Why is Lucy so excited?She gets to meet her cousinEleanor today!!!

Learning

Classical Conditioning

• Ivan Pavlov• Studied Digestion of

Dogs.• Dogs would salivate

before they were given food (triggered by sounds, lights etc…)

• Dogs must have LEARNED to salivate.

Click…

Pavlov, cont…• This is passive learning

(automatic…learner does NOT have to think).

• First thing you need is a unconditional relationship.

• Unconditional Stimulus (UCS)- something that elicits a natural, reflexive response.

• Unconditional Response (UCR)- response to the UCS.

Classical Conditioning• Next you find a neutral stimulus (something that by itself

elicits no response).• You present the stimulus with the UCS a whole bunch of

times.

Classical Conditioning• After a while, the

body links neutral stimulus + UCS.

• Acquisition

Classical Conditioning• We know learning

takes places when the previously neutral stimulus elicits a response.

• Neutral stimulus = conditioned stimulus (CS)

• Unconditional response = conditioned response (CR).

Classical Conditioning• We know learning

exists because the CS is linked to the UCS.

• This is called ACQUISITION.

• Acquisition does not last forever.

• The moment the CS is no longer associated with the UCS, we have EXTINCTION.

My favorite Classical Conditioning Example

Classical Conditioning as portrayed in The Office.

See if you can identify the UCS, UCR, CS and CR.

Spontaneous Recovery• Sometimes, after

extinction, the CR still randomly appears after the CS is presented.

Generalization and Discrimination• Generalization

• Something is so similar to the CS that you get a CR.

• Discrimination• Something so different

to the CS so you do not get a CR.

Classical Conditioning and Humans

• John Watson brought Classical Conditioning to psychology with his Baby Albert experiment.

Click to see Baby Albert to some nice jazz.

This type of Classical Conditioning is also known as Aversive Conditioning.

First-Order and Second-Order ConditioningFirst Order Conditioning.

•Bell + meat = salivation. •Bell = Salivation.

Second Order Conditioning(After first order conditioning has occurred)

•Light + Bell = Salivation.

•Light = Salivation.

Learned Taste Aversions

• When it comes to food being paired with sickness, the conditioning is incredibly strong.

• Even when food and sickness are hours apart.

• Food must be salient (noticeable.)

Garcia and Koelling Study• Studied rats and

how they make associations.

• Some associations seem to be adaptive.

CS UCS Learned Response

Loud Noise Shock Fear

Loud Noise Radiation (nausea)

Nothing

Sweet Water Shock Nothing

Sweet Water Radiation (nausea)

Avoid Water

Operant Conditioning

The Learner is not passive…Learning based on

consequence.

The Law of Effect• Edward Thorndike• Locked cats in a cage• Behavior changes because

of its consequences.• Rewards strengthen

behavior.• If consequences are

unpleasant, the Stimulus-Reward connection will weaken.

• Called the whole process instrumental learning.

Click picture to see a better explanation of the Law of Effect.

B.F. Skinner• The King of

Operant Conditioning

• All about nurture

• Skinner Box

Skinner Box

Reinforcers• A reinforcer is

anything the INCREASES a behavior.

Positive Reinforcement:

• The addition of something pleasant.

Negative Reinforcement:

• The removal of something unpleasant.

Positive or Negative?

Putting your seatbelt on.Studying for a test.

Having a headache and taking an aspirin.

Faking sick to avoid AP Psych class.

Breaking out of jail.

Getting a kiss for doing the dishes.

PunishmentMeant to decrease a

behavior.Positive Punishment• Addition of something

unpleasant.Negative Punishment

(Omission Training)• Removal of something

pleasant.Punishment works best

when it is immediately done after behavior and if it is harsh

How do we actually use Operant Conditioning?

Do we wait for the subject to deliver the desired behavior?

Sometimes, we use a process called shaping.

Shaping is reinforcing small steps on the way to the desired behavior.

To train a dog to get your slippers, you would have to reinforce him in small steps. First, to find the slippers. Then to put them in his mouth. Then to bring them to you and so on…this is shaping behavior.

Chaining Behaviors

• Subjects are taught a number of responses successively in order to get a reward.

Click picture to see a rat changing behaviors.

Click to see an example of changing behaviors.

Primary v. Secondary Reinforcers• Primary Reinforcer

• Things that are in themselves rewarding.

• Secondary Reinforcer

• Things we have learned to value.

• Money is a special secondary reinforcer called a generalized reinforcer (because it can be traded for just about anything)

Token Economy• Every time a desired

behavior is performed, a token is given.

• They can trade tokens in for a variety of prizes (reinforcers)

• Used in homes, prisons, mental institutions and schools.

Premack Principle• You have to take

into consideration the reinforcers used.

• Is the reinforcer wanted….or at least is it more preferable than the targeted behavior.

Burgers might be a great positive reinforcer for my husband, but it would not work well on a vegetarian.

Reinforcement Schedules

How often to you give the reinforcer?

• Every time or just sometimes you see the behavior.

Continuous v. Partial Reinforcement

• Continuous• Reinforce the behavior

EVERYTIME the behavior is exhibited.

• Usually done when the subject is first learning to make the association.

• Acquisition comes really fast.

• But so does extinction.

• Partial• Reinforce the behavior

only SOME of the times it is exhibited.

• Acquisition comes more slowly.

• But is more resistant to extinction.

• FOUR types of Partial Reinforcement schedules.

Ratio Schedules• Fixed Ratio

• Provides a reinforcement after a SET number of responses.

• Variable Ratio• Provides a

reinforcement after a RANDOM number of responses.

• Very hard to get acquisition but also very resistant to extinction.

Fixed Ration- She gets a manicure for every 5 pounds she loses.

Interval Schedules• Fixed Interval

• Requires a SET amount of time to elapse before giving the reinforcement.

• Variable Interval

• Requires a RANDOM amount of time to elapse before giving the reinforcement.

• Very hard to get acquisition but also very resistant to extinction.

Fixed Interval: She gets a manicure for every 7 days she stays on her diet.

Motivation- Intrinsic - Extrinsic

Observational Learning

• Albert Bandura and his BoBo Doll

• We learn through modeling behavior from others.

• Observational learning + Operant Conditioning = Social Learning Theory

Click pic to see some observational learning.

Latent Leaning• Edward Tolman• Three rat experiment.• Latent means hidden.• Sometimes learning

is not immediately evident.

• Rats needed a reason to display what they have learned.

Insight Learning• Wolfgang Kohler

and his Chimpanzees.

• Some animals learn through the “ah ha” experience. Click to see insight learning.