LearningLearning::LearningLearning::Principles and ApplicationsPrinciples and Applications

Learning by Definition:A RELATIVELY PERMANENT CHANGE

IN BEHAVIOR THAT RESULTS FROM EXPERIENCE

3 BASIC TYPES1. CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

2. OPERANT CONDITIONING

3. MODELING

CLASSICAL CONDITIONING

- DISCOVERED BY ACCIDENT BY IVAN PAVLOVHIS EXPERIMENT:

1. NEUTRAL STIMULUS – A STIMULUS THAT HAS (NS) NOTHING TO DO WITH

THE DESIRED RESPONSE- HE RANG A TUNING FORK AND THEN GAVE

THE DOG MEAT POWDER

- DOG WOULD SALIVATE AT JUST THE SOUND OF THE TUNING FORK AFTER A FEW TRIES

2. UNCONDITIONED STIMULUS – (UCS)- A STIMULUS THAT LEADS TO A CERTAIN RESPONSE (Without Previous Training) (Meat Powder)

3. UNCONDITIONED RESPONSE – (UCR)- OCCURS NATURALLY AND AUTOMATICALLY WHEN THE UCS IS PRESENTED (SALIVATION)(NO ONE NEEDS TO A TAUGHT TO SALIVATE WITH FOOD!!)

4. CONDITIONED STIMULUS – (CS)- AN ORDINARILY NS THAT, AFTER TRAINING OR “PAIRING”, LEADS TO A RESPONSE (TUNING FORK)

5. CONDITIONED RESPONSE – (CR)- A LEARNED RESPONSE TO A CS

(SALIVATION)

6. CLASSICAL CONDITIONING –

- CONTROLLING AN ORGANISM’S RESPONSES SO THAT AN OLD RESPONSE GETS ATTACHED TO A NEW STIMULUS

NS CS CR

UCS UCR

Sign seen on Pavlov’s Door

Knock !

DON’T RING BELL !

GENERAL PRICIPLES OF C.C.1. GENERALIZATION – WHEN AN ORGANISM

RESPONDS TO A 2ND STIMULUS SIMILAR TO THE ORIGINAL CS

EXAMPLE: A DOG SALIVATES AT THE SIGHT OF A

AND THEN ALSO AT THE SIGHT OF AN

2. DISCRIMINATION - ABILITY TO RESPOND DIFFERENTLY TO SIMILAR BUT

DIFFERENT STIMULI

EXAMPLE: USE C.C. TO MAKE THE DOG ONLY SALIVATES AT THE SIGHT OF THE

HOW??????

3. EXTINCTION: WHEN A CONDITIONED RESPONSE

GRADUALLY DIES OUT W/O REINFORCEMENT (CS + UCS)

EXAMPLE: PAVLOV’S DOGS GRADUALLY STOPPED SALIVATING IN RESPONSE TO THE

TURNING FORK AFTER HE STOPPED GIVING THE MEAT POWDER.

(WATCH ) HOW ABOUT HUMANS?1. BED WETTING – ALARM GOES OFF WHEN PAD GETS WET

NS = FULL BLADDER UCS = ALARM

UCR = WAKES UP CS = FULL BLADDER CR = WAKES UP B4 WETTING BED

2. TASTE AVERSION- ASSOCIATED PHYSICAL ILLNESS WITH A FOOD,

EVEN IF IT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE, RESULT IS “FEELING” SICK AT THE SIGHT OF THAT FOOD. (USUALLY ATTRIBUTED TO “NEW” FOODS)

OPERANT CONDITIONINGWHAT THE HECK IS IT? – AN INDIVIDUAL’S

RESPONSE IS FOLLOWED BY A REINFORCEMENT OR PUNISHMENT.

I. O. W. - “LEARNING FROM THE CONSEQUENCES OF A BEHAVIOR”

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM C.C.?1.) CONTROL IS IN THE LEARNER’S HANDS

2.) IT’S NOT JUST UCRs (REFLEXES)

A. REINFORCEMENT – AN EVENT THAT INCREASES FUTURE

PROBABILITY OF THE RESPONSE

1. Schedules of Reinforcement- Fixed-Ratio Schedule = RELIES ON A SPECIFIC

# OF RESPONSES

- Variable-Ratio Schedule = RELIES ON AN AVERAGE OR RANDOM # OF RESPONSES

- Fixed-Interval Schedule = COMES AFTER A PREDETERMINED TIME

- Variable-Interval Schedule = VARIES DURING CONDITIONING

OVERALL, VARIABLE REINFORCEMENT WORKS BEST, BUT ONLY IF THE

REINFORCEMENT IS CONSISTENT!

