Learning

What is learning? How do you know when learning has occurred? What are some of the main lessons you must teach a dog and how do you teach them? What are some techniques your parents used to show you right from wrong? Which techniques worked the best/worst?

Types of Learning Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning (Instrumental Learning) Observational Learning Latent Learning

Classical Conditioning Ivan Pavlov a Russian physiologist was studying the digestive system of dogs Why did the dogs salivate to various sights and sounds before eating the meat powder? Classical Conditioning – learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus and acquires the capacity to elicit a similar response.

Classical Conditioning Unconditioned Stimulus (US) Produces a response without prior learning Unconditioned Response (UR) Unlearned response that is automatically associated with the US Neutral Stimulus (NS) Stimulus that does not elicit any response Conditioned Stimulus (CS) Previously the NS that elicits the conditioned response after being paired with the US. Conditioned Response (CR) Learned response to the CS

The ringing of the bell is associated with the meat powder and the dogs learn to salivate to the ringing of the bell. US meat powder CS ringing bell UR salivation CR salivation NS ringing bell

My brothers chased me around with snakes when I was little My brothers chased me around with snakes when I was little. Now I am afraid of snakes. US CS UR CR NS

A little girl is stung by a bee while smelling a flower A little girl is stung by a bee while smelling a flower. Now she is afraid of flowers. US CS UR CR NS

I fall asleep while studying Psychology I fall asleep while studying Psychology. Now every time I look at my Psychology book, I yawn. US CS UR CR NS

I was in a car accident and now every time I drive I am very nervous and tense. US CS UR CR NS

My boyfriend works at Burger King My boyfriend works at Burger King. When I pick him up from work, he always greets me with a kiss. Now I find myself sexually aroused every time I smell onion breath. US CS UR CR NS

A crying baby wants to eat A crying baby wants to eat. A nursing mother finds that her milk lets down every time she hears her baby cry even when it isn’t feeding time. US CS UR CR NS

Acquisition – the pairing of the US and the NS so the NS comes to elicit the CR. Often in classical conditioning the pairing between the US and NS must occur several times before it comes to elicit the CR. Taste Aversion – acquisition only takes one time because the response is so strong. Protection from our environment

I had the flu and I ate chili I had the flu and I ate chili. Now every time I smell chili I get nauseated. US CS UR CR NS

Discrimination – learning to respond to certain stimuli and not others Generalization – the tendency of a new stimulus that is similar to the original stimulus to elicit a response that is similar to the CR. Little Albert’s generalized fear Discrimination – learning to respond to certain stimuli and not others Pavlov conditioned the dogs to salivate to a picture of a circle. He found that they would salivate to a variety of geometric shapes. (generalization) But they would salivate more the closer it was to the original shape (discrimination)

A golden retriever jumps up on a little boy A golden retriever jumps up on a little boy. Now every time he sees a dog, he whimpers. US CS UR CR NS Generalizing Stimulus (GS)= Discriminating Stimulus (DS)=

Extinction – the weakening of the CR in the absence of the US Spontaneous Recovery – the CR can appear again without further conditioning

Applications of Classical Conditioning Flooding – exposed to stimulus until you realize that there is nothing to fear Systematic Desensitization – exposed to stimulus gradually while practicing relaxation techniques Counterconitioning – pairing the fearful stimulus with a comforting one -Mary Cover Jones helped Peter overcome his fear of rabbits by pairing the rabbit with crackers and milk US CS UR CR

Bell and Pad Method for bed wetting Bell rings every couple of hours to wake you up until you learn to wake up from a full bladder on your own. US CS UR CR

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