Chapter 6: Learning

Chapter 6: Learning

1. Classic Conditioning

   • Conditioning involves learning connections between events that occur in an organism's environment.
     • Classical Conditioning is a type of learning in which a stimulus acquires the capacity to evoke a response that was originally evoked, it is also sometimes called "Pavlovian conditioning"
   • Terminology and Procedures
     • The Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) is a stimulus that evokes an unconditioned response without previous conditioning.
       • The Unconditioned Response (UCR) is an unlearned reaction to an unconditioned stimulus that occurs without previous.
     • The conditioned Stimulus (CS) is a previously neutral stimulus that has, through conditioning, acquired the capacity to evoke a conditioned response.
       • The conditioned response (CR) is a learned reaction to a conditioned stimulus that occurs because of previous conditioning.
     • A trial in classical conditioning consists of any presentation of a stimulus or pair of stimuli.
   • Basic Processes
     • Aquisition- Learning the new behaviour
       • Extinction- Presenting a CS repeatedly after conditioning without the US resulting in no response. (Like ringing a bell but having no food so eventually the bell is just a bell)
         • Spontaneous recovery- Recovery of an extinguished CR after a period of nonexposure to the CS, usually the CR is not as strong as it was.
           • Renewal effect- If a response is extinguished in a different environment from where it was aquired, it will reappear once the person or animal is returned to the original environment.
             • Stimulus generalization- Responding to a new stimulus in a way similar to the response produced by an established CS. AKA a similar CS leads to a CR similar to one that would happen if someone was exposed to the correct CS.
               • Like when a child is bitten by a dog (like a German Shepard) the child will associate all dogs with that experience.
               • Stimulus Discrimination- responding differently to a new stimulus than one responds to an establishes CS.
                 • Changes in a parents tone.
                 • High order conditioning is after a conditioned stimulus reliable elicts a response, this conditioned stimulus can be paried with another stimuli which also elicts the same response. Like when Palovs dog would salivate when the person who fed the dog would come around, or a red light flashing off would also trigger salvation.

2. Operant Conditioning

   • Is a form of leaning in which responses come to be controlled by their own consequences of their own voluntary action. Such as when studying leads to good grades so a person starts studying more.
   • Law of effect- Throwndike. If a response is in a particular situation is followed by a satisfying consequence, it will be strengthened; if followed by an unsatisfying consequence, the behaviour will weaken.
   • Reinforcement
     • REWARD - Receive a reward when performing a behaviour. Like getting paid for going to work.
     • RELIEF- Experiencing relief from something awful. Like when a woman take medication for menstrual cramp relief.
     • Punishment
       • PUNISHMENT - an example is when you get yelled at for not picking up a mess. You will be less likely to leave a mess.
       • PENALTY - You do not do the dishes so your mother tells you that you cannot have dessert, the next night you are more likely to do the dishes so you get dessert
       • Side effects of Physical Punishment of Children
         • There is a correlation between spanking a child and aggressive behaviour when the child is older. This is a correlation, meaning it might or might not be a causation.
   • Reinforcement- occurs when an event following a response increases a person`s or animals tendency to make that response. Like when a dog sits and gets a treat, next time it is told to sit the dog will sit because it wants a treat.
     • Acquisition refers to the initial stage of learning a new response. Shaping occurs when rewards are given for behaviour that is closer and closer to the final result.
     • Extinction is when a response is no longer followed by a reinforcer. then the behaviour decreases gradually.
     • Resistance to extinction is sometimes needed when you want a good behaviour.
     • Primary reinforcers are inherently reinforced because they satisfy biological needs.
     • Secondary reinforcers are associated with primary reinforcers and so acquire reinfocing tendency`s. Things like Money, good grades, attetnion, etc.

3. Observational Learning

   • Observational learning is learning that occurs as a result of observing the experiences of others, also called social learning or modelling.
     • Observational leaning is strongest when the model is viewed positively. and when the model is rewarded for the model behaviour.
   • Media Violence- excessive television watching has been linked to obesity, and lower academic performance. The Canadian Pediatric Society recommends children watch no more than hours of television per day. Media violence (TV, Movies, Video Games) is linked to physical and verbal aggression and aggressive thoughts and emotions in children and adults and can make some people less sensitive to the pain of others.
   • Mirror neurons are neurons that are activated by preforming an action or by seeing others preform the same action.

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