Psychology: Learning and Conditioning Concepts

Learning Defined

• Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior or behavior potential resulting from experience.
• Temporary changes due to drugs, fatigue, or illness, and changes resulting from maturation are not considered learning.
• Learning can be positive or negative.

How We Learn

• Learning occurs through associations (pairing/conditioning).
• Direct learning happens through personal experience.
• Vicarious learning happens by observing others.

Classical Conditioning

• Classical conditioning describes how an organism learns to transfer a natural response from a natural stimulus to a neutral stimulus.
• Key figure: Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)
• Pavlov's experiment involved a neutral stimulus (e.g., a tone), an unconditioned stimulus (e.g., food), an unconditioned response (e.g., salivation to food), and a conditioned response (e.g., salivation to the tone after repeated pairings).

Pavlov's Experiment

• Neutral stimulus doesn't initially cause a response.
• Unconditioned stimulus triggers an unconditioned response naturally.
• Repeated pairings of neutral and unconditioned stimuli lead to a conditioned response to the neutral stimulus.
• The neutral stimulus now becomes a conditioned stimulus.

Extinction

• Extinction occurs when the conditioned stimulus is presented without the unconditioned stimulus, weakening the conditioned response.
• Repeatedly pairing a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to acquire a conditioned response can be reversed by weakening the bond between them.

Spontaneous Recovery

• Extinction merely suppresses the conditioned response, it can reappear after a rest period.

Classical Conditioning: Facts

• Neural basis: Cerebellum and limbic system.
• Mental imagery plays a role.

Operant Conditioning

• Operant conditioning is a form of learning where an organism learns a specific behavior in anticipation of the desired consequences.

Effects of Operant Conditioning

• Behavioral responses are strengthened by reinforcers.
• Behavioral responses are diminished by punishments.
• Key figure: B.F. Skinner (1904-1990).

Skinner's Experiments

• Operant Chamber (Skinner Box): A chamber where an animal manipulates a bar or key to receive a reinforcer (food or water)
• Reinforcement strengthens the desired behavior, punishment weakens it.

Reinforcement

• Reinforcer: A stimulus that strengthens the probability of a response following its presentation or removal.
• Positive Reinforcement: Presenting a desirable stimulus to increase a behavior.
• Negative Reinforcement: Removing an unpleasant stimulus to increase a behavior.

Punishment

• Punishment: A stimulus that weakens the probability of a response following its presentation or removal.
• Positive Punishment: Presenting an unpleasant stimulus to decrease a behavior.
• Negative Punishment: Removing a desirable stimulus to decrease a behavior.

Reinforcement Schedules

• Continuous Reinforcement: All correct responses are reinforced.
• Intermittent Reinforcement: Some, but not all, correct responses are reinforced.

Intervals: Rewards after specific time intervals Ratios: Rewards after a certain number of responses

Fixed Interval: Predictable time intervals Variable Interval: Unpredictable time intervals Fixed Ratio: Predictable number of responses Variable Ratio: Unpredictable number of responses

Primary and Secondary Reinforcement

• Primary Reinforcement: naturally reinforcing (food, warmth, water).
• Secondary Reinforcement: learned associations with primary reinforcers (e.g., good grades, money).

Types of Learning

• Classical Conditioning: Learning through associations between events.
• Operant Conditioning: Learning through associations between behavior and consequences.
• Cognitive Learning: Learning through mental processes (e.g., insight, trial and error).

Example- Sultan the Chimp: Combining previously learned behaviours to solve new problems Example- Cognition Maps in Rats: Creating mental representations of environments. Example- Latent Learning in Rats: Learning occurring without immediate reward Example - Observational Learning : New behaviour is acquired by observing the actions and consequences

Observational Learning

• Observational learning: An extension of operant conditioning in which individuals learn by observing others. New behaviors emerge from observing and analyzing the consequences of the actions of the person/animal exhibiting the behavior.

Example- Bobo Doll experiment: Children who observed adults behaving aggressively toward a Bobo doll were more likely to exhibit similar aggressive behaviors later.

Explore the fundamental concepts of learning, including the distinction between temporary changes and permanent behavior changes. This quiz covers classical conditioning, highlighting Ivan Pavlov's experiments and the mechanisms of learning through associations and experiences.