Chapter 9: Conditioning and Learning

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Chapter 9 Conditioning and Learning
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Outline

• Classical conditioning
• Operant conditioning
• types of reinforcement
• types of reinforcement schedules
• role of discriminative
• Vicarious learning
• Factors that influence modelling

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Classical Conditioning

• Unconditioned Stimuli (national flag)
• Unconditioned Response (sense of nationalism)
• Neutral or Conditional Stimulus (candidate)
• When flag is paired with candidate, he/she
  elicits a sense of nationalism.

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Classical Conditioning (continued)

• No voluntary control
• Multiple pairing of US and CS
• Works better for behavioral responses (Pavlovian
  Dog) than for cognitive/affective responses
• Can be chained association can be transferred
• Influence behavior by triggering association
  between conditional and neutral stimulus.

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Operant Conditioning

• Altering behavior by associating each behavior
  with consequences.
• A positive consequence will increase probability
  of behavior and negative will decrease.
• Applicable for voluntary behaviors

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Reinforcement

• It refers to the consequences that come with a
  given behavior.
• The probability of behavior depends on the
  consequences of the behavior.

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Types of Reinforcement

• Positive -- behavior is followed by a reward or a
  positive consequence
• Negative -- behavior followed by the removal of a
  negative consequence
• Punishment -- behavior followed by a negative
  consequence.
• Extinction -- no consequence

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Reinforcement Schedules

• Continuous -- consequence for every time the
  behavior occurs.
• Fixed-Ratio -- consequence for every predefined
  number of times the behavior occurs
• Variable -- no set pattern

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Pros and Cons of Different Reinforcement Schedules

• Continuous is expensive and very effective, but
  changes expectations.
• Fixed is less expensive, but less effective.
• Variable is less effective, but very inexpensive,
  and not prone to extinction, and does not
  influence expectations.

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Shaping

• Changing behavior using small incremental changes
  in behavior rather than a single big shift in
  behavior.

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Discriminative Stimuli

• The mere presence or absence of certain stimuli
  can alter the likelihood of behaviors.
• This is related to the concept of reinforcement
  except that it occurs before the behavior.
• Most promotions are examples of discriminative
  stimuli.

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Vicarious Learning

• Changing ones own behavior by observing the
  behavior of others and the consequences that
  occurred.
• Known as modeling.
• Can be used for developing new behaviors, inhibit
  undesirable behaviors, facilitate known desired
  behaviors.

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Factors Influencing Vicarious Learning (Modeling)

• Models who are attractive, credible, high-status,
  experts are more effective.
• Vivid and detailed portrayal of modeled behavior
  and consequences increases modeling.
• Perceptive and confident people are able to learn
  better.