– Graphed Reinforcement Schedules

Another Perspective

- Signals are Essential for Learning –STIMULI BECOME SIGNALS FOR BEHAVIORS

- Conditioning – “PAIRING” GIVES SIGNALS MEANING, OR

THEY WOULD STAY NEUTRAL STIMULI

2. Signals

Aversion ControlDefined – UNPLEASANT CONSEQUENSES USED TO

INFLUENCE THE RESPONSE

2 TYPES:1. NEGATIVE REINFORCEMENT – A PAINFUL OR UNPLEASANT

STIMULUS IS REMOVED OR NOT APPLIED AT ALL IF A CERTAIN KIND OF BEHAVIOR

OCCURSA. ESCAPE CONDITIONING – BEHAVIOR CAUSES

UNPLEASANT EVENT TO STOP

EX. – LIVER & ONIONS

B. AVOIDANCE CONDITIONING – BEHAVIOR PREVENTS UNPLEASANT

EVENT FROM HAPPENING

EX. – WHINING STOPS SERVING LIVER & ONIONS

2. PUNISHMENT – AN UNPLEASANT CONSEQUENCE OCCURS AND DECREASES THE FREQUENCY OF THE BEHAVIOR THAT PRODUCED IT

PROBLEMS!!!! 1. RAGE, AGGRESSION, FEAR

2. AVOIDANCE3. SUPPRESSES BEHAVIOR

WHAT CAN EFFECT LEARNING?

- FEEDBACK – FINDING OUT THE RESULTS OF AN ACTION OR PERFORMANCELEARNING FROM YOUR MISTAKES AND SUCCESSES

- TRANSFER – A SKILL THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY LEARNED CAN HELP YOU

LEARN A NEW SKILL CAN BE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE

HMM, WHAT ABOUT…PRACTICE????

PRACTICETHE REPETITION OF A TASK. – HELPS BIND

RESPONSES TOGETHER

- USUALLY BETTER TO SPACE OUT PRACTICE, RATHER THAN DO IT ALL AT ONCE

- “OH MY! Does this mean that craming is BAD and studying over time is GOOD?”

DOES PRACTICE MAKE PERFECT? NO!!!!!

PERFECT PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!!!!!I THINK SAM

NEEDS MORE PRACTICE.

We’re talking about Practice?

BARRIERS TO LEARNING- LEARNED HELPLESSNESS –

IF PAIN COMES NO MATTER HOW HARD ONE TRIES, AN ORGANISM GIVES UP

EX. – SOUND CONTROL & ELEPHANT TRAINING

TYPES OF HELPLESSNESS- INTERNALITY- FOCUS ON THE LEARNER

- STABILITY – A PERMANENT FEATURE “I STINK AT MATH”

- GLOBALITY – COMPLETE FAILURE “I’M JUST DUMB”

- LEARNED LAZINESS –IF REWARDS COME WITHOUT EFFORT A ORGANISM NEVER LEARNS TO WORK

EX. ATHLETE WHO IS VERY TALENTED NATURALLY OR

SOMEONE WITH A NATURALLY HI I.Q.

THOMAS EDISON = THE ANTI-LEARNED LAZINESS PERSON, ALSO THE POSTER CHILD FOR ADD SUCCESS!

BILLY OWENS:

FORMER SU STAR

NBA BUST

How do we learn complicated skills?

2 Ways: Shaping or Response Chains

- Shaping – A PROCESS IN WHICH REINFORCEMENT IS USED TO SCULPT NEW RESPONSES

FROM OLD- “TRAINER” MUST BE OBSERVANT- EACH SUCCESSIVE BEHAVIOR IS REWARDED- REWARDS GIVEN AT EACH “STAGE”, BUT

ONLY AFTER EACH NEW STAGE IS LEARNED.

Ex. TEACHING A RAT TO PRESS A LEVER- Shaping the lever press response

- Response Chains – RESPONSES THAT FOLLOW

ONE ANOTHER IN A SQUENCE.

- EACH RESPONSE BECOMES THE SIGNAL FOR THE NEXT ONE

EX. – Hammering a nail into a board

- Response Patterns – INDIVIDUAL RESPONSE CHAINSWORKING TOGETHER TOPERFORM A COMPLETE ACTION.

EX. – Building a Bookshelf or Swimming

MODELING- LEARNING THROUGH OBSERVATION- FORMAL OR INFORMAL- BEHAVIOR MUST BE “SEEN”

3 TYPES:1. SIMPLE MODELING – BEHAVIOR OF OTHERS

CHANCES YOU’LL DO IT. 2. OBSERVATIONAL LEARNING – SIMPLE

IMITATION3. DISINHIBITION – YOU SEE SOMEONE ELSE DO

SOMETHING THAT IS THREATENING WITHOUT BEING PUNISHED,CHANCES YOU’LL DO IT

A

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