LEARNING
Semi-permanent change in behavior due to
experiencehttp://psychology.about.com/library/quiz/bl_learning_quiz.htm
People to know:
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Pavlov: Classical Conditioning (dogs/salivation)
Watson (& Rosalie Rayner): Little Albert,
Generalization
Garcia & Koelling: Taste Aversion
Thorndike: Law of Effect
B. F. Skinner: Operant Conditioning
Rescorla & Wagner: Expectancy
Classical Conditioning
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Ivan Pavlov (physiologist)
 Dog
Study
 UCS, UCR, CS, CR, NS
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Acquisition
 CS
first, then UCS (1/2
second = best)
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Extinction
Spontaneous Recovery
Generalization (Little
Albert) vs. Discrimination
Second/Higher Order
Taste Aversions
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Aid survival
Garcia & Koelling: Taste aversion in rats
 Only
required one pairing
 Delay can be longer than thought
 Biological Predispositions: Rats to taste,
not sound or sight
Operant Conditioning: Stimulus/Response
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Thorndike: Law of Effect
B.F. Skinner: Operant
Chamber (Skinner Box)
Reinforcement: Positive v.
Negative (escape v.
avoidance learning)
Punishment: Positive v.
Negative/Omission
Do not confuse NR & Pun:
NR increases a response,
Pun decreases
Operant Conditioning
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Shaping (single behavior w/ successive
approximations)
Chaining (different responses in order)
Acquisition, Extinction, Spontaneous Recovery,
Generalization, Discrimination ALL apply to OC as
well
Premack Principle: You can use a preferred activity
to reinforce a disliked activity
Instinctive Drift
Reinforcers
Primary
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Secondary
Innately rewarding
 Food,
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water, rest
Learned value
 Money,
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grades
Token economy
Reinforcement Schedules
Continuous
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Faster acquisition
Faster extinction
Partial/Intermittent
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Slower acquisition
Slower extinction
Reinforcement Schedules
Is
reinforcement
delivered
based on
number or
responses
exhibited OR
time?
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Fixed-ratio: Paid per shoe constructed
 Fast
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& steady response rate
Fixed-interval: Paid every 2 weeks
 Scalloped
response rate (picks up around
time)
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Variable-ratio: Slot machines
 High
response rates. Very resistant to
extinction & Encourages superstition
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Variable-interval: Pop quizzes
 Slow
& steady response rates
Cognitive Learning
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Behaviorists argue that cognition does not play a
role in learning
However, some Cognitive Psychologists (Rescorla &
Wagner) argue that it is the expectation (of the
UCS or reinforcement/ punishment) that produces
the response
 Wolfgang
Kohler: Insight Study - Monkeys get bananas
without trial and error
 Edward Tolman: Latent Learning – Rats in maze
Observational Learning (Modeling)
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Albert Bandura: Bobo
doll
Remember 2 part
definition: Someone
watches someone do
something, then mimics
the behavior