Learning goals Understand classical conditioning and effectively apply its principles Understand the basic meaning and terminology of operant conditioning Identify various reinforcement schedules Understand observational learning

Learning a relatively permanent change in behavior due to experience learning processes: make connections between 2 or more events in the world respond to the effects of personal experiences observation of other people’s experiences

3 main types of learning classical conditioning learning that 2 stimuli occur together operant conditioning learning that a response and its consequence occur together observational learning learning through observation and modeling

Classical conditioning a type of learning in which an organism comes to associate events also called Pavlovian conditioning builds on unlearned responses learning through association of 2 stimuli a neutral stimulus is associated with a meaningful stimulus; the organism then responds to the previously neutral stimulus as if it were the original meaningful stimulus

Example of classical conditioning original association is between the bottle and drooling there is no original association between taking a bath and drooling there are repeated associations between taking a bath, then receiving the bottle the bath and the bottle become associated so that taking a bath produces the same response as the bottle taking a bath leads to drooling

Classical conditioning terminology unconditioned response (UCR) natural, unlearned response to a stimulus unconditioned stimulus (UCS) meaningful stimulus that produces a response neutral stimulus (NS) unmeaningful stimulus that produces no response conditioned response (CR) learned response through association conditioned stimulus (CS) stimulus whose meaning is learned

Principles of classical conditioning acquisition initial stage of learning in which a stimulus comes to evoke a conditioned response extinction diminishing of a response when a CS occurs repeatedly without the UCS spontaneous recovery (reappearance of an extinguished CR) often occurs

Examples of classical conditioning fears of doctors/dentists phobias sexual arousal to certain stimuli fetishes advertising

Operant conditioning a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by reinforcement or diminished if followed by punishment also called Skinnarian conditioning learning by reinforcement behavior associated with consequences learning by associating a response with its consequence

Principles of operant conditioning shaping reinforcing successive approximations toward a desired goal operant consequences reinforcement any stimuli that increases the frequency of a response punishment any stimuli that decreases the frequency of a response

Reinforcement anything that increases the frequency of a response can be anything desired by the organism 2 types: positive reinforcement negative reinforcement

Positive vs. negative reinforcement both increase the frequency of a response positive reinforcement present a desired stimulus after a response to strengthen the frequency of that response example: give money for completing chores negative reinforcement remove an aversive stimuli after a response to strengthen the frequency of that response example: take aspirin to relieve a headache

Punishment anything that decreases the frequency of a response aims at weakening a response or behavior can involve giving an aversive stimulus (spanking) or removing a pleasant stimulus (grounding or time-out)

Example: You are the parent of a teenager who is getting poor grades in school due to spending too much time “hanging out” with friends. Options: give teen money every time he/she studies; studying increases praise the teen for studying; no change in studying nag teen when not studying and only stop nagging when he/she is studying; studying increases ground the teen for every bad grade that he/she receives; studying decreases ignore the low grades; no change in studying

Reinforcement schedules fixed-ratio reinforcement after a specific number of responses fixed-interval reinforcement after a specified amount of time variable-ratio reinforcement after an unpredictable number of responses variable-interval reinforcement after an unpredictable amount of time

Response rates for reinforcement schedules

Examples of reinforcement schedules waiter/waitress receiving a tip paycheck from work telemarketing bonuses gambling pop quizzes fishing/hunting product assembly work redialing for a busy phone number checking the mail

Observational Learning Learning that occurs due to the observation of others without any direct experience Pioneered by Albert Bandura Key factors: Modeling Imitation Issues in observational learning: Acquisition of behavior Demonstration of behavior