Title: Learning
1Learning
2The Fathers of Behaviorism(1st half of 20th
century)
3What is learning?
- Long-lasting change in behavior resulting from
experience. (behavior as measurement of learning)
4Classical Conditioning
- 1849-1936
- 30 years in research on Learning
- Tripped upon theory of learning while studying
digestion - Classical Conditioning
5Pavlovs Experiment
6Classical Conditioning
- Learning to associate a neutral stimuli with
another stimuli that produces reflexive,
involuntary responses. (Bell with food)
7Key principles
- Unconditioned stimulus US
- Something that elicits a natural, reflexive
response (food) - Unconditioned response (URunlearned!)
- natural, involuntary response (salivation)
- Neutral stimulus (NS)
- NS (bell) paired with the US (food) to form
association between US and CS - Conditioned Stimulus (bell)
- When CS elicits CR (NS becomes CS)
8Conditioning Processes
- Acquisition
- Learning when animal responds to CS without US
(bell salivation) - Strength of conditioning affected by order and
timing of US and CS - So, whats the most effective method of
conditioning? (In Pavlovs experiment) - Ring bell, while it is still ringing, present
food (Delayed conditioning) - What if you ring bell after the food?
- Backward conditioning ineffective
9Extinction
- To unlearn a behavior (suppressed)
- Qualifies when CS no longer elicits the CR
- How is it done?
- Present CS without US
- (Bell without food)
10Spontaneous Recovery
- Sudden reappearance of a CR upon presentation of
CS (after extinction) - Renewal Effect sudden reappearance of CR after
extinction when return to environment where
acquisition took place
11Generalization / Discrimination
- Generalization
- When a stimulus similar to CS will elicit a CR.
(similar to bell sound- tapping glass with spoon) - Discrimination
- To distinguish between various stimuli (between
animals, objects. Sounds etc.)
12John WatsonTabula Rasa
- 1913 Publication in Psychology Review
- behaviorist manifesto
- Psychologys content should be behavior
- Method should be objective rather than
introspective - Its goal should be the prediction of and control
of behavior rather than the fundamental
understanding of mental events - Age 30 chair of John Hopkins Psychology
department - 1915 president of American Psychological
Association
13John Watson Aversive Conditioning
- Little Albert Experiment (11 months)
- Aversive conditioning (conditioning for negative
response) - US loud noise
- UR fear
- CS rat
- CR fear of rat
- Life examples?
14Second-order Conditioning
- Second-Order, or higher order conditioning
- Once a CS elicits a CR, the CS can be used (as a
US) to condition a response to a new stimulus - Example
- Dog salivates to bell (first order conditioning)
- Light is paired with bell (second-order)
- Light salivation
15Biology and Classical Conditioning
- Animals / humans are biologically wired to make
certain associations more easily than others - Examples
- Learned taste aversions (adaptive response)
- Disgust reactions (Rozin and Colleagues)
- Fudge shaped in squares dog feces
- Bottle labeled sucrose cyanide
- Classical conditioning, but biologically
predisposed
16Garcia and Koellings Experiment
- Biological Preparedness in Classical Conditioning
- CS US Learned Response
- Loud noise shock fear
- Loud noise radiation (nausea) nothing
- Sweet water Shock nothing
- Sweet water radiation (nausea) avoid water
- What conclusions can be drawn from this?
- Results appear adaptive. (each animal has
different biological predispositions to learning
that enhance survival)
17Thus, significance?
- Classical conditioning is a critical way in which
all organisms learn to adapt to their environment - Classical Conditioning in todays world? Provide
an example for each of the following - Drug addiction / quitting
- politicians
- Advertising
- Fears / phobias
18Operant Conditioning
- Learning based on consequences
- Association made between consequences and ones
behavior - Thorndikes Law of Effect
- (Early pioneer of Operant Learning)
- Positive consequences results in strong
stimulus-response connection increased behavior - Negative consequence results in weakened
stimulus- response connection decreased
behavior - Instrumental Learning Consequence shapes
behaviors
19Thorndikes Cat and Puzzle Box Study
- Cats learn gradually, not by insight.
- Suggests stimulus-response process
20Classical vs. Operant
- Remember
- Classical stimuli
- Operant consequences
21Introducing B.F. Skinner.
- Cognitive science is the creationism of
psychology. - External influences, not internal thoughts
feelings, influence behavior. - Recognizing that behavior is shaped by its
consequences is the first step in taking control
of the environment and ensuring that it delivers
consequences promoting desirable behavior. - The movement toward a better society demands
giving up the belief in dignity. (Dignity is an
illusion..)
22The Skinner Box
23Skinners Reinforcement
- Reinforcement A consequence that encourages
behavior - Types Effects Examples?
- Positive R Add something pleasant
-
- Negative R Remove something unpleasant
24Skinners Punishment
- Punishment A consequence that discourages
behavior - Types Effects Examples?
- Positive Punishment Adds something negative
- Negative Punishment Removes something pleasant
- (omission training)
25Application Reinforcement or Punishment?
- Indicate for the following which type of
Reinforcement or Punishment applies. - Taking aspirin for a headache.
- Water boarding to force a confession
- Running home to get out of the cold.
- Having your license revoked for speeding.
- Spanking a child for a tantrum.
- 25 for each A you make. (Insane!)
