Learning
description
Transcript of Learning
Learning
Any relatively permanent change in behavior (or behavior potential) produced by experience
Association We learn by association
Our minds naturally connect events that occur in sequence
Aristotle 2000 years ago John Locke and David Hume 200 years ago
Associative Learning learning that two events occur together
two stimuli a response and its consequences
Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning
We learn to associate two stimuli
Classical Conditioning Ivan Pavlov studies digestion in dogs (1904) Conditions dogs to salivate to a sound (bell or
buzzer) Determines formula for the conditioning
process UCS = UCR NS + UCS = UCR CS = CR
Best case: NS precedes UCS Worst case: NS follows UCS
Classical ConditioningUCS(passionate kiss) UCR
(sexualarousal)
CS(onionbreath)
CS(onion breath) CR
(sexualarousal)
UCS(passionate Kiss) UCR
(sexualarousal)
Characteristics of Conditioning Generalization: the tendency of stimuli
similar to the original conditioned stimulus to evoke a similar conditioned response
Discrimination: to be able to differentiate between stimuli
Extinction: a process by which the effects of conditioning are reduced and finally disappear
Spontaneous recovery: the reappearance of a learned response after its apparent extinction
Characteristics of Conditioning (cont.)
Higher-order conditioning: a neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus through association with an already established conditioned stimulus
Operant Conditioning
We learn to associate a response and its consequence
Operant Conditioning
Definition: behavior is shaped by the consequences it produces
We “learn” by doing things that produce positive outcomes and/or allow us to avoid negative outcomes (sometimes negative is better than none at all)
Operant Conditioning
Reinforcer any event that strengthens the
behavior it follows Shaping
operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior toward closer approximations of a desired goal
Operant Conditioning (cont.) Primary reinforcers: they satisfy a biological need –
food, water, sex (we need to feel a deficit of it for it to be a reinforcer)
Secondary reinforcers: they take on the ability to reinforce – e.g. money, status, praise
Positive reinforcers: the behavior is strengthened to get the reward
Negative reinforcers: the behavior is strengthened to avoid the reinforcer
Punishment: the behavior is weakened to avoid the reinforcer
Operant Conditioning
Punishment
Schedules of Reinforcement Continuous Reinforcement
reinforcing the desired response each time it occurs
Partial (Intermittent) Reinforcement reinforcing a response only part of the time results in slower acquisition greater resistance to extinction
Schedules of Reinforcement
Fixed Ratio (FR) Schedule reinforces a response only after a
specified number of responses faster you respond the more rewards
you get different ratios very high rate of responding like piecework pay
Schedules of Reinforcement
Variable Ratio (VR) reinforces a response after an
unpredictable number of responses
average ratios like gambling, fishing very hard to extinguish because
of unpredictability
Schedules of Reinforcement
Fixed Interval (FI) reinforces a response only after
a specified time has elapsed response occurs more
frequently as the anticipated time for reward draws near
Schedules of Reinforcement
Variable Interval (VI) reinforces a response at
unpredictable time intervals produces slow steady responding like pop quiz
Schedules of Reinforcement
Variable Interval
Number of responses
1000
750
500
250
010 20 30 40 50 60 70
Time (minutes)
Fixed RatioVariable Ratio
Fixed Interval
Steady responding
Rapid respondingnear time forreinforcement
80
Operant vs Classical Conditioning
Cognition and Operant Conditioning
Cognitive Map mental representation of the layout of
one’s environment Example: after exploring a maze, rats act
as if they have learned a cognitive map of it
Latent Learning learning that occurs, but is not apparent
until there is an incentive to demonstrate it
Cognition and Operant Conditioning
Intrinsic Motivation desire to perform a behavior for
its own sake and to be effective Extrinsic Motivation
desire to perform a behavior due to promised rewards or threats of punishments
Observational Learning
Observational Learning learning by observing others
Modeling process of observing and imitating a specific behavior
Observational Learning
Alfred Bandura’s Experiments Bobo doll we look and we learn
Observational Learning
Prosocial Behavior positive, constructive, helpful behavior
opposite of antisocial behavior
Television and Observational Learning