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AP Psychology Unit 6:. Learning. Learning: Definition. Relatively permanent to rule out behavioral changes that result from fatigue or motivational changes
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AP Psychology Unit 6: Learning
Learning: Definition • Relatively permanent • to rule out behavioral changes that result from fatigue or motivational changes • Exception: Short-Term Memory recall ability only lasts about 30 seconds without rehearsal – learning happens, but it’s not “relatively permanent” • Change in behavior or behavior potential • Behavioral potential is included because learning often takes place without immediately being shown in behavior. • learning may create the potential for behavior change when the conditions are right – e.g. when there is an incentive • Experience in environment • rule out changes that result from maturation • Complication: maturation usually works together with experience to change behavior. It speeds up the learning process.
Learning: Learning vs. Maturation • It is hard to separate experience from maturation and say something is purely learned or purely genetic. • Maturation is generally seen as preparing a species to learn a skill rapidly
Maturation vs. Learning? Did I learn or just mature? Classic Experiment by Carmichael Do salamanders learn to swim? Experimental Group Control Group Salamander eggs were placed in chloretone solution, a chemical that prevents movement but permits normal growth. Salamander eggs were placed in tap water.
Maturation vs. Learning? Classic Experiment by Carmichael Classic Experiment by Carmichael Do salamanders learn to swim? Do salamanders learn to swim? Experimental Group ExperimentalGroup Control Group Control Group When salamanders in the Control group reached an age when they were swimming normally, the animals in the Experimental group were tested by placing them in tap water and waiting for the paralyzing chemical to wear off.
Maturation vs. Learning? Classic Experiment by Carmichael This experiment has been considered to be a clear example of maturation; it is said that the salamanders immediately started to swim normally. But On close examination, the results could be seen as evidence for either maturation or learning.
Maturation vs. Learning? Who knows… Classic Experiment by Carmichael Carmichael noted that from the first twitch until normal swimming occurred, there was a period of about 45 minutes in which the animals showed increasingly complex swimming movements. This could be seen as evidence for very rapid learning. Or It could be said the chemical was gradually wearing off and no learning occurred.
Associative Learning • A simple form of learning in which we comprehend that certain events occur together • We will learn about several types: • Habituation • Sensitization • Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning • Operant or Instrumental or Skinnerian Conditioning
Habituation and Sensitization We sure were annoying! • Habituation • Decreased response to a stimulus judged to be of little or no importance • We engage in this type of learning so we can tune out unimportant stimuli and focus on what matters • Sensitization • Increased response to a stimulus when we are anticipating an important stimulus • We engage in this type of learning so we are prepared for dangerous situations Yep. Annoying.
Classical Conditioning this guy’s a freak. I love me some salivating dogskis
Classical Conditioning: Definition and History • Learning in which a response naturally caused by one stimulus comes to be elicited by a different, formerly neutral stimulus: • Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) Unconditioned Response (UCR) • Neutral Stimulus (NS) + UCS UCR • Conditioned Stimulus (CS) Conditioned Response (CR) • Ivan Pavlov • Accidentally discovered classical conditioning • His experiments on digestion in dogs turned into research on learning • Also worked with conditioning a defensive reflex I LOVE dogski saliva!
Elements of Classical Conditioning • Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) • A stimulus that naturally and automatically causes a specific response in an organism • And example of a UCS would be food • Unconditioned response (UCR) • The response caused by a UCS • The UCR is automatic and unlearned • An example of a UCR is salivation in response to food
Elements of Classical Conditioning • Conditioned stimulus (CS) • A formerly neutral stimulus (NS) that is paired with a UCS and eventually causes the desired response all by itself • An example of a CS is the bell in Pavlov’s studies • Conditioned response (CR) • The learned response to the CS • An example is salivation in response to the bell
Classical Conditioning: Pavlov’s Experiment Before Conditioning Bell (NS) No Response Food (UCS) Salivation (UCR)
Classical Conditioning: Pavlov’s Procedure During Conditioning Food (UCS) Bell (NS) Salivation (UCR)
Classical Conditioning: Pavlov’s Procedure After Conditioning Bell (CS) Salivation (CR)
UCS = Loud Noise UCR = Fear of Noise NS = Rat CS = Rat CR = Fear of Rat Classical Conditioning In Humans The “Little Albert” experiment demonstrated a classically conditioned fear of white fluffy things Come hither, rattypants! Stop touching me, creepy baby…
New Learning Based on Old:Higher Order Conditioning • Once a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus, it may function as an unconditioned stimulus to elicit new learning. • For instance, in Pavlov’s experiment, once the bell produced the salivation response in the dogs, it could be paired with a new neutral stimulus, such as a red light, until the dogs learned to salivate to the red light alone.
