Questions and Answers
What are three major components of our definition of learning?
- A relatively permanent change in behavior potential as the result of experience. 2. Behavior potential addresses the distinction between learning and performance. 3. Learning occurs as a result of experience.
What is behavior potential? Distinguish between learning and performance.
Behavior potential is your potential to exhibit behavior; learning is behavior potential, while performance is the overt expression of learning.
Distinguish between overt and covert responses.
Overt responses are observable behavioral responses, while covert responses are non-observable behavioral responses.
Which of these founders corresponds to Operant Conditioning?
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What were two important findings from Garcia's experiments that challenged traditional wisdom concerning Classical Conditioning?
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What is Seligman's Continuum of Preparedness?
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Which example corresponds to a prepared category in Seligman's Continuum?
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What is LTP? Identify and describe two events that produce LTP.
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Describe a cell assembly. What creates cell assemblies? How are they recalled?
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Study Notes
Learning Definition and Components
- Learning is a "relatively permanent change in behavior potential as a result of experience."
- "Relatively permanent" indicates that learned behaviors may fade with time but are typically retained unless not practiced.
- "Behavior potential" differentiates learning (internal change) from performance (observable expression of that change).
- Learning requires interaction with the environment.
Behavior Potential
- Represents the capability to display certain behaviors based on prior learning experiences.
- Learning itself is an internal transformation within the organism's nervous system, while performance is the visible demonstration of that learning.
Overt vs. Covert Responses
- Overt Responses: Observable actions that can be seen by others.
- Covert Responses: Internal processes that cannot be directly observed, such as thoughts and emotions.
Research Traditions in Learning
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Classical Conditioning
- Founder: Ivan Pavlov
- Focus: Learning in the autonomic nervous system (e.g., reflex actions).
- Methodology: Eyeblink response in rabbits to a puff of air.
- Basic Unit: Association between conditioned stimulus (CS) and unconditioned stimulus (US).
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Operant Conditioning
- Founders: Edward Thorndike and B.F. Skinner
- Focus: Consequences of behavior influence future actions.
- Methodology: Pigeons in operant chambers.
- Basic Unit: The link between a response and its consequences.
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Instrumental Conditioning
- Founder: Clark Hull
- Focus: Role of stimuli in guiding behavior performance.
- Methodology: White rats navigating mazes to reach food.
- Basic Unit: Stimulus-Response (S-R) connections.
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Cognitive Learning
- Founder: Hermann Ebbinghaus
- Focus: Associations between words and concepts in semantic networks.
- Methodology: Memorization of CVC nonsense syllables.
- Basic Unit: Associations between words/concepts.
Garcia's Experiment Findings
- Learning can happen after a single trial rather than requiring multiple repetitions.
- Conditioning can occur even with a delay of up to 24 hours between CS (taste) and US (sickness).
Seligman's Continuum of Preparedness
- Proposes that biological structures influence how easily organisms can learn specific associations:
- Prepared: Nervous system structures enhance learning. Example: Language acquisition.
- Unprepared: No hindrance or enhancement in learning capability. Example: General academic learning.
- Contraprepared: Nervous system structures inhibit learning. Example: Difficulties in trusting strangers.
Long-term Potentiation (LTP)
- LTP is a lasting increase in synaptic strength associated with the learning and memory process.
- Events producing LTP:
- Temporal Summation: Rapid, successive stimulation from one neuron to another increases excitability.
- Spatial Summation: Simultaneous stimulation from multiple neurons enhances communication with a second neuron.
Cell Assemblies
- Cell assemblies represent concepts with all associated features (e.g., a basketball characterized by its color, texture, and shape).
- Formed through the simultaneous activation of multiple neurons across different sensory modalities.
- Recall occurs through reactivation of the networks formed during initial learning experiences.
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Description
Explore the essential components of learning with these flashcards. This quiz focuses on the definition of learning and its implications within psychology, emphasizing behavior potential and permanence. Perfect for psychology students looking to reinforce their understanding of learning concepts.
