Psychology Learning and Conditioning

Learning

• Learning is the acquisition of new knowledge, skills, or responses through experience, leading to relatively permanent changes in the learner.
• Learning is experience-based and results in changes within the organism. These changes are relatively long-lasting.

Habituation and Sensitization

• Habituation is a reduction in response to repeated or prolonged stimulus exposure.
• Sensitization is increased response to a stimulus after repeated presentations.

Classical Conditioning

• Classical conditioning involves a neutral stimulus becoming a conditioned stimulus that produces a learned response.
• Unconditioned Stimulus (US): Naturally triggers a response.
• Unconditioned Response (UR): Natural response to the US.
• Conditioned Stimulus (CS): Previously neutral stimulus, now triggers a learned response.
• Second-Order Conditioning: Pairing a CS with a stimulus previously associated with the US.
• Acquisition: The phase where CS and US are paired.
• Extinction: Weakening of the CR when the CS is presented repeatedly without the US.
• Spontaneous Recovery: Reappearance of a CR after a rest period following extinction.
• Generalization: Similar stimuli to the CS trigger a CR.
• Discrimination: Ability to distinguish between similar but distinct stimuli.
• Classical conditioning example: John B. Watson and Rosalie Rayner conditioned Little Albert to fear white rats.
• Cognitive component: The Rescorla-Wagner model introduced a cognitive aspect to understand conditioning complexities.
• Biological influences: Biological preparedness influences which associations are learned more easily. Cerebellum and amygdala are crucial for conditioning (e.g. eyeblink and emotional, respectively).

Operant Conditioning

• Operant conditioning focuses on behaviors that affect the environment.
• Law of Effect: Behaviors producing positive outcomes are repeated, while those with negative outcomes are less likely to be repeated.
• Operant Behavior: Behaviors that have an impact on the environment.
• Operant Conditioning Chamber (Skinner Box): Used to study behaviors in a controlled environment.
• Reinforcer: Increases the likelihood of a behavior.
• Punisher: Decreases the likelihood of a behavior.
• Positive Reinforcement: Presenting a stimulus to increase a behavior.
• Negative Reinforcement: Removing a stimulus to increase a behavior.
• Positive Punishment: Administering a stimulus to decrease a behavior.
• Negative Punishment: Removing a stimulus to decrease a behavior.
• Primary Reinforcers: Satisfy basic needs (e.g., food).
• Secondary Reinforcers: Gain value through association with primary reinforcers.
• Reinforcer effectiveness: Timing is essential, quicker reward is more effective. Extinction is more complex in operant conditioning, depending on reinforcement frequency.
• Schedules of Reinforcement:
  • Interval Schedules: Based on time intervals.
    • Fixed-Interval (FI): Reinforcement after a fixed time.
    • Variable-Interval (VI): Reinforcement after a varying time.
  • Ratio Schedules: Based on the number of responses.
    • Fixed-Ratio (FR): Reinforcement after a fixed number of responses.
    • Variable-Ratio (VR): Reinforcement after a varying number of responses..
• Continuous Reinforcement: Reinforcement after every response.
• Intermittent Reinforcement: Reinforcement after some (not all) responses.
• Intermittent Reinforcement Effect: Behaviors learned with intermittent reinforcement are more resistant to extinction.
• Shaping: Learning through reinforcing successive approximations of a desired behavior.
• Superstitious Behavior: Reinforcement not contingent on a response can lead to seemingly superstitious actions.

Cognitive Elements of Operant Conditioning

• Latent Learning: Learning that isn't immediately apparent.
• Cognitive Map: Mental representation of the environment.

Neural Elements of Operant Conditioning

• Specific brain regions (nucleus accumbens, hypothalamus, etc.) are associated with pleasure and learning.

Observational Learning

• Learning by observing others.
• Children are sensitive to consequences of observed actions.
• Mirror Neurons: Found in primates, firing when performing or observing an action.

Implicit Learning

• Learning that occurs without conscious awareness.
• Implicit learning problems can affect developmental dyslexia.

Classroom Learning

• Distributed Practice: Studying over time with intervals.
• Massed Practice: Studying all at once.
• Interleaved Practice: Mixing different material in a study session.
• Practice Testing: Increases retention and transfer of knowledge.

This quiz explores the concepts of learning, habituation, sensitization, and classical conditioning. Delve into important terms such as unconditioned stimulus and conditioned stimulus, and understand the processes that lead to changes in behavior through experience. Test your knowledge on how these concepts are foundational in psychology.