Classical Conditioning: Key Variables • In order for Classical Conditioning to work the following variables must exist: • STRENGTH - Stimuli (UCS, NS) must be noticeable enough to provoke a response. • TIMING - UCS and NS must be paired close together so that an association is made between the two. Best case: NS precedes UCS. • FREQUENCY - UCS and NS must be paired together many times so that an association is made between the two and the NS can come to elicit the same response as the UCS.
Classical Conditioning in Humans:Class Demonstrations I’d say something, but, sadly, I have no mouth. • Demo 1: “A Day at the Beach” • How does this demonstrate classical conditioning? • UCS, UCR, NS, CS, CR? • Demo 2 • Lick your finger and dip it into your cup of lemonade powder, but DO NOT EAT IT. • When you hear the tone, immediately eat the powder on your finger, and then dip your finger back into the cup to prepare for the next trial. • You must eat some of the powder immediately after each tone, but not any other time. • After several “learning” trials, you will be instructed to simply listen to the tone without eating the powder. • What happens? Label the UCS, UCR, NS, CS and CR in your notes based on the demo.
“Day at the Beach” UCS Shark Attack (in Jaws) UCR Fear NS Music CS Music CR Fear of Music Salivating Students UCS Eating Powder UCR Salivation NS Tone CS Tone CR Salivation to tone Classical Conditioning in Humans:Class Demonstrations
Classical Conditioning: Predictability • Blocking – previous learning prevents conditioning to a second stimulus when the two stimuli are presented together • Kamin’s Work – rats that learned to fear a tone which had been followed by a shock. When the tone was simultaneously paired with a light and followed by the shock, the rats failed to fear the light alone. • How is this different from Higher Order Conditioning? • Backward Conditioning – NS may come before OR after UCS, but not before AND after. • Rescorla’s Work – tone could either mean be fearful or relax, depending when it occurred with shock.
Classical Conditioning:Extinction and Spontaneous Recovery • Extinction – • After a period of time passes when CS is not paired with UCS, CS returns to being an NS • e.g.Baby Albert would eventually cease to be afraid of white fluffy things after they were not paired with a horrible and frightening noise (Mary Cover Jones) • Spontaneous Recovery – • Just because extinction occurs, does it mean that the learning is gone?No! • After extinction, it is not unusual to see the recurrence of the conditioned response • This proves the learning never disappeared; it was just obscured by new learning - like interference
Classical Conditioning:Generalization and Discrimination DUDE! Get that white furry evil away from me! • Generalization – • An organism may learn to respond not only to the CS, but also to other stimuli that are similar to the CS. • e.g. Baby Albert was conditioned to fear a white rat, but also feared cotton balls, rabbits, white sweaters, Santa’s beard, etc. • Discrimination – • Organisms can also learn to decipher between similar stimuli when only particular stimuli are paired with a UCS. Which one yields food?
Classical Conditioning in the Real World:Taste Aversion and the Garcia Effect Dude…I’m never eating pumpkin seeds again. • Some learning mechanisms are so powerful they do not require frequency of pairings. • Taste Aversion – • Occurs when organism becomes ill following consumption of a particular food. • Organism may never be able to eat the food again. • WHY? • Garcia Effect – • Using principles of taste aversion, John Garcia put this phenomenon to good use • Sprinkled carcass of sheep with a chemical that caused illness in coyotes • Coyotes did not attack the livestock following this experience No more livestock? Now what?
Classical Conditioning in the Real World:Preparedness and Contrapreparedness • Some conditioned responses come naturally, others do not. • Preparedness • Conditioned behaviors that work well with organism’s instinctive behaviors and are easy to train • e.g. phobia of snakes or spiders • Contrapreparedness • Other conditioned behaviors go against the organism’s instinctive behaviors and are difficult or impossible to train. • e.g. phobia of chairs or tables? Scary. Not Scary.
