© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION Sixth Edition by Karen Huffman PowerPoint  Lecture Notes Presentation Chapter 6 Learning Paul J. Wellman Texas A&M University

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Lecture Overview Learning Conditioning –Classical conditioning –Operant conditioning Cognitive Social Learning Neuroscience and Evolution

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Learning Learning refers to relatively permanent changes in behavior resulting from practice or experience –Learning can be unlearned –Observation can lead to learning –Learning requires an operational memory system Innate behaviors are inborn, emerge during certain periods, and are not the result of learning

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Classical Conditioning Certain stimuli can elicit a reflexive response –Air puff produces an eye-blink –Smelling a grilled steak can produce salivation The reflexive stimulus (UCS) and response (UCR) are unconditioned The neutral stimulus is referred to as the conditioned stimulus (CS) In classical conditioning, the CS is repeatedly paired with the reflexive stimulus (UCS) –Conditioning is best when the CS precedes the UCS Eventually the CS will produce a response (CR) similar to that produced by the UCS

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Pavlov’s Experiment

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Analysis of Pavlov’s Study

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Conditioning of Emotional Responses John Watson documented that conditioning of emotional responses in the Little Albert study –CS: a white rat –UCS: a loud banging sound –UCR: fear/startle response –Eventually Albert exhibited fear to the white rat Other instances of learning –Positive: conditioning of attraction in advertising Brand name (CS) + attractive model (UCS) => liking (UCR) –Negative: aversion Flavor (CS) + illness (UCS) => flavor aversion (UCR)

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Extinction Pairings of the CS and UCS lead to conditioning whereas presentation of the CS only leads to loss of the conditioned response Extinction refers to loss of response to a CS presented without the UCS –Extinction is not forgetting Extinction is useful in clinical situations –Extinction of a phobia can be treated by exposure to the CS only

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Extinction

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Operant Conditioning Organisms make responses that have consequences –The consequences serve to increase or decrease the likelihood of making that response again –The response can be associated with cues in the environment We put coins in a machine to obtain food But we refrain when an Out of Order sign is placed on the machine

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Key Aspects of Operant Conditioning In operant conditioning, the stimulus is a cue, it does not elicit the response Operant responses are voluntary In operant conditioning, the response elicits a reinforcing stimulus, whereas in classical conditioning, the UCS elicits the reflexive response

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Key Terms of Operant Conditioning Reinforcement is any procedure that increases the response Punishment is any procedure that decreases the response Types of reinforcers: –Primary: e.g. food or water –Secondary: money or power

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Reinforcement/Punishment

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Schedules of Reinforcement Continuous: reinforcement occurs after every response –Produces rapid acquisition and is subject to rapid extinction Partial: reinforcement occurs after some, but not all, responses –Responding on a partial reinforcement schedule is more resistant to extinction

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Partial Reinforcement Schedules Ratio: every nth response is reinforced –Fixed: every nth response –Variable: on average, every nth response Interval: first response after some interval results in reinforcement –Fixed: interval is x in length (e.g. 1 min) –Variable: the average interval is x

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Reinforcement Schedules

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Spontaneous Recovery of Extinguished Responding

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Summary of Conditioning

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Biofeedback Feedback allows for control of responses –Most operant responses are voluntary motor system responses –The autonomic nervous system (ANS) does not provide sufficient sensory feedback to the brain to allow for conscious control Biofeedback uses electronic devices to provide feedback and control of ANS function (e.g. skin temperature)

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Biofeedback

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Cognitive-Social Theory Cognitive-social theory: uses learning principles in combination with an emphasis on thought processes Observational learning refers to the notion that humans can learn through observation of models –Requires attention to the model –Involves cognitive abilities to organize and remember the modeled behavior –Requires practice of the modeled behavior –Person must decide to use the modeled behavior

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Neuroscience of Learning Learning involves changes in the brain –Biochemical changes noted during learning include changes in the ability of neurons to release transmitters across the synaptic cleft –Anatomical changes during learning include circuits within particular brain regions: E.g. the cerebellum plays a role in certain forms of classical conditioning (involving an eye blinking)

© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E Copyright Copyright 2002 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, NY. All rights reserved. No part of the material protected by this copyright may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission of the copyright owner.