Extending Pavlov’s Understanding

1. Extending Pavlov’s Understanding Pavlov and Watson considered consciousness, or mind, unfit for the scientific study of psychology. However, they underestimated the importance of cognitive processes and biological constraints.

2. Cognitive Processes Early behaviorists believed that learned behaviors of various animals could be reduced to mindless mechanisms. However, later behaviorists suggested that animals learn the predictability of a stimulus, meaning they learn expectancy or awareness of a stimulus (Rescorla, 1988).

3. Contingencies in Classical Conditioning • Research has shown that a CS must provide information about the US in order for conditioning to occur • This predictive relationship between the CS and US is referred to as a contingency. • Blocking: example is the failure of the light to elicit a CR in the presence of the light (CS).

4. Contingencies in Classical Conditioning • Blocking - Blocking occurs when prior experience with one stimulus prevents later conditioning to a second stimulus. • 1: Trials consist of tone followed by shock until a substantial CR is produced. • 2: Trials consist of a tone and light, then shock. • 3: Run a trial with the tone only, and another with light only. Based on contingency, what will the differences be in the CRs to the tone and light?

5. Biological Predispositions Pavlov and Watson believed that laws of learning were similar for all animals. Therefore, a pigeon and a person do not differ in their learning. However, behaviorists later suggested that learning is constrained by an animal’s biology. Each species’ predispositions prepare it to learn the associations that enhance its survival.

6. Biological Predisposition Biological constraints predispose organisms to learn associations that are naturally adaptive. Breland and Breland (1961) showed that animals drift towards their biologically predisposed instinctive behaviors. Photo: Bob Bailey Marian Breland Bailey

7. Biological Predispositions Garcia showed that the duration between the CS and the US may be long (hours), but yet result in conditioning. A biologically adaptive CS (taste) led to conditioning and not to others (light or sound). Taste Aversion Courtesy of John Garcia John Garcia

8. Biological Predispositions Even humans can develop classically to conditioned nausea.

9. Pavlov’s Legacy Pavlov’s greatest contribution to psychology is isolating elementary behaviors from more complex ones through objective scientific procedures. Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)

10. Applications of Classical Conditioning • Alcoholics may be conditioned (aversively) by reversing their positive-associations with alcohol. • Through classical conditioning, a drug (plus its taste) that affects the immune response may cause the taste of the drug to invoke the immune response.

11. Applications of Classical Conditioning • Many beer ads prominently feature attractive young women wearing bikinis. The young women (Unconditioned Stimulus) naturally elicit a favorable, mildly aroused feeling (Unconditioned Response) in most men. The beer is simply associated with this effect. • The same thing applies with the jingles and music that accompany many advertisements.

12. Applications of Classical Conditioning • Systematic Desensitization

13. Extending Skinner’s Understanding Skinner believed in inner thought processes and biological underpinnings, but many psychologists criticize him for discounting them.

14. Cognition & Operant Conditioning Evidence of cognitive processes during operant learning comes from rats during a maze exploration in which they navigate the maze without an obvious reward. Rats seem to develop cognitive maps, or mental representations, of the layout of the maze (environment).

15. Latent Learning Such cognitive maps are based on latent learning, which becomes apparent when an incentive is given (Tolman & Honzik, 1930).

16. Motivation Intrinsic Motivation:Thedesire to perform a behavior for its own sake. Extrinsic Motivation:Thedesire to perform a behavior due to promised rewards or threats of punishments.

17. Skinner’s Legacy Skinner argued that behaviors were shaped by external influences instead of inner thoughts and feelings. Critics argued that Skinner dehumanized people by neglecting their free will. Falk/ Photo Researchers, Inc.

18. Applications of Operant Conditioning Skinner introduced the concept of teaching machines that shape learning in small steps and provide reinforcements for correct rewards. LWA-JDL/ Corbis In School

19. Applications of Operant Conditioning Reinforcement principles can enhance athletic performance. In Sports

20. Applications of Operant Conditioning Reinforcers affect productivity. Many companies now allow employees to share profits and participate in company ownership. At work

21. Applications of Operant Conditioning In children, reinforcing good behavior increases the occurrence of these behaviors. Ignoring unwanted behavior decreases their occurrence.

22. Classically Conditioning Freshmen • US / UR / NS / CS / CR • Response Acquisition • Intermittent pairing • Extinction and Spontaneous Recovery • Stimulus Generalization and Stimulus Discrimination • Higher Order Conditioning • Contingency and Blocking