Learning Theories and Ivan Pavlov

Learning Principles

• Learning is defined as measurable behavioral changes resulting from practice and accompanying conditions.

Basic Theories of Learning

• Classical Conditioning (Ivan Pavlov): Focuses on involuntary responses.
• Operant Conditioning (B.F. Skinner): Deals with voluntary behaviors and consequences.
• Social Learning (Bandura): Emphasizes observational learning and modeling.

Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)

• Conducted research on digestion at the Institute of Experimental Medicine (1891-1900).
• His research on digestion led to advances in theoretical and practical medicine.
• Pavlov demonstrated the nervous system's role in digestion. This is fundamental to modern physiology.
• In his studies, he paid close attention to 'psychic secretion', a response to food stimuli from a distance.

Pavlov's Dog Experiment

• A key experiment in classical conditioning.
• Demonstrates how a neutral stimulus (e.g., a bell) can become associated with a naturally occurring stimulus (e.g., food) to trigger a learned response (e.g., salivation).

Pavlov's Experiment Components

• UCS (Unconditioned Stimulus): Naturally triggers a response (e.g., food).
• UCR (Unconditioned Response): Natural response to the UCS (e.g., salivation).
• NS (Neutral Stimulus): Initially does not trigger the response (e.g., bell).
• CS (Conditioned Stimulus): After pairing with the UCS, the NS becomes the CS and triggers the response (e.g., bell).
• CR (Conditioned Response): Learned response to the CS (e.g., salivation).

Signal Learning

• The conditioned stimulus (CS) is presented before the unconditioned stimulus (UCS).
• The learner learns to associate the CS with the UCS which leads to a response from a particular stimulus.
• Learning involuntary responses is a key component of this type of learning.

Extinction

• The disappearance of the conditioned response.
• Occurs when the conditioned stimulus (CS) is repeatedly presented without the unconditioned stimulus (UCS).

Spontaneous Recovery

• The reappearance of a conditioned response in the presence of the conditioned stimulus (CS) after a period of rest.

Stimulus Generalization

• Responding to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus (CS) in the same way as the CS.
• For instance, a person might react to the smell of pizza from any pizza shop similarly.

Stimulus Discrimination

• Responding differently to stimuli that are similar to the conditioned stimulus (CS).
• For instance, responding only to the smell of a specific pizza shop.

Homework Assignment

• Provide examples from own life for each concept.
• Explain each concept using a single, personal example.