1. learning
Chapter 7

2. Basic Learning Concepts
What is learning?
Process of acquiring through experience new information or behaviors
How do we learn?
Through association: Certain events occur together (Classical conditioning); Stimuli that are not control are associated and response is automatic (respondent behavior)
Through consequences: Association between a response and consequences is learned (Operant conditioning)
Through acquisition of mental information that guides behavior: Cognitive learning

3. Classical Conditioning
Watson
Influenced by Pavlov
Theoretical goal of science of psychology is prediction and control of behavior
Behaviorism
Psychology (1) should be an objective science that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes.
Most research psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2).

4. Classical Conditioning
Pavlov
Studied digestive system; first Russian Nobel Prize (1904)
Demonstrated associative learning via salivary conditioning
Founder of Classical Conditioning
Pavlov’s study of dog’s digestive systems opened the door to classical conditioning

5. Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning: Type of learning in which one learns to link two or more stimuli and anticipate events
Neutral stimulus (NS): In classical conditioning, a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning
Unconditioned response (UR): In classical conditioning, an unlearned, naturally occurring response (such as salivation) to an unconditioned stimulus (US) (such as food in the mouth)
Unconditioned stimulus (US): in classical conditioning, a stimulus that unconditionally— naturally and automatically—triggers an unconditioned response (UR)

6. Classical Conditioning
Acquisition
Initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the conditioned response
Extinction
Diminishing of a conditioned response; occurs in classical conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus (US) does not follow a conditioned stimulus (CS)
Spontaneous recovery
Reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished conditioned response

7. Classical Conditioning

8. Classical Conditioning
Generalization
Tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses
Discrimination
Learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned stimulus (which predicts the US) and other irrelevant stimuli

9. Classical Conditioning

10. Applications of Classical Conditioning
Pavlov’s Legacy
Consensus among psychologists that classical conditioning is basic learning form
Many other responses to many other stimuli can be classically conditioned in many other organisms.
Pavlov demonstrated how a learning process can be studied objectively.
Classical conditioning is a basic form of learning that applies to all species.

11. Applications of Classical Conditioning
Pavlov’s principles are used to influence human health and well-being
Areas of consciousness, motivation, emotion, health, psychological disorders, therapy
Addicts counseled to avoid stimuli that may trigger cravings
Pairing particular taste with drug that influences immune responses may eventually lead to response from taste alone.

12. Applications of Classical Conditioning
Pavlov’s work also provided a basis for Watson’s ideas that human emotions and behaviors, though biologically influenced, are mainly conditioned responses.
Watson applied classical conditioning principles in his studies of “Little Albert” to demonstrate how specific fears might be conditioned.
Used in advertising
When you hear “$5 footlong” you automatically think of what food chain?

13. Operant Conditioning
Behavior operates on the environment to produce rewarding or punishing stimuli.
Organisms associate their own actions with consequences.
Actions followed by reinforcement increase; those followed by punishments often decrease.

14. Operant Conditioning Skinner Expanded on Thorndike’s law of effect
Developed behavioral technology and principles of behavior control
Designed and used the Skinner box for experiments and recorded responses
A Skinner box
Inside the box, the rat presses a bar for a food reward. Outside, a measuring device (not shown above) records the animal’s accumulated responses.

15. Operant Conditioning

16. Operant Conditioning
Everyday behaviors are continually reinforced and shaped.
Reinforcement: Any event that strengthens a preceding response
Shaping: Gradually guiding toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior

17. Operant Conditioning
Primary: Is unlearned; innately reinforcing stimuli
Conditioned (secondary): Gains power through association with primary reinforcer
Immediate: Occurs immediately after a behavior
Delayed: Involves time delay between desired response of and delivery of reward

18. Operant Conditioning Reinforcement schedule
Includes pattern that defines how often a desired response will be reinforced
Continuous reinforcement schedule
Involves reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs
Partial (intermittent) reinforcement
Includes schedule reinforcing a response only part of the time; results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement

19. Operant Conditioning
Fixed- ratio schedule: In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses.
Variable-ratio: Schedule in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses.
Fixed-interval schedule: In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed.
Variable-interval schedule: In operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals.

