Factors Influencing Respondent & Operant Learning Lesson 6

Respondent & Operant Together SD B SR : UR CS : US CR

Associative Learning & Language Language acquisition Interaction of nature & nurture Respondent & operant Respondent Association of sounds & symbols English: “deh” = d; “err” = r Russian: “deh” = д; “err” = р ~

Respondent Learning & Language Associatе sounds/symbols with objects/actions English: dog; woman; speak Spanish: perro; mujer; hablar Russian: собака; женщина, говорить Words/ideas Conditional stimuli Conditional responses ~

Operant Learning & Language Babies start off babbling sounds Inherited behavior Certain sounds are reinforced Directly by parents, etc. Also by consequences words are understood  consequences Mother ~

Respondent vs Operant Both associative Involuntary vs voluntary Biologically important events US vs SR Signals/cues CS vs SD Contingency CS : US vs B  SR ~

Factors Influencing Acquisition Frequency # learning trials Predictivity contingency & probability Contiguity timing Salience Intensity / novelty ~

Acquisition: Frequency Gradual usually requires many pairings Respondent: CS : US  UR Operant: SD : B  SR Measuring the learned response magnitude latency / probability / frequency Asymptote limit to how much can be learned ~

Respondent Acquisition CS : US  UR CR Hi Lo Asymptote CR Strength CS : US pairings

Operant Acquisition SD : B  SR Hi Asymptote Bar Press Rate (B) Lo B  SR Trials

Acquisition: Detour Learning Task

Acquisition: Detour Learning Chicks performance on detour learning task

Acquisition: Predictivity Contingency CS+ / CS- SD / S∆ Probability Usefulness of cues Hi  faster learning Low  slower learning ~

Contiguity: Respondent Learning Order & Timing Anticipate important event  strongest to weakest CR Delayed CS US Trace CS US

Contiguity: Respondent Learning Simultaneous CS US Backward CS US

Contiguity: Respondent Learning CS-US interval In general... shorter interval  more effective longer interval  less effective Depends on response system Fast: .5 - 2 seconds) e.g., eye blink, skeletal muscle reflexes Slow: 2-3 min e.g., CERs, physiological responses Nausea (CTA): hours ~

Contiguity: Operant Learning Delay of Reinforcement Immediate consequences most effective temporal contiguity reinforcement & punishment longer delays: ­ probability of other behaviors being reinforced instead of intended behavior ~

Delay of Reinforcement 20 15 Bar presses per minute 10 5 0 20 40 60 Delay between B and SR (sec)

Salience: Operant Learning SD / S∆ intensity More noticeable  faster learning SR intensity Magnitude of reinforcement  magnitude  faster learning SR value  value  faster learning ~

Operant: Delay vs Magnitude Delay most important factor Small, immediate reinforcer more powerful… Than large, delayed reward Immediate consequences More closely connected to situation e.g., hangovers as punishment ~

Salience: CS Intensity Faster conditioning CR Hi Lo # of CS - US pairings Asymptote stronger CS weaker CS

Salience: US Intensity Increased intensity Faster conditioning and… Stronger CR possible Raise Asymptote ~

Salience: US Intensity Hi stronger US Asymptote CR weaker US Lo # of CS - US pairings

Salience: Novelty Surprisingness of US important Novel stimuli best cues CS+ / CS- and SD / S∆ Not cues for other only occur with US/SR Latent Inhibition Slower acquisition if CS is familiar Cues associated w/ other events Inhibits association w/ new US/SR ~

Conditioned Taste Aversion (CTA) Exception to usual rules of conditioning Delay can be hours Requires only single CS-US pairing Adaptive ~

Conditioned Taste Aversions Learn to avoid foods that make you sick Eat a novel food Taste = CS Become sick Avoid food Resistant to extinction ~