1. AP PSYCHOLOGY: UNIT VI Introductory Psychology: Learning Learning is when you learn something…?

2. Let’s Review: Classical Conditioning Joan, an animal trainer, has been afraid of monkeys since an earlier attack; however, due to money, she has agreed to work with monkeys for an upcoming movie… Initially, being anywhere near the cages made Joan tense, sweaty & very apprehensive… Lately, however, things have changed… Working with such cuddly & affectionate creatures has caused Joan to wonder why she ever felt such extreme distress in the first place…

3. Let’s Review: Classical Conditioning Early in their relationship, the mere sight of Donna excited Jack… This gradually died out, as Donna began to behave tolerantly, yet indifferently... By the time their relationship ended, Jack was bored with Donna. When they broke up, he didn’t think of her for an entire year… Now, Jack is surprised at how excited he is to see Donna pass by on a bus….

4. Let’s Review: Classical Conditioning John’s sister had a bladder ailment when she was a little girl. As a result, she had to visit the doctor every 3 weeks for uncomfortable treatments… John’s sister developed a fear of doctors who wore white coats because she associated their presence with the discomfort of her treatments… One day John’s family went to eat at a restaurant whose bus boys wore white jackets. John’s sister was scared the minute she saw them…

5. PART ONE Learning: Operant Conditioning What’s in it for me?

6. Learning: Operant Conditioning Operant Conditioning  A type of learning in which the frequency of a behavior depends on the consequence that follows the behavior; deals with voluntary behaviors  Frequency increases if the consequence is reinforcing  Frequency decreases if the consequence is not reinforcing

7. Result: More tantrums in the future Consequence: Receiving a candy bar Behavior: Screaming tantrum Result: More candy buying in the future Consequence: Screaming tantrum ends Behavior: Give candy

8. Learning: Operant Conditioning The Law of Effect (Edward Thorndike)  Behaviors with favorable consequences will occur more frequently; behaviors with unfavorable consequences will occur less frequently  Hungry cats in puzzle boxes?  Provides the basis for learning voluntary behaviors

9. Thorndike’s Puzzle Box The cat is placed in the box with the food reward outside Although learning is NOT immediate, the hungry cat eventually learns that pressing the lever will result in getting out of the box and being able to reach the food Escape – GOOD! Food – EVEN BETTER!

10. Learning: Operant Conditioning B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)  The “Behaviorist’s Behaviorist”  Developed the fundamental principles & techniques of operant conditioning  Voluntary behavior is what people & animals do to operate in the world  Coined the term “operant”

11. Learning: Operant Conditioning Designed the Skinner Box, or operant chamber to study operant conditioning  Has a lever/key that an animal manipulates in order to obtain a reinforcer like food or water  The lever/key is connected to devices that record the animal’s response

12. During WWII, Skinner trained pigeons to guide missiles to their targets; however, the military didn’t buy into his ideas… These animals were much more effective than humans at identifying their targets… Humans: 38% accuracy Pigeons: 93% accuracy Skinner’s Pigeons…

13. Reinforcement

14. Learning: Operant Conditioning Reinforcement  Any event or stimulus that, when following a response, increases the probability that the response will occur again  Primary Reinforcer Naturally reinforces by meeting a basic biological need Hunger, thirst, touch, etc.  Secondary Reinforcer Becomes reinforcing when paired with a primary reinforcer (in the past) or when we have learned to value it Praise, gold stars, tokens, etc.

15. Learning: Operant Conditioning Positive Reinforcement  The reinforcement of a response by the addition or experiencing of a pleasurable stimulus  The subject receives something they want/desire Called an APPETITIVE STIMULUS  Increases the likelihood of the behavior; strengthens the behavior

16. Learning: Operant Conditioning Negative Reinforcement  The reinforcement of a response by the removal, escape from, or avoidance of an unpleasant stimulus  Something the subject doesn’t like is removed Called an AVERSIVE STIMULUS  Increases the likelihood of the behavior; strengthens the behavior

17. Punishment

18. Learning: Operant Conditioning Punishment  Any event or object that, when following a response, makes that response less likely to happen again  The OPPOSITE of reinforcement  Decreases the likelihood of the behavior; weakens the behavior

19. Learning: Operant Conditioning Punishment by Application  The punishment of a response by the addition or experiencing of an unpleasant stimulus  Also known as positive punishment  Examples Spanking, scolding, etc.

