1. Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning Learning by Observation
Modules Learning
Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Learning by Observation

2. Vocabulary that we will use
Stimulus (Plural: Stimuli): an agent (as an environmental change) that directly influences the activity of a living organism or one of its parts
Response: The behavior or cognitive process that occurs in reaction to a stimulus 2

3. Learning
Unlike most animals, we do not have a genetic blueprint for life.
E.g., migrating birds know where they are supposed to go and how to go there
Much of our behaviors are learned through experience.
Learning is our way of adapting to our environment

4. Definiton of learning
Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior that occurs as the result of experience.
Produced by experience not because of maturation (neuromuscular development).
Learning is hope:
What is learned can be taught
What is learned can be corrected through new learning

5. We learn by association
We (and virtually all organisms) naturally connect events that occur in sequence
Associative Learning (Learning associations): learning that two events occur together
two stimuli
a response and its consequences
Conditioning
is the process of learning
associations. I

6. Learning Classical (or Pavlovian) conditioning Operant conditioning
Associate two stimuli
E.g. lightning and thunder
E.g. mosquito buzz and itching
Operant conditioning
Associate a response and its consequence: repeat actions followed by rewards and avoid actions followed by punishments
Observational learning
We learn from others’ experiences and examples (e.g., a child modeling his father using a cell phone at dinner time)
 In all these ways of learning, we adapt to our environments.

7. Module 18: Classical Conditioning
A basic form of learning associations

8. Behaviorism An approach to psychology that emphasizes:
That psychology should be an objective science.
That psychology should concern itself ONLY with studying observable behaviors.
That psychology should not be concerned with studying mental processes.
A lot of what we know about learning was first studied by behaviorists.

9. Classical Conditioning
Ivan Pavlov
Russian physiologist
Nobel prize winner
Conditioning was just an accident: dogs salivating before food was given

10. Pavlov’s Classic Experiment

11. Classical Conditioning: Terminology
Unconditioned Stimulus (US or UCS)
stimulus that unconditionally--automatically and naturally--triggers a response
Unconditioned Response (UR or UCR)
Non-learned, naturally occurring response to the unconditioned stimulus
salivation when food is present

12. Classical Conditioning: Terminology
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
originally irrelevant (neutral) stimulus that, after association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a specific conditioned response
Conditioned Response (CR)
learned response to a previously neutral conditioned stimulus (e.g., salivating to tone after learning)

13. Classical Conditioning
Organism associates two stimuli
A neutral stimulus that signals an unconditioned stimulus begins to produce a response that is reserved for the unconditioned stimulus

14. Conditioning Process

15. Conditioning Process

16. Conditioning Process
Note!

17. Conditioning Process
Note!
And Note this too!

18. Timing of CS before UCS

19. Processes of Conditioning
Acquisition
Extinction
Spontaneous Recovery
Stimulus Generalization/ Discrimination

20. Acquisition the initial stage in classical conditioning
the phase associating a neutral stimulus with an US so that the neutral stimulus comes to elicit a conditioned response

21. Extinction diminishing of a CR
in classical conditioning, when a US does not follow a CS
E.g., ring the bell but do not present the food  less and less salivation

22. Spontaneous recovery
Reappearance, after a rest period, of an extinguished CR
BURADA KALDIM

23. More on Classical Conditioning
Generalization
tendency for stimuli similar to CS to elicit similar responses
Can be adaptive- as children taught to fear moving cars on street to respond similarly to trucks and motorcycles on the street
Discrimination
in classical conditioning, the learned ability to distinguish between a CS and other stimuli that do not signal a US
E.g., fear pitbulls but not golden retrievers
Lightning but not flashing disco lights

24. Updating Pavlov’s understanding
Role of mental processes
Thought/expectation of the CS-US link matters for conditioning
Consistent link between the CS and US matters
Role of biological dispositions
Each species’ biological dispositions prepare it to learn the associations that enhance its survival
Taste aversion (rather than sight) in rats - they are biologically prepared to learn associations between the taste of a particular food and the onset of an illness, but not between sights and sounds and an illness.

25. Nausea Conditioning in Patients
(drug) UR
(nausea) CS
(waiting
room) CR

26. Classical Conditioning: Key Points
Can explain a wide range of behavior
Advertising, food aversion, phobias
Focuses on naturally occurring behavior
Any naturally occurring behavior (or response) can be conditioned to neutral stimulus
Eye blink— bell
Sexual arousal — perfume