Chapter 6 Learning

Chapter Preview Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning Observational Learning Factors That Affect Learning Learning and Health and Wellness

Types of Learning Learning Behaviorism …a systematic, relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs through experience Behaviorism Associative Learning/Conditioning Observational Learning IM: Types of Learning Activity

Types of Learning

Classical Conditioning: Terminology helps to explain involuntary behavior unconditioned stimulus (UCS) unconditioned response (UCR) neutral stimulus (NS) conditioned stimulus (CS) conditioned response (CR)

Classical Conditioning: Procedure acquisition UCS produces a UCR (reflex) neutral stimulus (NS) paired with a UCS after pairings, NS produces a CR the NS has become a CS contiguity – time between CS and UCS contingency – is CS regularly followed by the UCS? IM: Activity Handout 7.1: Identify the UCS, CS, UCR and CR

Classical Conditioning: Pavlov Unlearned/Reflexive UCS – meat powder UCR – dog salivates NS – sound of Pavlov’s bell (prior to pairings with meat powder) Learned CS – sound of Pavlov’s bell CR – dog salivates IM: Activity Handout 7.1: Identify the UCS, CS, UCR and CR

Classical Conditioning: Pavlov

Classical Conditioning Generalization CRs may appear after various NS that are similar to the CS Discrimination CRs appear after the CS but not after other CSs discrimination generally learned by presenting other CSs without the UCS Note: Instructors could ask students to discuss the advantages and disadvantages (i.e., adaptive value) of both generalization and discrimination.

Classical Conditioning Extinction CR is weakened by presenting the CS without the UCS Pavlov rang the bell but did not present food, and the dog stopped salivating Spontaneous Recovery CR recurs after a time delay and without additional learning when Pavlov rang the bell the next day, the dog salivated Renewal recovery of the CR when organism is placed in novel context IM: Extinction and Spontaneous Recovery Activity

Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning: Applications Phobias Watson and Rayner (1920) – Little Albert white rat (CS) paired with loud noise (UCS) Counterconditioning associate CS with new, incompatible CR CS paired with new UCS aversive conditioning IM: Phobias Activity

Classical Conditioning: Applications placebo effect immune and endocrine responses taste aversion advertising drug habituation Note: Talking about overdoses in novel locations demonstrates to students that the CR is not always the same as, or similar to, the UCR.

Operant Conditioning better at explaining voluntary behaviors the consequences of a behavior change the probability of that behavior’s occurrence

Operant Conditioning Thorndike’s Law of Effect B.F. Skinner consequence strengthens or weakens a S – R connection B.F. Skinner expanded on Thorndike’s work shaping (reward approximations of the desired behavior) IM: Activity Handout 7.2: How Do You Shape This Behavior?

Reinforcement Reinforcement increases behavior. Positive Reinforcement behavior followed by rewarding consequence rewarding stimulus is “added” Negative Reinforcement aversive (unpleasant) stimulus is “removed” Note: It is important to stress that positive means “something is added,” that negative means “something is removed,” and that reinforcement is defined by the resulting effect on behavior (increase). Activity/Demonstration: Ask students to generate examples of both positive and negative reinforcement.

Reinforcement

Principles of Reinforcement Avoidance Reinforcement …by making a particular response, a negative stimulus can be avoided Learned Helplessness …an organism learns it has no control over negative outcomes

Types of Reinforcers Primary Reinforcers Secondary Reinforcers innately satisfying Secondary Reinforcers become satisfying through experience repeated association with a pre-existing reinforcer token economy IM: Partial Reinforcement Activity

Schedules of Reinforcement Generalization stimulus “sets the occasion” for the response responding occurs to similar stimuli Discrimination stimuli signal when behavior will or will not be reinforced Extinction and Spontaneous Recovery behavior decreases when reinforcement stops

Schedules of Reinforcement Continuous Reinforcement Partial Reinforcement fixed variable ratio interval IM: Partial Reinforcement Activity 21

Schedules of Reinforcement Fixed Ratio (FR) reinforcement follows a set # of behaviors Variable Ratio (VR) reinforcement follows an unpredictable # of behaviors (e.g., an average) IM: Activity Handout 7.3: Which Schedule Is It?

Schedules of Reinforcement Fixed Interval (FI) reinforcement follows behavior that occurs after a set amount of time has elapsed Variable Interval (VI) reinforcement follows behavior that occurs after an unpredictable amount of time has elapsed IM: Activity Handout 7.3: Which Schedule Is It?

Schedules of Reinforcement

Punishment Punishment decreases behavior. Positive Punishment behavior followed by aversive consequence aversive (unpleasant) stimulus is “added” Negative Punishment rewarding stimulus is “removed” Note: It is important to stress that positive means “something is added,” that negative means “something is removed,” and that punishment is defined by the resulting effect on behavior (decrease). Activity/Demonstration: Ask students to generate examples of both positive and negative punishment. IM: Punishment Activity

Punishment

Comparing Operant Procedures

Controversy Over Punishment corporal punishment used by 70-90% of parents in the U.S. correlational research studies problems associated with punishment why should parents avoid spanking? is physical punishment necessary? Activity/Demonstration: Instructors might ask students to indicate if they were spanked as children, and compare that with estimates that 70-90% of parents in the US spank their children.

Operant Conditioning Timing of Consequences Applied Behavior Analysis immediate versus delayed reinforcement immediate versus delayed punishment immediate versus delayed reinforcement and punishment Applied Behavior Analysis behavior modification

Observational Learning learning that occurs when a person observes and imitates behavior (modeling) Albert Bandura – Social Cognitive Theory four processes - attention - retention - motor reproduction - reinforcement IM: Bandura’s Approach Activity

Observational Learning

Cognitive Factors in Learning Do cognitions matter? Does learning involve more than environment-behavior connections? Purposive Behavior in Humans - goal directed - goal setting - self-regulation and self-monitoring

Cognitive Factors in Learning expectancy learning - information value latent learning/implicit learning insight learning IM: Latent Learning Activity

Other Factors in Learning Biological Constraints instinctive drift preparedness Cultural Influences Psychological Constraints mindset: fixed v. growth IM: Taste Aversions Activity

Learning and Health and Wellness Factors influencing degree of stress predictability of stressor control over stressor improvement of (reduction in) stressor outlets for frustration

Chapter Summary Explain what learning is. Describe classical conditioning. Discuss operant conditioning. Understand observational learning. Discuss the role of cognition in learning. Identify biological, cultural, and psychological factors in learning. Describe how principles of learning apply to health and wellness. Note: Instructors may use the learning objectives presented on this slide or the following three slides to summarize the chapter material.

Chapter Summary Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs through experience. Classical Conditioning association between two stimuli terminology: CS, CR, UCS, UCR generalization and discrimination extinction and spontaneous recovery phobias and counterconditioning

Chapter Summary Operant Conditioning Observational Learning stimulus  response  consequence positive and negative reinforcement positive and negative punishment schedules of reinforcement Observational Learning attention, retention, motor reproduction, and reinforcement

Chapter Summary Cognitive Factors in Learning purposive behavior insight learning Other Factors in Learning biological, cultural, psychological constraints Learning and Health and Wellness variables aggravating stress