Learning Relatively permanent change in behavior due to experience.

Learning As humans, we are NOT born with a genetic blueprint for living our lives (Instincts) Much of what we do, we Learn from Experience Experience (nurture) is the key to learning

Human Adaptability Innate = Inborn ability Capacity to learn new behaviors that enable us to cope w/ changing circumstances

What assumption underlies counseling, psychotherapy, & rehab? The assumption that what we have Learned can potentially be changed by new Learning – Ex: Stop Smoking Stop Binge Drinking Stop Overeating

Association We learn by making associations We naturally connect events that occur in sequence Action & consequence Aristotle, 2000 yrs ago p. 309 Locke & Hume

Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning p  We learn to associate two stimuli  We Associate Lightning & Thunder

Classical Conditioning  Ivan Pavlov p. 314   Russian physician/ neurophysiologist  Nobel Prize in 1904  studied digestive secretions

Classical Conditioning Ivan Pavlov – Studied Digestion of Dogs. Dogs would salivate before they were given food (triggered by sounds, lights etc…) – Dogs must have LEARNED to salivate. Learning by association Click above to see about Pavlov

Abbreviations you need to KNOW UCS (US)-unconditioned stimulus UCR (UR)-unconditioned response CS-conditioned stimulus CR-conditioned 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)

Classical Conditioning  Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)  stimulus that unconditionally--automatically and naturally--triggers a response- food that is presented to dog  Unconditioned Response (UCR)  unlearned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus  salivation when food is in the mouth

Classical Conditioning  Conditioned Stimulus (CS)  originally irrelevant stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response  Conditioned Response (CR)  learned response to a previously neutral conditioned stimulus

Classical Conditioning This is passive learning automatic…learner does NOT have to think. First thing you need is a unconditional relationship.

Classical Conditioning Next you find a neutral stimulus (something that by itself elicits no response). You present the stimulus with the UCS a whole bunch of times.

Classical Conditioning After a while, the body begins to link together the neutral stimulus with the UCS. Acquisition

Classical Conditioning  Acquisition  the initial stage in classical conditioning  the phase associating a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus comes to elicit a conditioned response  in operant conditioning, the strengthening of a reinforced response

Classical Conditioning We know learning takes places when the previously neutral stimulus elicits a response. At this point the neutral stimulus is called the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the unconditional response becomes the conditioned response (CR).

Classical Conditioning What can be learned, can be unlearned When the CS no longer elicits the CR, we have EXTINCTION. So using Pavlov’s Dogs, if you were to ring the bell over and over but never feed the dogs, then the bell would no longer be effective.

Spontaneous Recovery Sometimes, after extinction, the CR still randomly appears after the CS is presented.

Generalization and Discrimination Generalization Something is so similar to the CS that you get a CR. Ex:dog food and dog treat Ex. “watch for moving cars” – They will likely watch for moving trucks as well Discrimination Learned ability to distinguish between a CS & other CS that are different enough to not get a CR

Behaviorism  John B. Watson  viewed psychology as objective science  recommended study of behavior without reference to unobservable mental processes  not universally accepted by all schools of thought today

Classical Conditioning and Humans John Watson brought Classical Conditioning to psychology with his Baby Albert experiment. Click to see Baby Albert This type of Classical Conditioning is also known as Aversive (Negative)Conditioning.

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

First-Order and Second-Order Conditioning First Order Conditioning. Bell + meat = salivation. Bell = Salivation. Second Order Conditioning (After first order conditioning has occurred) Light + Bell = Salivation. Light = Salivation.

Learned Taste Aversions p. 318 When it comes to food being paired with sickness, the conditioning is incredible strong. Even when food and sickness are hours apart. Food must be salient ( noticeable or strong )

Operant Conditioning p. 322 The Learner is NOT passive. Learning based on consequences!

Operant Conditioning  We learn to associate a response and its consequence

Operant Conditioning We learn to associate a response & it’s consequence Type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by reinforcement or diminished if followed by punishment

The Law of Effect Behavior changes because of its consequences. Good consequence = repeated behavior Bad consequence = not repeated Called the whole process instrumental learning.

How do we actually use Operant Conditioning? Do we wait for the subject to deliver the desired behavior? Sometimes, we use a process called shaping. Shaping is reinforcing small steps on the way to the desired behavior. To train a dog to get your slippers, you would have to reinforce him in small steps. First, to find the slippers. Then to put them in his mouth. Then to bring them to you and so on…this is shaping behavior. To get Barry to become a better student, you need to do more than give him a massage when he gets good grades. You have to give him massages when he studies for ten minutes, or for when he completes his homework. Small steps to get to the desired behavior.

B.F. Skinner Developed Behavioral Technology The Boss of Operant Conditioning. Used a Skinner Box (Operant Conditioning Chamber) to prove his concepts.

Operant Chamber  Skinner Box  chamber with a bar or key that an animal manipulates to obtain a food or water reinforcer  contains devices to record responses

Skinner Box

Reinforcers Positive Reinforcement: The addition of something pleasant. Negative Reinforcement: The removal of something unpleasant.

Primary v. Secondary Reinforcers Primary Reinforcer Things that are in themselves rewarding. Secondary Reinforcer Things we have learned to value. Money is a special secondary reinforcer called a generalized reinforcer (because it can be traded for just about anything)

Reinforcement Schedules How often do you give the reinforcer? Every time or just sometimes you see the behavior?

Continuous v. Partial Reinforcement Continuous Reinforce the behavior EVERYTIME the behavior is exhibited. Usually done when the subject is first learning to make the association. Acquisition comes really fast. But so does extinction. Partial Reinforce the behavior only SOME of the times it is exhibited. Acquisition comes more slowly. But is more like to become extinct. FOUR types of Partial Reinforcement schedules.

Ratio Schedules Fixed Ratio (FR) Provides a reinforcement after a SET number of responses. Variable Ratio (VR) Provides a reinforcement after a RANDOM number of responses.- reinforcement varies Very hard to get acquisition but also very resistant to extinction. Fixed Ratio: She gets a manicure for every 5 pounds she loses.

Interval Schedules Fixed Interval (FI) Requires a SET amount of time to elapse before giving the reinforcement. Variable Interval (VI) Requires a RANDOM amount of time to elapse before giving the reinforcement. Very hard to get acquisition but also very resistant to extinction. Fixed Interval: She gets a manicure for every 7 days she stays on her diet.

Punishment Meant to decrease a behavior Works best when it is done immediately after behavior

Punishment Positive Punishment bc we add to or give Negative Punishment bc we take away something Omission Training Removal of something pleasant. Addition of something unpleasant

Chaining Behaviors Subjects are taught a number of responses successively in order to get a reward. Click picture to see a rat chaining behaviors. Click to see a cool example of chaining behaviors.

Operant vs Classical Conditioning

Latent Learning Apparent only when there is some Incentive to demonstrate it Reading vs HW for a grade Sometimes learning is not immediately evident. Rats needed a reason to display what they have learned. end of maze

Behavior Respondent Behavior Result of Classical Conditioning (CC) Occurs as an automatic response to stimulus Pavlov Operant Behavior Result of Operant Conditioning (OC) Complex or Voluntary Behaviors Push button, perform complex task Produces consequences Skinner

Observational Learning We learn through modeling behavior from others. We observe, watch/hear then imitate Observing and imitating others is called modeling Observational learning + Operant Conditioning = Social Learning Theory Albert Bandura-BoBo Doll Experiment