Transcript Learning

PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION
Sixth Edition
by
Karen Huffman
PowerPoint  Lecture Notes Presentation
Chapter 6
Learning
Paul J. Wellman
Texas A&M University
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Lecture Overview
• Learning
• Conditioning
– Classical conditioning
– Operant conditioning
• Cognitive Social Learning
• Neuroscience and Evolution
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Learning
• Learning refers to relatively permanent
changes in behavior resulting from practice or
experience
– Learning can be unlearned
– Observation can lead to learning
– Learning requires an operational memory system
• Innate behaviors are inborn, emerge during
certain periods, and are not the result of
learning
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Classical Conditioning
• Certain stimuli can elicit a reflexive response
– Air puff produces an eye-blink
– Smelling a grilled steak can produce salivation
• The reflexive stimulus (UCS) and response
(UCR) are unconditioned
• The neutral stimulus is referred to as the
conditioned stimulus (CS)
• In classical conditioning, the CS is repeatedly
paired with the reflexive stimulus (UCS)
– Conditioning is best when the CS precedes the UCS
• Eventually the CS will produce a response (CR)
similar to that produced by the UCS
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Pavlov’s Experiment
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Analysis of Pavlov’s Study
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Conditioning of Emotional
Responses
• John Watson documented that conditioning of
emotional responses in the Little Albert study
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CS: a white rat
UCS: a loud banging sound
UCR: fear/startle response
Eventually Albert exhibited fear to the white rat
• Other instances of learning
– Positive: conditioning of attraction in advertising
• Brand name (CS) + attractive model (UCS) => liking (UCR)
– Negative: aversion
• Flavor (CS) + illness (UCS) => flavor aversion (UCR)
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Extinction
• Pairings of the CS and UCS lead to
conditioning whereas presentation of the CS
only leads to loss of the conditioned response
• Extinction refers to loss of response to a CS
presented without the UCS
– Extinction is not forgetting
• Extinction is useful in clinical situations
– Extinction of a phobia can be treated by exposure
to the CS only
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Extinction
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Operant Conditioning
• Organisms make responses that have
consequences
– The consequences serve to increase or
decrease the likelihood of making that
response again
– The response can be associated with cues
in the environment
• We put coins in a machine to obtain food
• But we refrain when an Out of Order sign is
placed on the machine
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Key Aspects of Operant
Conditioning
• In operant conditioning, the stimulus is a
cue, it does not elicit the response
• Operant responses are voluntary
• In operant conditioning, the response
elicits a reinforcing stimulus, whereas in
classical conditioning, the UCS elicits
the reflexive response
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Key Terms of Operant
Conditioning
• Reinforcement is any procedure that
increases the response
• Punishment is any procedure that
decreases the response
• Types of reinforcers:
– Primary: e.g. food or water
– Secondary: money or power
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Reinforcement/Punishment
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Schedules of Reinforcement
• Continuous: reinforcement occurs after
every response
– Produces rapid acquisition and is subject
to rapid extinction
• Partial: reinforcement occurs after
some, but not all, responses
– Responding on a partial reinforcement
schedule is more resistant to extinction
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Partial Reinforcement
Schedules
• Ratio: every nth response is reinforced
– Fixed: every nth response
– Variable: on average, every nth response
• Interval: first response after some
interval results in reinforcement
– Fixed: interval is x in length (e.g. 1 min)
– Variable: the average interval is x
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Reinforcement Schedules
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Spontaneous Recovery of
Extinguished Responding
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Summary of Conditioning
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Biofeedback
• Feedback allows for control of responses
– Most operant responses are voluntary motor
system responses
– The autonomic nervous system (ANS) does
not provide sufficient sensory feedback to
the brain to allow for conscious control
• Biofeedback uses electronic devices to
provide feedback and control of ANS
function (e.g. skin temperature)
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Biofeedback
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Cognitive-Social Theory
• Cognitive-social theory: uses learning
principles in combination with an emphasis
on thought processes
• Observational learning refers to the notion
that humans can learn through observation of
models
– Requires attention to the model
– Involves cognitive abilities to organize and
remember the modeled behavior
– Requires practice of the modeled behavior
– Person must decide to use the modeled behavior
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Neuroscience of Learning
• Learning involves changes in the brain
– Biochemical changes noted during learning
include changes in the ability of neurons to
release transmitters across the synaptic cleft
– Anatomical changes during learning include
circuits within particular brain regions:
• E.g. the cerebellum plays a role in certain forms of
classical conditioning (involving an eye blinking)
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E
Copyright
Copyright 2002 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York,
NY. All rights reserved. No part of the material protected
by this copyright may be reproduced or utilized in any
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any information
storage and retrieval system, without written permission
of the copyright owner.
© 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Huffman: PSYCHOLOGY IN ACTION, 6E