Behaviorism and Classical Conditioning

The Beginnings  Behaviorism developed out of criticisms of “mentalism”.  The feeling was the psychology was too based in theoretical concepts that could not be supported by research.  “The brain is not always the best way to understand behavior.”

Behaviorism  Perspective focuses on external stimuli and responses.  Behavior is understood in terms of external causes (not internal ones).

Principles of Behaviorism 1. In order to understand a behavior it must be observable. 2. Rejects “mentalist” ideas about psychology. 3. Views learning and experience as central in understanding behavior.

Criticisms?

How do we learn?  Learning is a relatively permanent change in an organism’s behavior due to experience.  Conditioning - the process of learning associations.  Observational learning - learn from the experiences of others.

Some terms  Stimulus – an event, etc. that is measurable and which may affect behavior.  Response – any reaction to a stimulus (that can be measured)

Ivan Pavlov  Initially studied digestion, until he realized that dog salivation was a simple form of learning.

CS --> CR  Unconditioned stimulus (US)- normal or natural stimulus.  Unconditioned Response (UR) - normal / natural response.  Neutral Stimulus (NS) - would not normally cause a response.  NS + US = UR  The neutral stimulus becomes conditioned, to produce the conditioned response.

Conditioning  Associating neutral stimulus with unconditioned stimulus  Conditioned Stimulus = CS  Conditioned Response = CR  A previously Neutral Stimulus (NS) produces a response in the animal/human

How did Pavlov’s experiment work?  Food = US  Salivation = UR  Light= NS → CS  Associating light with food = CS  Salivating to the light = CR

What about our Squirt Bottle experiment? Unconditioned Stimulus (US): Squirt of water Unconditioned Response (UR): Eye Flinching Neutral Stimulus (NS) → (CS): Word “can” Conditioned Response (CR): Flinching to word “can”

Acquisition and Extinction  Acquisition - The initial learning.  Present the CS right before (.5 second) the US.  Extinction - diminishing of a CS, happens if a CS is repeatedly presented without the US.

Generalization and Discrimination  Generalization - tendency to respond to stimuli similar to the CS. Very difficult to operationally measure “similar” Very difficult to operationally measure “similar”  Discrimination - ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus and others. Tends to involve training – default response is to generalize. Tends to involve training – default response is to generalize.

Second Order Conditioning  Learning can be conditioned beyond the original stimulus Meat  Tone  Light as a conditioned stimulus Meat  Tone  Light as a conditioned stimulus Example of child cancer patients Example of child cancer patients

Little Albert  Teaching a baby to fear rats – how could you unlearn a fear?  Are emotions reflexes that can be conditioned?

Applications today  Used in animal training, understanding phobias, bedwetting  Basis in evolution – pairing fear with dangerous stimuli/taste aversions.

Cognitive Factors  Cognitive perspective argues that CC works because the animal becomes aware of the relationship between stimuli Rescorla study demonstrates contingency is more important than contiguity of stimuli Rescorla study demonstrates contingency is more important than contiguity of stimuli

Constraints  Stimulus – response learning is not absolute. There are biological constraints.  Taste aversions and light aversions develop differently*