Download - Chapter 4: Learning (Behaviorism)
Learning (Behaviorism)
Classical Conditioning (Mod. 18)
Operant Conditioning (Mod. 19)
Observational Learning (Mod. 20)
Behaviorism
Dominated Psychology in the first half of the 20th Century.
Dealt with behavior only, not mental processes.
What is Learning?
Learning: any relatively permanent change in behavior brought about by experience or practice When people learn anything, some part of
their brain is physically changed to record what they have learned.
LO 5.1 Learning
Pavlov and Classical Conditioning
Ivan Pavlov: Russian physiologist (person who studies the workings of the body) who discovered classical conditioning through his work on digestion in dogs
Classical conditioning: learning to make a reflex response to a stimulus other than the original, natural stimulus that normally produces the reflex
LO 5.2 Classical Conditioning
Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning
Ivan Pavlov 1849-1936Russian physician/
neurophysiologistNobel Prize, 1904studied digestive
secretions
Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning
Pavlov’s device for recording salivation
Pavlov’s Apparatus for Studying Classical Conditioning in Dogs
Classical Conditioning Concepts
Unconditioned stimulus (UCS): a naturally occurring stimulus that leads to an involuntary response Unconditioned means “unlearned” or
“naturally occurring.” Unconditioned response (UCR): an
involuntary response to a naturally occurring or unconditioned stimulus
LO 5.2 Classical Conditioning
Classical Conditioning Concepts
Conditioned stimulus (CS): stimulus that becomes able to produce a learned reflex response by being paired with the original unconditioned stimulus Conditioned means “learned.” A neutral stimulus can become a
conditioned stimulus when paired with an unconditioned stimulus.
LO 5.2 Classical Conditioning
Classical Conditioning Concepts
Conditioned response (CR): learned reflex response to a conditioned stimulus sometimes called a conditioned reflex CS: ice cream truck CR: salivation when hear ice cream
truck bell
LO 5.2 Classical Conditioning
Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning: Respondent Behavior
Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) stimulus that unconditionally- naturally and
automatically - triggers a response
Unconditioned Response (UCR) unlearned, naturally occurring response to
the unconditioned stimulus salivation when food is in the mouth
Classical Conditioning: Respondent Behavior
learning in which a neutral stimulus acquires the capacity to elicit a response after being paired with another stimulus that naturally elicits that response
Unconditioned response (UCR): automatic response to a stimulus
Unconditioned stimulus (UCS): naturally and automatically elicits a response
Conditioned response (CR): learned response to a previously neutral stimulus
Conditioned stimulus (CS): after repeated pairings with UCS, elicits the same response
Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning: Respondent Behavior
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) originally neutral stimulus that, after
association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response
Conditioned Response (CR) learned response to a previously neutral
conditioned stimulus
Pavlov’s Classic Experiment
Before Conditioning
During Conditioning After Conditioning
UCS (foodin mouth)
Neutralstimulus(tone)
Nosalivation
UCR (salivation)
Neutralstimulus(tone)
UCS (foodin mouth)
UCR(salivation)
CS(tone)
CR (salivation)
Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning
UCS(passionate kiss) UCR
(sexualarousal)
CS(onionbreath)
CS(onion breath) CR
(sexualarousal)
UCS(passionate Kiss) UCR
(sexualarousal)
Classical Conditioning
Classical Conditioning
UCSDog Bite
UCRFrightened
CSSight of Dog
UCSDog Bite
UCRFrightened
CSSight of Dog
CRFrightened
Classical Conditioning
UCSCar Crash
UCRRacing Heart
CSSquealing
Brakes
UCSCar Crash
UCRRacing Heart
CSSquealing
Brakes
CRRacing Heart
Classical Conditioning
UCSKiss
UCRRacing Heart
CSSight of
Significant Other
UCSKiss
UCRRacing Heart
CSSight of
Significant Other
CRRacing Heart
Classic Conditioning Allows Animals to Learn to Predict Events
Learning theorists once believed that the learning in classical conditioning is unintentional and automatic (classic behaviorism).
Most contemporary learning theorists now believe classical conditioning involves quite a bit of “mindfulness” because, (through the conditioning process) humans and other animals are learning to reliably predict upcoming events.
