1. Learning
Chapter 8

2. Do now…
What are some key characteristics of the behavioral perspective?

3. Behaviorism Popular 1920s – 1960s
Rose to prominence after WWI due to decreasing popularity of Freud’s theories
John B. Watson
viewed psychology as objective, quantitative science of observable behavior

4. Learning
Learning
relatively permanent change in an organism’s behavior due to experience
experience (nurture) is the key to learning

5. Classical vs. Operant
Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning

6. Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning
Ivan Pavlov
Russian physician/ neurophysiologist
Nobel Prize in 1904
studied digestive secretions

7. Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning
Two related events:
Lightning
Stimulus 1
Thunder
Stimulus 2
Result after repetition
We see
lightning
Stimulus
We wince
anticipating
thunder
Response
We learn to associate two stimuli

8. Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning
Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
effective stimulus that unconditionally-automatically and naturally- triggers a response
Unconditioned Response (UCR)
unlearned, naturally occurring automatic response to the unconditioned stimulus
salivation when food is in the mouth

9. Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning
Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
previously neutral 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

10. Pavlov’s Classic Experiment
Before Conditioning
UCS (food
in mouth)
Neutral
stimulus
(tone)
UCR
(salivation) No
salivation
During Conditioning
After Conditioning
UCS (food
in mouth) CS
(tone)
Neutral
stimulus
(tone)
UCR
(salivation)
CR (salivation)

11. Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning
Pavlov’s device for recording salivation

12. Conditioning Acquisition Extinction
the initial stage of learning, during which a response is established and gradually strengthened
Extinction
diminishing of a CR
in classical conditioning, when a UCS does not follow a CS

13. Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning
Spontaneous Recovery
reappearance, after a rest period, of an extinguished CR
Generalization
tendency for a stimuli similar to CS to evoke similar responses

14. Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning
Discrimination
in classical conditioning, the ability to distinguish between a CS and other stimuli that do not signal and UCS

16. Little Albert

17. Watson and Rayner’s classical conditioning of “Little Albert” was helpful in explaining that
Some conditioned stimuli do not generalize
Human emotions such as fear are subject to classical conditioning
Drug dependency is subject to classical as well as operant conditioning
Small children are not as easily conditioned as older children

18. Once Pavlov’s dogs learned to salivate to the sound of a tuning fork, the tuning fork was a(n)
Unconditioned stimulus
Neutral stimulus
Conditioned stimulus
Conditioned response

19. Check for Understanding
An experimenter sounds a tone just before delivering a puff of air to your eye.
After several repetitions, you blink to the tone alone.
What is
The UCS?
The puff of air
The UCR?
The blink in response to the air puff
The CS?
The tone
The CR?
The blink in response to the tone
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20. DO NOW… What is the law of effect?
Provide an example from your life experiences.

21. DO NOW…
Differentiate between classical and operant conditioning.

22. Operant Conditioning Operant Conditioning Law of Effect
type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by reinforcement or diminished if followed by punishment
Law of Effect
Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely and behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely

23. Operant Conditioning Operant Behavior Respondent Behavior
complex or voluntary behaviors
push button, perform complex task
operates (acts) on environment
produces consequences
Respondent Behavior
occurs as an automatic response to stimulus
behavior learned through classical conditioning

24. Operant Conditioning B.F. Skinner (1904-1990)
elaborated Thorndike’s Law of Effect
developed behavioral technology
Skinner Box
soundproof chamber with a bar
or key that an animal presses or
pecks to release a food or water
reward
contains a device to record
responses

25. Operant Conditioning Reinforcer Shaping
any event that strengthens the behavior it follows
Positive Reinforcement
Negative Reinforcement
Shaping
conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer approximations of a desired goal

28. Which of the following best reflects negative reinforcement?
Teresa is scolded when she runs through the house yelling
Lina is not allowed to watch tv until after she has finished her homework
Greg changes his math class so he doesn’t have to see his old girlfriend
Aditya is praised for having the best essay in the class

29. Do now…
Differentiate between negative reinforcement and punishment.

30. Types of Reinforcers Primary Reinforcer Secondary Reinforcer
innately reinforcing stimulus
satisfies a biological need
Secondary Reinforcer
conditioned reinforcer
learned through association with primary reinforcer

31. Schedules of Reinforcement
Continuous Reinforcement
learning occurs rapidly
extinction occurs rapidly
Partial Reinforcement
reinforcing a response only part of the time
results in slower acquisition
greater resistance to extinction

32. Schedules of Reinforcement
Fixed Ratio (FR)
reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses
Example:
Variable Ratio (VR)
reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses
Example: like gambling, fishing
Both number of times

33. Schedules of Reinforcement
Fixed Interval (FI)
reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed
Example:
Variable Interval (VI)
reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals
produces slow steady responding
like pop quiz
Both focused on time

34. Schedules of Reinforcement
Variable Interval
Number of
responses
1000
750
500
250 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Time (minutes)
Fixed Ratio
Variable Ratio
Fixed Interval
Steady responding
Rapid responding
near time for
reinforcement 80

35. Punishment aversive event that decreases the behavior that it follows
Problems with punishment:

37. Shaping is
A pattern of responses that must be made before classical conditioning is completed
Rewarding behaviors that get closer and closer to the desired goal behavior
Completing a set of behaviors in succession before a reward is given
Giving you chocolate pudding to increase the likelihood you will eat more carrots

38. Chimpanzees given tokens for performing tricks were able to put the tokens in a vending machine to get grapes. The tokens acted as
Primary reinforcers
Classical conditioning
Secondary reinforcers
Negative reinforcers

39. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG2SwE_6uV M

40. DO NOW…
Provide an example of positive reinforcement at school.

41. Applications of Behaviorism
School
Work
Home

42. Observational Learning
learning by observing and imitating others
Discovery of mirror neurons
Modeling
process of observing and imitating behavior
Prosocial Behavior
positive, constructive, helpful behavior
opposite of antisocial behavior

43. Social Learning Theory
Albert Bandura (Neobehaviorist b/c he uses unobservable processes in explanations)
Bobo doll experiment
Modeling

44. Behaviorism was disproved:
Biological predispositions interfere:
Garcia and Koelling
Brelands

45. Behaviorism was disproved:
Cognitive Interference:
Tolman
Overjustification

46. Behavioral Therapies
Behavior Modification (Therapy) – applies learning principles to eliminate unwanted behaviors.
Counter conditioning (Classic) techniques – pairs the trigger stimulus with a new response.
Systematic Desensitization
Mary Cover Jones
Exposure therapy – can use imagination or reality to face a feared situation
Aversive Conditioning – pairs associations with unpleasant feelings and the unwanted behavior.
Examples
Operant Conditioning
Token Economy – rewards for desired behaviors

47. Evaluation of Behaviorism
Overall positives
Many useful practical applications
Empirical Perspective
Overall negatives
Too deterministic
Largely based on work with animals
Use of behaviorists principles to control others is unethical