Habituation

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Chapter 6

• Habituation
• Respondent Learning

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RecapReflexes as Universal I Behaviors

• Hard - Wired
• Present at birth
• Do not need much experience
• Unlearned thus Unconditioned
• Reflex is not a behavior but stimulus-behavior
  relationship

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Recap Reflex as Unlearned Stimulus-Behavior
Relationship

• UnConditioned Unlearned
• Stimulus - environmental event
• Behavior Response - action of organism
• UCS---------gt CR

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Recap Examples of Reflexes

• Consummatory
• Defensive
• Social

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Consummatory Reflexes

• Search

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Defensive Reflexes
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How Do Reflexes Change?

• 1. Reflexes May Stay the Same
• 2. Reflexes May Disappear
• 3. Reflexes May Be Elicited by New Stimuli -
  Respondent Conditioning
• 4. Reflexes May be Elaborated into New Behaviors
  - Operant Conditioning

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What is Learning?

• Relatively permanent change in behavior that is
  due to experience
• Change in behavior (in relation to environ.
• Change is relatively permanent
• Due to experience (not maturation)

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Selectionism - Learning as a Natural Process

• Parallel to natural selection - phylogenic
• Ontogenic contingencies - Learning
• Variability
• Selection
• Retention

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The Evolutionary Significance of Learning

• Natural selection - survival of species
• Learning - survival of individual
• Ontogenic Adaptability

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A Parallelism Between Evolution and Learning

• Phylogenic Contingencies -
• Natural Selection
• Ontogenic Contingencies
• Selection by Consequences
• Learning

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Selectionism - Learning as a Natural Process

• How does Learning Relate to Development?
• Is Learning "A" process or "THE" process in
  development?

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Learning -- What Develops?

• Stimulus-Response Relationships
• Classifying Stimuli
• Physical Stimulus Classes
• Functional Stimulus Classes
• Classifying Stimuli
• Response Classes
• Topography
• Function
• Classes mean Variability

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Types of Learning

• Habituation
• Respondent Learning
• Operant Learning

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HabituationDefining Characteristics

• Start with a reflex
• UCS UCR
• Repeated UCS lead to decrement in or elimination
  of responding
• Not due to fatigue

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Habituation

• UCS ---------gt UCR
• UCS ---------gt UCR
• UCS --------gt UCR
• UCS ---------gt UCR
• UCS --------gt UCR
• UCS (habituation)
• UCS (habituation)

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Habituation

• BANG -------gt Jump
• BANG!--------gtJump
• BANG! --------gtJump
• BANG! --------gtJump
• BANG!
• BANG!

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Respondent Learning

• Nonhuman Studies
• Infant Studies
• Defining characteristics
• Generalization
• Discrimination
• Respondent Extinction
• Why study respondent learning?
• Types of Behaviors

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Respondent LearningDefining Characteristics

• Reflex
• UCS-----------gtUCR
• Neutral Stimulus
• NS (Doesnt elicit UCR)
• With repeated pairings NS elicits Response
• CS-----------gtCR

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Respondent Learning

• NS
• UCS------------gtUCR
• NS
• UCS------------gtUCR
• NS
• UCS-------------gtUCR

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Respondent Learning (cont.)

• NS
• UCS------------gtUCR
• NS
• UCS------------gtUCR
• CS --------------CR (Respondent Learning)

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Respondent Learning (e.g.)

• CS(rat)-----------gtCR(fear)
• UCS (Bang!) ---------gtUCR(fear)

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ExtinctionRepeated presentations of CS alone
leads to disappearance of the CR to CS

• CS--------gtCR
• CS--------gtCR
• CS--------gtCR
• CS--------gtCR
• CS--------gtCR
• CS
• CS

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Generalization vs. Discrimination

• Generalization
• Other (unpaired) stimuli elicit CR
• Discrimination
• CR to some stimuli but not others

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Practical Problem with Extinction Escape or
Avoidance

• Systematic Densitization
• Fear Hierarchy
• Gradual Extinction
• Counter Conditioning
• Associate CS to an UCS which elicits an
  incompatible UCR
• e.g. pair rabbit with candy
• rabbit elicits similar response that candy does

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What Factors Influence Respondent Acquisition?

• Order of Presentation
• Forward or Delayed
• Trace
• Backward
• NS -----gtUCS Interval
• Intensity of the UCS

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Forward or Trace Conditioning

• NS
• UCS-------gtUCR
• Most effective

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Trace conditioning

• NS
• UCS-------gtUCR
• Some effects

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Backward Conditioning

• UCS----------gtUCR
• NS
• Not effective
• Serve as a control for sensitization