20. Operant Conditioning Fixed Variable Ratio
Every so many: reinforcement after every nth behavior, such as buy 10 coffees, get 1 free, or pay workers per product unit produced
After an unpredictable number: reinforcement after a random number of behaviors, as when playing slot machines or fly fishing
Interval
Every so often: reinforcement for behavior after a fixed time, such as Tuesday discount prices
Unpredictably often: reinforcement for behavior after a random amount of time, as when checking for a Facebook response

21. Operant Conditioning
Punishment administers an undesirable consequence or withdraws something desirable in an attempt to decrease the frequency of a behavior (a child’s disobedience).
Positive punishment
Presenting a negative consequence after an undesired behavior is exhibited, making the behavior less likely to happen in the future
Negative punishment
Removing a desired stimulus after particular undesired behavior is exhibited, resulting in reducing behavior in future

22. Applications of Operant Conditioning
At school: Computer and adaptive learning software used in teaching and learning
In sports: Behavioral methods implemented in shaping behavior in athletic performance
At work: Rewards successfully used to increase productivity
At home: Basic rules of shaping used in parenting

23. Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Basic idea
Organism associates events.
Organism associates behavior and resulting events.
Response
Involuntary, automatic.
Voluntary, operates on environment.
Acquisition
Associating events; NS is paired with US and becomes CS.
Associating response with a consequence (reinforcer or punisher).
Extinction
CR decreases when CS is repeatedly presented alone.
Responding decreases when reinforcement stops.
Spontaneous recovery
The reappearance, after a rest period, of an extinguished CR.
The reappearance, after a rest period, of an extinguished response.
Generalization
The tendency to respond to stimuli similar to the CS.
Organism’s response to similar stimuli is also reinforced.
Discrimination
The learned ability to distinguish between a CS and other stimuli that do not signal a US.
Organism learns that certain responses, but not others, will be reinforced.

24. Biological Constraints on Conditioning
Limits on classical conditioning
Garcia and Koelling’s taste-aversion research
Animals and humans seem biologically prepared to learn some associations rather than others
Conditioning is stronger when the CS is ecologically relevant
Genetic predisposition to associate CS with a US that follows predictably and immediately is adaptive

25. Biological Constraints on Conditioning
Limits on operant conditioning
Nature limits species’ capacity for operant conditioning
Biological constraints predispose organisms to learn associations that are naturally adaptive
Instinctive drift occurs as animals revert to biologically predisposed patterns

26. Cognition Processes and Classical Conditioning
Mental information that guides behavior is acquired through cognitive learning.
Animal learning of predictability of event (Rescorla and Wagner, 1972)
British children conditioning of ice-cream associated characters (Field, 2006)
Adult gut-level liking for characters associated with positive stimuli (Olson and Fazio, 2001)
Stronger likes and dislikes when notice and awareness of associations learned (Shanks, 2010)

27. Cognition Processes and Operant Conditioning
Skinner
Discounted importance of cognition
Evidence of cognitive processes
Animal response on fixed-interval reinforcement schedule
Development of cognitive map in rats (latent learning)
Destruction of intrinsic motivation by excessive rewards

28. Learning by Observation
Observational learning
Higher animals learn without direct experience by watching and imitating others
Bandura
Pioneer researcher of observational learning
Modeling
Bobo doll experiment
Vicarious reinforcement and vicarious punishment

29. Learning by Observation
Mirror neurons
Include frontal lobe neurons that some scientists believe fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so
Brain’s mirroring of another’s action
May enable imitation and empathy

30. Applications of Observational Learning
Prosocial effects
Behavior modeling enhances learning of communication, sales, and customer service skills in new employees
Modeling nonviolent behavior prompts similar behavior in others
Across seven countries, viewing prosocial media increased later helping behavior
Socially responsive toddlers tend to have strong internalized conscience as preschoolers

31. Applications of Observational Learning
Antisocial effects
Abusive parents may have aggressive children
Watching TV and videos may teach children
Bullying is effective tool for controlling others
Free and easy sex has little later consequences
Men should be tough; women should be gentle
Violence-viewing effect