Learning

How Do We Learn? Most learning is associative learning. Learning that certain events occur together. Operant conditioning is too!

Operant Conditioning Behavior becomes more likely or less likely depending on its consequences. Behavior is… strengthened if followed by reinforcement diminished if followed by punishment

Difference Between Classical & Operant Classical conditioning Association of two stimuli Operant conditioning Association of consequences with one’s behavior

Difference Between Classical & Operant Classical conditioning Does not matter whether an animal’s or person’s behavior has consequences EX: Dog will receive meat regardless of salivating or not Operant conditioning Animal’s or person’s response operates, or produces, certain effects EX: Little girl crying in a grocery store gets candy

The Law of Effect Edward Thorndike Rewards strengthen behavior Locked cats in a “puzzle box” cage Behavior changes due to consequences Takes less and less time to figure out the “puzzle” Rewards strengthen behavior If consequences are unpleasant, the Stimulus-Reward connection will weaken http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BDujDOLre-8

The Skinner Box B.F. Skinner Used a method called shaping to get his animals to do what he wants. Shaping: procedure in which reinforcers, such as food, guides the animals actions closer and closer to approximations of the desired behavior. Used a Skinner Box to prove it

Reinforcers A reinforce is anything that INCREASES a likelihood of certain behavior Positive Reinforcement: The addition of something pleasant Candy for pushing a lever Negative Reinforcement: The removal of something unpleasant Hitting the alarm snooze

Positive or Negative Reinforcement? Oscar is nagged by his mother to take out the garbage week after week. After constantly complaining to his friends about the nagging, Oscar finally performs the task one day and to his amazement, the nagging stops.

Negative Reinforcement! The elimination of this negative stimulus is reinforcing and will likely increase the chances that he will take out the garbage next week.

Punishments Meant to DECREASE the likelihood of certain behavior Positive Punishment The addition of something unpleasant Spanking Negative Punishment Removal of something pleasant “No video games for one week!”

Positive Punishment I really want to be a teacher when I grow up!

Drawbacks of Physically Punishing Children Punished behavior is suppressed, not forgotten Punishment teaches discrimination. Did the punishment effectively stop the cussing or teach child just not to get caught? Punishment teaches fear. Most Western countries now ban physical punishment in school. Physical punishment may increase aggressiveness Models aggression as a way to cope with problems.

For Example… This is passive learning (learner does not have to think) Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response This is passive learning (learner does not have to think)

For Example… This is passive learning (learner does not have to think) Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response This is passive learning (learner does not have to think)

Next… You find a neutral stimulus Something that by itself elicits no response You present the stimulus with the UCS many times Neutral Stimulus Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response

Next… You find a neutral stimulus Something that by itself elicits no response You present the stimulus with the UCS many times Neutral Stimulus Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response

Next… You find a neutral stimulus Something that by itself elicits no response You present the stimulus with the UCS many times Neutral Stimulus Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response

Eventually… Acquisition occurs The body begins to link together the neutral stimulus with the UCS

Which Means… The “do nothing” neutral stimulus is then learned, making it the conditioned stimulus (CS) The learned response to a previously neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned response (CR)

Math?! UCS = UCR Not Learned NS + UCS = UCR CS = CR Learned! ______

Is Classical Conditioning Permanent? We know learning exists because the CS is linked to the UCS. Called acquisition Does not last forever. The moment the CS is no longer associated with the UCS, we have extinction.

Spontaneous Recovery Sometimes, after extinction, the CR still randomly appears after the CS is presented. http://www.flowgo.com/funny/2028_scary-jack-in-box-scary.html

Generalization vs. Discrimination Something is so similar to the CS that you get a CR Something is too different from the CS so you do not get a CR

How to Train Your Rat? http://abcnews.go.com/OnCampus/video/kind-rat-race-college-capus-training-science-math-learning-future-education-features-12511756

My Turn! I’ll need a volunteer. One who does not get angry easily…

Classical Conditioning in Pop Culture See if you can identify the UCS, UR, CS, CR http://vimeo.com/35754924

Classical Conditioning & Humans John Watson brought classical conditioning to psychology with his Little Albert experiment. Extremely unethical http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGU0IYDlwn0

Learned Taste Aversions When it comes to food being paired with sickness, the conditioning is incredibly strong Even when food and sickness are hours apart