Classical Conditioning in the Real World:Treating Phobias • Many phobias are learned responses and can be unlearned • This can be done gradually or all at once • Systematic Desensitization • Therapist and client generate “fear hierarchy” of situations that are increasingly threatening • Client then learns relaxation techniques • Client experiences “in vivo” therapy to directly experience each item on fear hierarchy to gradually unlearn his/her fear • Flooding • Client faces worst-case-scenario involving fear • If they can survive this, they have no reason so be fearful every day
Operant Conditioning The Ultimate Skinner Box Skinner “Crib” containing Skinner’s child Skinner and his Box
Operant Conditioning • Learning in which an organism engages in a spontaneous behavior which is followed by a consequence - a reward or punishment • Organism learns to perform behavior in order to gain a reward or avoid a punishment
Law of Effect • If a behavior is reinforced, it is MORE likely to occur • If a behavior is punished, it is LESS likely to occur I’ll punish you…
History of Operant Conditioning • E.L. Thorndike • Researched cats in a puzzle box • Cats learned to escape from box to attain a reinforcement of food • B.F. Skinner • Created a device called a Skinner Box to train organisms using operant conditioning • Also did research on superstition (pigeons) and connected it to the principles of operant conditioning
Elements of Operant Conditioning • Reinforcer • A stimulus or event that follows a behavior and makes that behavior more likely to occur again • Punisher • A stimulus or event that follows a behavior and makes that behavior less likely to occur again
Positive reinforcer (+) Adds something rewarding following a behavior, making that behavior more likely to occur again Giving a dog a treat for fetching a ball is an example Negative reinforcer (-) Removes something unpleasant from the environment following a behavior, making that behavior more likely to occur again Taking an aspirin to relieve a headache is an example Types of Reinforcement
Primary reinforcer Adds something intrinsically valuable to the organism Giving a dog a food for shaking hands Secondary reinforcer Adds something with assigned value to the organism Giving a person $100 for each “A” on their report card Types of Reinforcement
Positive Punishment (+) Adds something undesirable to decrease a behavior Spanking a child for swearing Negative Punishment (-) Removes something desirable to decrease a behavior Taking a child’s toy away for swearing Also called omission training Types of Punishment
Primary Punishment Method of decreasing behavior is directly threatening to organism’s survival Beating a prisoner for trying to escape Secondary Punishment Method of decreasing behavior is undesirable, but not life-threatening Taking away a prisoner’s recreational privileges for trying to escape Types of Punishment
Complex Behaviors and Shaping • Some behaviors are too complex to occur spontaneously • For these behaviors, shaping must be used • Shaping reinforces successive approximations to the desired behavior • Organism eventually learns what the desired behavior is in small steps • Similar to playing “hot and cold” • Our class demonstration?
Preparedness and Contrapreparedness in Operant Conditioning • Some changes in behavior are easily trained • Preparedness • Conditioned behaviors that work well with organism’s instinctive behaviors and are easy to train • e.g. Brelands’ “Dancing Chicken” • Contrapreparedness • Other conditioned behaviors go against the organism’s instinctive behaviors and are difficult or impossible to train. • e.g. Brelands’ raccoon
Reinforcement vs. Punishment? • Punishment not as effective as reinforcement • Does not teach proper behavior, only suppresses undesirable behavior • Causes upset that can impede learning • May give impression that inflicting pain is acceptable
Effective Punishment? • Effective punishment must be • SWIFT • Should occur as soon as possible after the behavior • CERTAIN • Should occur every time the behavior does • SUFFICIENT • Should be strong enough to be a deterrent • CONSISTENT • Should apply to all individuals the same way
Impact of Punishment • When punishment is given haphazardly, learned helplessnesscan result. • Learned Helplessness occurs when NO MATTER WHAT THE ORGANISM DOES, it cannot change the consequences of behavior. • Martin Seligman’s experiment with dogs showed that dogs given a series of inescapable shocks stopped trying to escape the shocks even when given the opportunity to escape later. • Another example would be finding that whether or not you study for your calculus tests, you fail, so you stop trying altogether.
Alternatives to Punishment • An alternative to punishment if known as AVOIDANCE TRAINING • the organism is given a “warning” before punishment occurs so it may change its behavior in order to avoid an unpleasant consequence like a punishment. • ex/ “Counting to three” before punishment is delivered to provoke a child to stop misbehaving.
Behavioral Change Using Biofeedback • Biofeedback is an operant technique that teaches people to gain voluntary control over bodily processes like heart rate and blood pressure • When used to control brain activity it is called neurofeedback
Demonstration: Word Generation • Sit with your assigned partner • Clear off your work space – all you need is a pen and a sheet of blank white lined paper • Decide who is #1 and #2 • Wait for further instructions
Schedules of Reinforcement • Continuous reinforcement vs. Intermittent reinforcement? • Interval schedules • Reinforcement depends on the passing of time • Fixed-interval schedule • Reinforcement follows the first behavior after a fixed amount of time has passed • An example would be receiving a paycheck every two weeks • Variable-interval schedule • Reinforcement follows the first behavior after a variable amount of time has passed • An example would be pop quizzes
Schedules of Reinforcement • Ratio schedules • Reinforcement depends on the number of responses made • Fixed-ratio schedule • Reinforcement follows a fixed number of behaviors • For example, being paid on a piecework basis • Variable-ratio schedule • Reinforcement follows a variable number of behaviors • An example would be playing slot machines • Yields the most rapid response rate • Subject does not know when reward is coming - works consistently • Subject must WORK to get reward
Response Patterns to Schedules of Reinforcement • Which schedule yields the fastest response rate? • What happened in our class demonstration?
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation • Reinforcement can sometimes come from within and be intrinsically motivated • e.g. Playing on a swing set is intrinsically motivated in children • Reinforcements can also be extrinsically motivated, or come from an exogenous source • e.g. Adults get paid for going to work – no pay, no work. • What happens when we give extrinsic reinforcements for intrinsically motivated behavior? Overjustification Effect! • Giving an extrinsic reinforcement for intrinsically motivated activity decreases intrinsic motivation! • Marshmallow study
