CHAPTER 5 LEARNING AND MEMORY

MS. CELESTE RODERNO-DESINGAÑO

What is Learning???

Defined as the relatively permanent changes in behavior that results from exposure or practice provided that the behavioural change is not caused by native response tendencies, maturation or temporary states.

Theories of Learning

Classical Conditioning (Associative Learning)

Connectionism (Trial and Error Learning)Operant Conditioning

(Instrumental Conditioning)Social Learning

(Learning by Observation)

Classical Conditioning(Ivan Pavlov) An accidental discovery by Ivan

Pavlov’s experimentTerminology:1. Neutral stimulus (NS)2. Conditioned Stimulus (CS)3. Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)4. Unconditioned response (UR)5. Conditioned Response (CR)

Classical Conditioning(Ivan Pavlov)

Stages of Classical Conditioning1.Before conditioning

Stage 1: NS is the Bell ----no response UCS is Food ----salivation (UCR)

2.During conditioning CS is the Bell ----UCS is food ---salivation

(UCR)3.After conditioning

CS is the Bell ------------------------- CR is salivation

Classical Conditioning(Ivan Pavlov)Phenomena about Classical Conditioning1. Stimulus Generalization – occurs when something

similar to conditioned stimulus creates the same response

2. Stimulus Discrimination – occurs when one new stimulus is too different from our original conditioned stimulus to cause the effect we want.

3. Extinction – occurs when the conditioned stimulus is presented a number of times without the unconditioned stimulus.

4. Spontaneous Recovery – occurs when there is re-appearance of an extinguished conditioned response after a rest period.

Connectionism(Edward Thorndike)Law of Effect

Reinforcement/satisfierLaw of Readiness

Motivation, preparation and proper mind-set

Law of Exercise “Practice makes perfect”

Operant ConditioningBurrhus F. Skinner

The conceptual framework of B.F. Skinner’s theory is largely based on Thorndike’s Law of Effect

Learning happens when organism operates on something or do something to the environment in order to produce a result

Operant ConditioningBurrhus F. Skinner

Discriminative Stimulus This stimulus gives the organism the option of whether to

respond to it or not. Response

The action Reinforcement

Is that which increases the probability of a response to the same stimulus.

Operant ConditioningBurrhus F. SkinnerTypes of Reinforcement1.Positive Reinforcement – Which when

given increases the probability of a response.

2.Negative Reinforcement – which when removed increases response probabaility.

Note: Reinforcement is very important in shaping behavior

Social LearningAlbert Bandura Derived from B.F. Skinner’s operant

conditioning theory Theory of observation and imitation.

4 Conditions that should be present for learning to occur

1. Attention 2. Retention3. Motor Reproduction4. Motivation

MemoryAn active system that receives, stores, organizes, alters and recovers information

There are two types of memory: Short term memory(STM) and Long term memory (LTM)

Short term MemoryGeorge Miller found that short term

memory is limited to only 7-bits of information (±2)

STM has seven slots or bins into which separate items can be placed.

When all slots are filled, there is no room for new data.

Process/technique to increase capacity to recall more information bits

Recoding Grouping of information

Maintenance Rehearsal STM appears to weaken and disappear very fast (18-30 seconds), but it can be prolonged by silently repeating it until it is needed.

Elaborative Rehearsal Technique that links new information with information already in the LTM to make information more meaningful.

long term MemoryInformation in LTM is relatively permanent

As new long term memories are formed, older memories are often updated, changed, lost or revised.

long term Memory Classification of Long Term Memory1.Skill memory

Memory for doing learned tasks Associated with the lower centre of the

brain

2.Declarative memory Facts like names, data, address, place,

dates and ideas Expressed in symbols and words Associated with the higher brain centre

Division of Declarative Memory

Semantic Memory Mental dictionary of basic knowledge

Episodic Memory Record of personal experiences and life events

Easily forgotten than semantic memory.

forgetting

According to Herman Ebbinghaus, forgetting happens very rapidly after learning.

Type of memory affect the rate of forgetting

Causes of Forgetting1. Neural Decay2. Interference3. Forgetting is cue-dependent

Mnemonics Memory aids that help in remembering data

accurately. Ways to avoid rote learning or learning by

repetition.

Use mental pictures Make things meaningful Make information familiar Form bizarre, unusual or exaggerated

mental .associations