Chapter 4 Learning

1. Chapter 4Learning

2. Topics to Explore • Classical Conditioning • Operant Conditioning • Motivation

3. Part 1Classical Conditioning

4. Learning: Some Terms • Learning: Relatively permanent change in behavior due to experience • Does NOT include temporary changes due to disease, injury, maturation, injury, or drugs, since these do NOT qualify as learning • Reinforcement: Any event that changes the probability that a response will recur • Response: Any identifiable behavior • Internal: Faster heartbeat • Observable: Eating, scratching

5. Classical Conditioning Classical conditioning: acquiring a new response (the conditioned response) to a previously neutral stimulus (the conditioned stimulus) that reliably signals the arrival of an unconditioned stimulus. Ivan Pavlov: Russian physiologist who initially was studying digestion; first identified mechanisms of classical conditioning Also known as Pavlovian or Respondent Conditioning

6. Pavlov’s Experimental Setup

7. Some Terms • Reflex: a stimulus-response pair in which the stimulus automatically elicits the response • Unconditioned stimulus (UCS): the stimulus in a reflex that automatically elicits a response • Unconditioned response (UCR): the response in a reflex that occurs automatically after the occurrence of the unconditioned stimulus • Example: physician strikes below knee with little hammer (unconditioned stimulus)  knee jerk (unconditioned response)

8. Process of Classical Conditioning

9. Components of Classical Conditioning Unconditioned stimulus: a stimulus that elicits a response without training Conditioned stimulus: A stimulus that elicits a response because it has been repeatedly paired with an unconditioned stimulus Unconditioned response: An innate response elicited by an unconditioned stimulus; usually either a reflex or an emotional response Conditioned response: Term used to refer to a reflex response after learning has occurred to elicit the response by a conditioned stimulus

10. More on Stimuli & Responses • There are two different stimuli: • the unconditioned stimulus, which elicits the response reflexively, without an training [the smell of food] • the conditioned stimulus, which can only elicit the response after training [the sound of the bell] • There is only one response [salivation]. What the response is called depends on which stimulus elicited it: • It is the unconditioned response when elicited by the unconditioned stimulus [the smell of food] • It is the conditioned response when elicited by the conditioned stimulus [the sound of the bell]

11. Principles of Classical Conditioning Acquisition: acquiring a new response to the conditioned stimulus Extinction: the diminishing of the conditioned response when the unconditioned stimulus no longer follows the conditioned stimulus Spontaneous Recovery: a partial recovery in strength of the conditioned response following a break during extinction training

12. Graphic: Acquisition & Extinction

13. Principles, continued Stimulus Generalization: A tendency to respond to stimuli that are similar, but not identical, to a conditioned stimulus (e.g., responding to a buzzer or a hammer banging when the conditioning stimulus was a bell) Stimulus Discrimination: The ability to respond differently to various stimuli (e.g., Rudy will respond differently to various bells [alarms, school, timer])

14. Classical Conditioning in Humans Phobia: Intense, unrealistic, irrational fear of a specific situation or object (e.g., arachnophobia (fear of spiders; see the movie!)) Conditioned Emotional Response (CER): Learned emotional reaction to a previously neutral stimulus Desensitization: Exposing phobic people gradually to feared stimuli while they stay calm and relaxed

15. A Little Demonstration See in class!

16. Part 2Operant Conditioning

17. Operant Conditioning (Instrumental Learning) Operant Conditioning: Learning based on the consequences of responding; we associate responses with their consequences Operant Reinforcer: Any event that follows a response and changes its likelihood of recurring

18. Child says “doll,” “duh,” “dat” to get doll. On Day 1, parents give doll only when child says “doll” By Day 20, child only says “doll” to get doll Example of Operant Conditioning

19. Graphic: Acquisition of Learning

20. Apparatus designed to study operant conditioning in animals Skinner Box (conditioning chamber)

21. Timing of Reinforcement Operant reinforcement most effective when given immediately after a correct response Effectiveness of reinforcement is inversely related to time elapsed after correct response occurs

22. Graphic: Effect of Delay of Reinforcement

23. Types of Reinforcement Reinforcer: a stimulus that increases the probability of a prior response. Reinforcement: process by which the probability of a response is increased by the occurrence of a reinforcer. Punisher: a stimulus that decreases the probability of a prior response. Punishment: the process by which the probability of a response is decreased by the occurrence of a punisher.

24. Types of Stimuli • Appetitive stimulus: a stimulus that is pleasant • Aversive stimulus: a stimulus that is unpleasant • Positive reinforcement: reinforcement in which an appetitive stimulus is presented. • Positive punishment: punishment in which an aversive stimulus is presented • Negative reinforcement: reinforcement in which an aversive stimulus is removed • Negative punishment: reinforcement in which an appetitive stimulus is removed

25. Types of Conditioning yellow increases behavior; blue decreases behavior

26. Comparison: Classical & Operant Conditioning

27. Comparison: Classical & Operant Conditioning, 2

28. Types of Reinforcers • Primary Reinforcer: Unlearned and natural; satisfies biological needs (e.g., food, water, sex) • Secondary Reinforcer: Learned reinforcer (e.g., money, grades, approval, praise) • Token Reinforcer: Tangible secondary reinforcer (e.g., money, gold stars, poker chips) • Social Reinforcer: Provided by other people (e.g., learned desires for attention and approval)

29. Tokens used to reward socially desirable behavior in a mental hospital ward. Tokens could be used for snacks, coffee, game-room privileges, weekend passes. Effectiveness of Token Economy

30. Continuous & Partial Reinforcement Continuous Reinforcement: A reinforcer follows every correct response Partial Reinforcement: Reinforcers do NOT follow every response Partial Reinforcement Effect: Responses acquired with partial reinforcement are very resistant to extinction

31. Review: Types of Reinforcers

32. Part 3Motivation

33. Drive Reduction Theory • Motivation: the set of internal and external factors that energize our behavior and direct it toward goals • Drive reduction theory: a theory of motivation that proposes that our behavior is motivated to reduce drives (bodily tension states) created by unsatisfied bodily needs to return the body to a balanced state • Need vs. Drive: You begin a fast: after 1 dayafter 1 week need for food some need need increases drive for food (hunger) some hunger hunger decreases

34. Incentive & Arousal Theories • Incentive theory: a theory of motivation that proposes that our behavior is motivated by incentives, external stimuli that we have learned to associate with reinforcement. • Arousal theory: a theory of motivation that proposes that our behavior is motivated to maintain an optimal level of physiological arousal.

35. Yerkes-Dodson Law • Yerkes-Dodson law: a law describing the relationship between the amount of arousal and the performance quality on a task

36. Intrinsic & Extrinsic Motivation • Extrinsic motivation: the desire to perform a behavior for external reinforcement • Intrinsic motivation: the desire to perform a behavior for its own sake

37. A Little Demonstration: Sensation Seeking Scale See in class!

38. THE END!