Classic Conditioning Allows Animals to Learn to Predict Events
Psychologists once believed that the key to acquiring a conditioned response was the sheer number of CS-UCS pairings.
However, the order and timing of CS-UCS pairings is also very important because it provides valuable information about the upcoming occurrence of the unconditioned stimulus.
Utility: Avoiding a Predator’s Attack through Classical Conditioning—Step 1
Avoiding a Predator’s Attack through Classical Conditioning—Step 2
Avoiding a Predator’s Attack through Classical Conditioning—Step 3
Classical Conditioning Concepts Acquisition: the repeated pairing of the
NS and the UCS; the organism is in the process of acquiring learning Although classical conditioning happens quite
easily, there are a few basic principles that researchers have discovered:
The CS must come before the UCS. The CS and UCS must come very close together in
time—ideally, only several seconds apart. The neutral stimulus must be paired with the UCS
several times, often many times, before conditioning can take place.
LO 5.2 Classical Conditioning
Classical Conditioning Concepts
Stimulus generalization: the tendency to respond to a stimulus that is only similar to the original conditioned stimulus with the conditioned response
LO 5.2 Classical Conditioning
GeneralizationDrops of salivain 30 seconds
60
50
40
30
20
10
0Hindpaw
Pelvis Shoulder Frontpaw
Thigh Trunk Foreleg
Part of body stimulated
Classical Conditioning Concepts
Extinction: the disappearance or weakening of a learned response following the removal or absence of the unconditioned stimulus (in classical conditioning) or the removal of a reinforcer (in operant conditioning)
LO 5.2 Classical conditioning
Extinction and Spontaneous Recovery
Classical Conditioning Concepts
Spontaneous recovery: the reappearance of a learned response after extinction has occurred Learning is a relatively permanent change in
behavior.
LO 5.2 Classical Conditioning
Animals Differ in What Responses Can Be Classically Conditioned
Early learning theorists assumed that the principles of conditioning were similar across all species, but subsequent research indicates that this assumption is incorrect. Animals often differ in what responses can
be conditioned. In some animals, some responses can be
conditioned much more readily to certain stimuli than to others.
An animal’s biology steers it toward certain kinds of conditioning.
Taste aversion study by Garcia and Koelling
Rats learned to avoid a light-noise combination when it was paired with electric shock, but not when it was followed by X rays that made them nauseous.
In contrast, rats quickly learned to avoid flavored water when it was followed by X rays, but they did not readily acquire an aversion to this same water when it was followed by shock.
It is also adaptive that in taste aversion, strong conditioning develops despite the long delay between the CS (the taste) and the UCS (the nausea).
Biological Constraints on Taste Aversion in Rats
Classically Conditioned Phobias
Phobias: exaggerated and irrational fears of objects or situations
Such intense fear reactions often develop through classical conditioning.
We can develop a phobia toward anything, but some objects (snakes) or situations elicit phobic reactions more easily than others.
Conditioned Emotional Response
Conditioned emotional response (CER): emotional response that has become classically conditioned to occur to learned stimuli, such as a fear of dogs or the emotional reaction that occurs when seeing an attractive person CERs may lead to phobias—irrational
fear responses.
LO 5.3 Conditioned Emotional Response
Conditioning of “Little Albert”
Little Albert’s Fear Conditioning
UCS(loud noise)
UCR(fear)
CS(rat)
CS(rat)
CR(fear)
UCS(loud noise)
UCR(fear)
Stimulus similarto rat (such as rabbit)
Conditioned fear(generalization)
Classical Conditioning
UCSLoud Noise
UCRStartle
CSBunny Rabbit
UCSLoud Noise
UCRStartle
CSBunny Rabbit
CRStartle
John B. Watson: Famous Behaviorist
Conditioned Emotional Responding Extreme Nurture (learning) position Fear learned through stimulus
generalization? Emotion-evoking Advertising
Nausea Conditioning among Cancer Patients
UCS(drug)
UCR(nausea)
CS(waiting room)
CS(waitingroom) CR
(nausea)
UCS(drug)
UCR(nausea)
Why Classical Conditioning Works
Cognitive perspective: modern theory in which classical conditioning is seen to occur because the conditioned stimulus provides information or an expectancy about the coming of the unconditioned stimulus (cue, signal, warning)
LO 5.3 Conditioned Emotional Response