES IT IS MORE LIKELY TO BE REPEATED THAN ANY OTHER RESPONSE IN SAME SITUATION
     • USEFUL = CAPUCHIN MONKEYS - HELP SEVERELY DISABLED DOING 100'S TASKS - GUIDE DOGS - BOMB DOGS
   • Task to escape - cat pulls string which pulls latch = escape
     • 1st time = accidental .. after 20 trials cat escaped quickly - cat learnt to escape through trial and error
   • pleasant consequence - escape - encouraged cat to pull loop of string
   • KNOWN AS LAW OF EFFECT - LEARNING DUE TO CONSEQUENCE OF BEHAVIOUR - REWARD & PUNISHMENT
     • POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT - REWARD PROMOTES BEHAVIOUR TO BE REPEATED
       • TOKEN ECONOMY
         • REWARD SYSTEM & POSITIVE REINFORCEMENTS
           • PRIMARY REINFORCER = FOOD, WARMTH, CLOTHES = NEEDED FOR SURVIVAL
           • SECONDARY REINFORCERS = CAN BE EXCHANGED FOR SOMETHING WANTED - TOKEN, MONEY
           • USED IN HOSPITALS TO GET PATIENTS TO TAKE BETTER CARE OF THEMSELVES - AND PRISONS TOKEN IMMEDIATELY GIVEN - CAN BE USED TO PAY FOR ACTIVITIES
             • CRITICISM - CAN MAKE PATIENT FOCUS ON TOKEN NOT WANTING BEHAVIOUR TO IMPROVE - MAY NOT LAST ON OUTSIDE WORLD
               • IF DOING FOR REWARD MAY NOT BE SOCIAL OR KIND HUMANS - NEED TO REWARD OURSELVES BY FEELING GOOD
     • NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT - UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE STOPPED AFTER A BEHAVIOUR IS MADE - INCREASE LIKELIHOOD BEHAVIOUR REPEATED
       • ADDED BY SKINNER TO LAW OF EFFECT
       • called behaviour shaping
         • task broken down into small steps
           • ie pigeon given grain when it moves towards a ball
     • PUNISHMENT = STIMULUS THAT WEAKENS BEHAVIOUR CAUSE OF UNPLEASANT EXPERIENCE - DOES NOT ENCOURAGE DESIRED BEHAVIOUR
       • Bad behaviour likely to still happen once punishment is taken away