LEARNING

What is learning? Lasting changes in behavior that occur as a result of practice or other past experience Must have a continuing effect Performance is important…demonstrate knowledge Different from reflex, instinct, and maturation. HOW?

Three Main Types of Learning Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning Observational Learning Other forms of Learning Latent Learning Abstract Learning Insight Learning

Basic terminology Stimulus Response Motivation Anything that produces a change or sensation in a human or animal Causes a response Becomes the independent variable Response Observable activity of a human or animal Becomes the dependent variable Motivation Goal both inside and outside of an organism that causes any behavior

How do we learn? Most learning is associative learning Learning that certain events occur together.

Stimulus-Stimulus Learning Learning to associate one stimulus with another.

Stimulus-Stimulus Learning Learning to associate one stimulus with another.

Response-Consequence Learning Learning to associate a response with a consequence.

Response-Consequence Learning Learning to associate a response with a consequence.

Classical Conditioning It all started with: Ivan Pavlov

Unconditioned Stimulus (US): a stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response. Unconditional Response (UR): the unlearned, naturally occurring response to the US.

Conditioned Stimulus (CS): an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with the US, comes to trigger a response. Conditioned Response (CR): the learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.

Come up with your own examples of Classical Conditioning Lab time

Pavlov spent the rest of his life outlining his ideas Pavlov spent the rest of his life outlining his ideas. He came up with 5 critical terms that together make up classical conditioning. Acquisition Extinction Spontaneous Recovery Generalization Discrimination

Acquisition Does timing matter? The initial stage of learning. The phase where the neutral stimulus is associated with the UCS so that the neutral stimulus comes to elicit the CR (thus becoming the CS). Does timing matter? The CS should come before the US They should be very close together in timing.

Extinction The diminishing of a conditioned response. Will eventually happen when the US does not follow the CS. Is extinction permanent?

Spontaneous Recovery The reappearance. After a rest period, of an extinguished conditioned response.

Generalization The tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the CS to elicit similar responses.

Discrimination The learned ability to distinguish between a CS and other stimuli that does not signal US.

John B. Watson “Give me a dozen healthy infants, allow me to control the environment, and I can make them into anything you want.” Baby Albert experiment

Mary Cover Jones Studied under Watson Conducted an experiment with “Little Peter” Afraid of rabbits Able to extinguish his fear Developed an extinction procedure to reduce people’s fears Systematic desensitization Relaxation techniques Exposed gradually to whatever stimulus they fear while they are relaxed or paired with a pleasant stimulus

Classical Conditioning – “Little Peter’s” Direct Conditioning RABBIT (CS) Before direct conditioning, a RABBIT somehow had become a conditioned stimulus (CS) with the ability to elicit a powerful fear reaction (CR) in Peter, i.e., he had an already established rabbit-provoked conditioned fear response when Mary Cover Jones found him. FOOD (UCS) Before direct conditioning, FOOD, as usual, evoked a nearly opposite emotion, viz., pleasure. FOOD does cause salivation, but it is its ability to evoke higher cognitive states such as enjoyment, relaxation, and pleasing emotional feelings that was to be called into play here. RABBIT (CS) + FOOD (UCS)  RELAXATION & PLEASURE (UCR) During direct conditioning, the RABBIT & FOOD (e.g., candy) are repeatedly paired with each other. After direct conditioning, Peter’s “fear was eliminated in favor of a positive response.” [MCJ] RABBIT (CS)  Non-fearful behavior, relaxation, etc.(CR) Anthony A. Walsh, Ph.D., 071101 Psychology 100, Introduction to Psychology

Practical Applications of Classical Conditioning Counter-conditioning Consists of conditioning the stimulus to a different response Used to get rid of undesirable, learned behaviors, i.e.. Nail biting Drug induced nausea when drinking Draw-back: treats symptom rather than cause Removing phobias--Flooding Less desirable method to extinguish fear Expose individual to the harmless stimulus until the fear responses are extinguished Systematic desensitization is preferred method Avoidance conditioning Organism is taught to avoid a stimulus Electric shock on cows to keep them pinned in Advertising

Other examples of how advertising uses classical conditioning? Bonus opportunity Find examples in magazines and bring them in and explain how cc is used Find clips from TV or You Tube and bring them in to explain