Psychology Chapter: Conditioning and Learning

Study Notes

Conditioning explains how behaviors are acquired, maintained, and modified.
It's the basis for behavior therapy, habit formation, and educational strategies.
Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior or knowledge resulting from experience.

Definition: Learning through association, where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a meaningful stimulus.
Discovery: Ivan Pavlov
Key Components:
Unconditioned Stimulus (US): Naturally triggers a response (e.g., food).
Unconditioned Response (UR): Natural reaction to the US (e.g., salivation).
Conditioned Stimulus (CS): Previously neutral stimulus that becomes associated with the US (e.g., a bell).
Conditioned Response (CR): Learned response to the CS (e.g., salivation to a bell).
Processes:
Acquisition: Initial learning phase where the CS and US are paired.
Extinction: Weakening of the CR when the CS is presented without the US.
Spontaneous Recovery: Reappearance of the CR after a period of rest.
Generalization: Tendency to respond to stimuli similar to the CS.
Discrimination: Learning to distinguish between the CS and other stimuli.

Definition: Learning through consequences, where behaviors are strengthened or weakened by reinforcement or punishment.
Proposer: B.F. Skinner
Key Components:
Reinforcement: Increases the likelihood of a behaviour.
Positive Reinforcement: Adding a desirable stimulus (e.g., reward).
Negative Reinforcement: Removing an aversive stimulus (e.g., turning off an alarm).
Punishment: Decreases the likelihood of a behaviour.
Positive Punishment: Adding an aversive stimulus (e.g., a fine).
Negative Punishment: Removing a desirable stimulus (e.g., losing privileges).
Schedules of Reinforcement:
Continuous Reinforcement: Rewarding behaviour every time.
Partial Reinforcement: Rewarding behaviour intermittently.
Fixed Ratio: Reward after a set number of responses.
Variable Ratio: Reward after a varying number of responses.
Fixed Interval: Reward after a set amount of time.
Variable Interval: Reward after varying time intervals.

Definition: Learning by observing others' behaviours and the consequences of those behaviours.
Proposer: Albert Bandura
Key Concepts:
Modeling: Imitating the behaviour of a role model.
Vicarious Reinforcement/Punishment: Learning through the observed consequences of others' actions.
Bobo Doll Experiment: Demonstrated that children imitate aggressive behaviours observed in adults.

Definition: Emphasizes mental processes in learning, such as insight, memory, and problem-solving.
Key Concepts:
Latent Learning: Learning that occurs but is not demonstrated until there is an incentive.
Cognitive Maps: Mental representations of spatial layouts.
Insight Learning: Sudden realization of a solution to a problem.

Behaviour Therapy: Techniques like systematic desensitization and aversion therapy.
Education: Using reinforcement to encourage positive behaviours, designing programs to improve skills and productivity.
Workplace Training: Shaping desired behaviours through consistent reinforcement and consequences.
Parenting: Shaping desired behaviours through consistent reinforcement and consequences.