Introduction to Psychology: PSY100 AUA-CAS PDF

Introduction to Psychology: PSY100 AUA-CAS Presenter: Navida Edwards Objectives Students should be able to: 1.Give an accurate definition on learning 2.Summarise the process involved in Classical conditional, Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning Learning...

Introduction to Psychology: PSY100 AUA-CAS Presenter: Navida Edwards Objectives Students should be able to: 1.Give an accurate definition on learning 2.Summarise the process involved in Classical conditional, Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning Learning 2  Learning In the previous lesson we spoke of Vygotsky and learning from a more knowledgeable other as well as what is expected of us to learn and understand based on our development. However, have you ever asked, HOW does learning occur? Can it be innate or a reflection of interaction with our environment? Or, does it involves both processes or something completely different? When we look at babies, whether animals or humans, how do they know what they know? Healthy brain development highlights the involuntary movements in response to different stimuli; reflexes in babies. These primitive reflexes are essential to their survival. Further, these reflexes aid in their chances for survival as they adapt throughout development. For example, the sucking reflex; root reflex, indicating the baby’s need to eat. Learning 3  Learning Instincts in comparison to reflexes involves more complex brain activity and is a result of maturation and the change of seasons from innate behaviour. Learning 4  Learning What we can conclude from reflexes and instincts, that these are unlearnt behaviour present at birth which are key to survival. Therefore, what is learning? Learning involves the permanent change as we interact with our environment. Look at babies, do their reflexes continue past the baby stage or is there an adaption or change? Learning 5  Learning Associative learning is a foundation element needed to understand behaviour and cognition as humans and animals learn from stimuli or events as they interact with their environment. Learning 6  Classical Conditioning When we looked at Lifespan the name Ivan Pavlov and Classical conditioning was mentioned. Does anyone remember what his theory proposes? Learning 7  Classical Conditioning Classical conditioning addresses learning through stimuli and anticipated events. His original interest was digestive systems specific to dogs. However, what intrigued and expanded his study were the unusual responses which occurred such as salivation from learning footsteps or seeing their bowl. This behaviour was learned through association, that such behaviours are a prequel to food; or that these behaviours will eventually present food. Meat powder (UCS-unconditional stimulus) – Salivation (UCR-unconditioned response) Tone (NS-neutral stimulus) + Meat powder (UCS) – Salivation (UCR) Learning 8  Classical Conditioning Processes Acquisition- Initial process of learning. How do we get the information we know and learn? Extinction-this occurs when the CR-no longer occurs or becomes extinct in the presence of the CS. Let us look as his experiment where after Pavlov stopped presenting the food after ringing the bell, the dogs no longer salivated Spontaneous recovery- this occurs when the conditioned response reappears to the conditioned stimulus. Therefore, after extinction the learned response reappears. Stimulus discrimination- This calls for a differentiation between the CS and stimuli. There is a difference in reaction based on different stimuli. Stimulus generalization- a stimulus that is similar to a conditioned stimuli produces the exact response as the original stimulus. If we think to our topic on behaviorism and the important contribution made by Watson, he further posits the point that human behaviour just like animal behaviour, is a result of conditioned responses. Learning 9  Operant Conditioning In operant conditioning, the way in which an organisms learn is through associating behaviour and its consequence. Therefore, it sees learning through seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. Further, through experiences, having a more desirable consequence is more likely to have a repeated behaviour. This point is the law of effect, to elicit a desired behaviour through reward. Positive reinforcement – present a stimulus after behaviour is done to increase the chances of a particular response. Negative reinforcement- removing an undesirable stimulus to elicit a behaviour. Positive punishment- There is the addition of undesired stimulus to decrease behaviour where as for the negative punishment, an unpleasant stimulus is removed to decrease behaviour. Learning 10  Operant Conditioning Shaping For change to happen the behaviour has to be done. To ensure this is achieved shaping grants a process whereby behaviour can see a steady growth making the desired behaviour achievable by successfully completing one stage to the next. Learning 11 Operant Conditioning Positive reinforcers- these are key towards survival. For example if Jane shoots a three from the three court line in basket ball and is given free lunch for the day. Negative reinforcers- These are important only for the emphasis you place on them such as money, or grades. Continuous reinforcement- most effective as it present frequency which leads to expectations when producing the desired behaviour. Learning 12 Operant Conditioning Partial reinforcement- Also referred to as intermittent reinforcement, does not occur each time the desired behaviour is done but rather on different schedules: fixed interval reinforcement schedule, variable interval reinforcement schedule and fixed ratio reinforcement schedule Learning 13  Operant Conditioning Cognitive map- mental image to work from Learning latent- learning which only surfaces when actions are shown. What are my reasons to demonstrate I know what I know? Learning 14  Operant Conditioning What relevance does this have to the real world? It has implications for anxiety and mental disorders through how certain coping techniques and reward. For example Matefy, R. E. (1972). Operant conditioning procedure to modify schizophrenic behavior: A case report. Psychotherapy: Theory, Research & Practice, 9(3), 226–230. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0086755 Learning 15 Operant Conditioning Learning 16  Observational Learning (Modeling) This is behaviour imitated from what we see, and who is doing the action. If you saw that the person’s behaviour was reinforced, you will be more motivated to copy them. This is known as vicarious reinforcement. On the other hand, if you observed the model being punished, you would be less motivated to copy them. This is called vicarious punishment. Learning 17  Closure Reflection 1. What is your definition of learning? 2. Do you believe learning is innate? 3. What implication does operant and classical learning have in the real world? 4. Is there a viable reason for positive and negative reinforcement? 5. What are your opinions on shaping? What implication does it have? Learning 18 Learning 19