Learning How do we learn through our environment? Classical Conditioning – Neutral stimulus acquires ability to produce a response Operant Conditioning – Consequences increase or decrease the likelihood of a response Social Learning / Cognitive Learning (Modeling) Instincts

What is Classical Conditioning? (Pavlov) Neutral Stimulus (NS) – causes a sensory response but does not produce the reflex Unconditioned Stimulus(UCS) – triggers a physical response Unconditioned Response (UCR) – Unlearned reflex

What is Classical Conditioning? (Pavlov) Conditioned Stimulus (CS) – Same as neutral stimulus; now produces a response Conditioned Response (CR)– Similar to the UCR, but lesser in size & amount

Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning We learn to associate two stimuli Two related events: Lightning Stimulus 1 Thunder Stimulus 2 Result after repetition We see lightning Stimulus We wince anticipating thunder Response

Pavlov’s Classic Experiment Before Conditioning During ConditioningAfter Conditioning UCS (food in mouth) Neutral stimulus (tone) No salivation UCR (salivation) Neutral stimulus (tone) UCS (food in mouth) UCR (salivation) CS (tone) CR (salivation)

Nausea Conditioning in Cancer Patients UCS (drug) UCR (nausea) CS (waiting room) CS (waiting room) CR (nausea) UCS (drug) UCR (nausea)

What is Operant Conditioning ? (Skinner) Rewards/Punishments determine behavior Reinforcements – increase the likelihood of a response Punishment – decreases the likelihood of a response

What is Thorndike’s Law of Effect ? Random actions followed by reward are strengthened and will recur

Can any stimulus result in conditioning? Generalization – Similar stimuli elicit same response (Little Albert Example) Discrimination – Only certain stimuli will elicit response

Does conditioning last forever? Extinction – CS is repeatedly presented without the UCS and eventually will no longer elicit the CR Spontaneous Recovery – The CR reappears even after an absence of conditioning trials

Can you uncondition learning? Systematic Desensitization – Blood, needles, snakes, public-speaking Test anxiety Treating drug desires Fear/Anxiety Hierarchy Greatest Fear Least Fear

How does operant conditioning work ? **Shaping – successive reinforcement of approximate behaviors as they lead to the desired behavior goal Application Examples

What’s the difference between Operant and Classical Conditioning?** OPERANT GOAL Increases or Decreases a rate of Response CLASSICAL GOAL Create a new response to a neutral stimulus

What’s the difference between Operant and Classical Conditioning? ** OPERANT Response Voluntary Emitted by Shaping Contingent upon behavior Reinforced immediately CLASSICAL Response Involuntary Reflex Elicited by Stimulus Conditioned by the Pairing presented slightly before

What’s the difference between Operant and Classical Conditioning?** OPERANT Result Behavior depends on Consequences CLASSICAL Result Organism learns a predictable relationship between NS & UCS

What is Reinforcement ? Increases the chance of behavior recurring Positive – rewards Negative – removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase the positive behavior

What can reinforce us?*** Primary – food, water, sex …innately satisfying Secondary – acquires power through experience

What is Punishment ? Decreases the chance of behavior recurring Positive – presenting an unpleasant stimulus after a response Negative – removing a reinforcing stimulus after a response

Which will you use as a parent? SPANKING Positive Punishment increases aggression linked to low self- esteem & depression TIME-OUT Negative Punishment fewer side effects Doesn’t model aggression

Which will you use as a parent? SPANKING Only points out what the child should not do Can be used sparing w/ consistency TIME-OUT No severe emotional reactions Combine with teaching alternative desired behaviors & reinforcement

How does Partial Reinforcement work? Fixed Ratio Occurs after a Fixed # of responses Payment for # of items completed

How does Partial Reinforcement work? Fixed Interval Behavior occurs after a fixed interval of time Surfers riding waves after so many minutes of time

How does Partial Reinforcement work? Variable Ratio A different number of responses is required for each reinforcement Las Vegas Slot Machines

How does Partial Reinforcement work? Variable Interval Different amounts of time pass for reinforcements to occur Bus arrivals (some early, some late)

What must occur for Social Cognitive learning to happen? Bandura believed that ‘modeling’ is the most powerful learning method 4 Features Attention –Observe Memory – Store the image Imitation – Ability to perform Motivation – incentive to imitate Skill vs Performance deficits

What about instincts ? Abilities evolved for survival (Adaptive Learning) Imprinting – inherited tendencies Preparedness - Taste Aversion Ethology – study of animal behaviors in natural settings