20. Learning: Operant Conditioning Punishment by Removal  The punishment of a response by the removal of a pleasurable stimulus  Also known as negative punishment or omission training  Examples “Grounding,” time-out, fining, etc.

21. Learning: Operant Conditioning Problems with punishment  Severe punishment…  May cause the child to avoid the punisher instead of the behavior being punished  May encourage lying  Creates fear, anxiety, low self-esteem and emotional responses that do not promote learning  Can lead to increased aggression  Can lead to abuse

22. Learning: Operant Conditioning To make punishment more effective…  Punishment should immediately follow the behavior it is meant to punish  Punishment should be consistent  Follow through with promises of punishment  Same intensity or slight increase, but never decrease  Punishment of the wrong behavior should be paired, whenever possible, with reinforcement of the right behavior

23. Additional Concepts

24. Learning: Operant Conditioning Shaping  A technique used to establish a behavior that otherwise probably wouldn’t happen  Involves the reinforcement of behaviors that are increasingly similar to the desired outcome Animal tricks Learning to ride a bike without training wheels

25. Learning: Operant Conditioning Stimulus Generalization  “Dada” example Stimulus Discrimination  Involves reinforcement or the absence of reinforcement in the case of generalization Extinction  Involves the removal of reinforcement Spontaneous Recovery

26. Schedules of Reinforcement

27. Learning: Operant Conditioning Schedules of Reinforcement  The timing of reinforcement can make a HUGE difference in the speed at which learning occurs and the strength of the learned response…  Skinner found that reinforcing each & every response was not necessarily the best schedule of reinforcement for long-lasting learning…

28. Learning: Operant Conditioning Continuous Reinforcement  The reinforcement of each & every correct response  Behavior is… Established very quickly Very likely to be extinguished once reinforcement stops  Examples Vending machines Dog training

29. Learning: Operant Conditioning Partial Reinforcement  The reinforcement of some, but not all, correct responses  Behavior is… Established more gradually Very resistant to extinction  Example Lottery Tickets  Patterns of Partial Reinforcement  Fixed-interval & variable-interval  Fixed-ratio & variable-ratio

30. Learning: Operant Conditioning Fixed-Interval Schedule  A schedule of reinforcement in which the interval of time that must pass before reinforcement becomes possible is always the same  Examples Monthly paycheck Studying hardest just before the test (assuming that you know when the test is going to be given) “Pre-dentist” teeth cleaning extravaganza

31. Learning: Operant Conditioning Variable-Interval Schedule  A schedule of reinforcement in which the interval of time that must pass before reinforcement becomes possible is different for each trial or event  Examples Fishing Pop quizzes Calling a radio station

32. Learning: Operant Conditioning Fixed-Ratio Schedule  A schedule of reinforcement in which the number of responses required for reinforcement is always the same  Examples Planet Smoothie Punch Cards A salesperson receives a bonus for every 10 th gym membership sold

33. Learning: Operant Conditioning Variable-Ratio Schedule  A schedule of reinforcement in which the number of responses required for reinforcement is different for each trial or event  Examples Slot machines Lottery tickets

34. Cognitive Factors

35. Learning: Operant Conditioning Edward Tolman (1930)  Latent Learning  Learning that is not apparent from behavior when it first occurs  Tolman’s Maze Experiment  Maze-Running Rats Significance?

36. Learning: Operant Conditioning Martin Seligman (1967)  Learned Helplessness  The tendency to fail to act to escape from a situation because of a history of repeated failures in the past  Seligman’s Dog Experiment  Depressed Dogs Significance?

37. Learning: Operant Conditioning Wolfgang Köhler (1925)  Insight Learning  The sudden perception of relationships among various parts of a problem, allowing the solution to the problem to come quickly  Köhler’s Chimpanzee Experiment  Smart Chimps Significance?