26Learning by Operant Conditioning
- Shaping
- Reinforcing the steps used to reach a desired
behavior. (single behavior Press bar for food) - Chaining
- Reinforcing a number of separate behaviors for a
more complex activity. (Obstacle course)
27Operant Conditioning
- The following terms can also be applied to
Operant Conditioning. Explain an example for
each using the Skinner Box. - Acquisition
- Extinction
- Spontaneous recovery
- Generalization
- Discrimination
28A Quick Review!!!
- Brain defrost
- Pavlov is to _________ , as Skinner is to
_________ . - Who coined the phrase behaviorism? (Baby Albert
and aversive conditioning) - Pavlovs classical conditioning involves natural,
or uncontrolled responses (T-F) - Identify Skinners four major consequences of
operant learning and give an example for each - Classical conditioning is shaped by ________ ,
while operant is shaped by _________ .
29Types of Reinforcers
- Primary Reinforcers
- Natural reinforcers Examples?
- Food, water, rest (innately pleasing)
- Secondary Reinforcers
- Things weve learned to value Examples?
- Praise, treasure box, to play video games
30Money as a Reinforcer
- Money generalized reinforcer
- Can be used for anything
- Token Economy
- Tokens as positive reinforcement
- Cash in for other reinforcers
- Sound familiar?
- Schools, mental institutions, prisons
31Challenges of ParenthoodWhats the Best
Consequence?
- For each of the following, choose only one of
Skinners 4 consequences and how you would
specifically enforce it. - Your ten year old, in a fit of anger,
accidentally breaks the living room window. - Your 11th grade teenager tells you she is going
to a movie and heads to a party. - Your four year old kicks you in the shin.
- Your middle school daughter makes straight As.
32Questions for Consideration
- Is spanking an advisable punishment for children?
- To what extent should we reinforce our kids? For
each of the following provide a specific
reinforcement, if one is necessary. - Making good grades on your report card
- Completing your chores all week
- Is buying a car for your 16 year old
reinforcement?
33Biology and Operant Conditioning
- Reinforcers Effects can Vary
- Effect of reinforcer can vary depending on
animal, its instincts, and situation - Instinctive Drift ignore rewards to follow
natural (instinctive) behavior - Premack Principle
- If two activities- the one preferred can be used
to reinforce the one not preferred. - Example?
- Eat your lima beans may be excused
34Reinforcement Schedules
- Reinforcement Schedules pattern of reinforcing
behavior - Administered in 2 ways
- Ratio number of responses made
- Interval passage of time
35Reinforcement Schedules
- 4 major reinforcement schedules
- FR (Fixed ratio) Reinforcement after set number
of responses- FR-5 - VR (Variable ratio) Reinforcement after varied
number of responses (average number of responses
set- VR-5) - FI (Fixed Interval) Fixed amount of time set
before reward for behavior- FI 3 - VI (variable interval) varied amount of time
before reward (average time set- VI-3)
36Learning and Extinction
- FR and FI faster acquisition (learning), but
faster extinction - VR and VI Slower learning but slower extinction
- Which of these four yields the highest rate of
response? - FR
- Why slower extinction with VR and VI?
- Noticing a break in pattern is more difficult
- always that chance
- Activity Identifying reinforcement schedules..
37Learning with Punishment
- Escape learning
- To terminate an aversive stimulus Example?
- To disrupt English class so as to get out
- Avoidance learning
- To avoid stimulus all together Example?
- Cut English class
38Pitfalls of Punishment
- According to behaviorists, what are the potential
pitfalls of punishment? - Tells only what not to do, not what to do
- Creates anxiety which interferes with learning
- Only suppresses behavior, doesnt eliminate
(discrimination) - Physical punishment aggressive behavior
(correlation, not causation)
39Classical v. Operant
- Compare and contrast Classical and Operant
Conditioning. - Similarities
- Both forms of associative learning
- Both involve acquisition, extinction, spontaneous
recovery, generalization, discrimination - Both influenced by biology, cognition
- Differences
- Classical Operant
- Response automatic Response voluntary
- Reward independent of action Reward contingent
on action - learning autonomic response learning
voluntary behavior
40Behavioral Legacy
- Pavlov
- Classical Conditioning- how all organisms learn
to adapt to their environment - Practical applications for fears, phobias, etc.
- Skinner
- Definitive insight into learned behavior
- Practical applications abound
- Both asserted that learning occurs without
thought (cognition) - Focused only on observable behavior
41Cognitive Learning
- How could cognitive theorists argue that
cognition is influential in both classical and
operant conditioning? - Classical CS triggers anticipation of US
- Operant awareness that responses consequences
and thus act to maximize reinforcement (minimize
punishment)
42Cognitive Learning
- Observational Learning
- AKA Modeling
- Observation / imitation
- Mirror neurons (frontal lobe / neural basis for
observational learning) - Albert Banduras Bobo Doll Experiment
- Social learning theory (species specific)
- Prosocial behavior (role modeling)
- Antisocial behavior (Bobo Doll Experiment)
- Implications for television and youth?
- By age 75 in U.S. 9 yrs of T.V.! (9 of 10 homes)
- World Pop Culture (billion tv sets)
- MTV 17 languages / CNN 150 countries
43Cognitive Learning
- Latent Learning (hidden)
- Learning that is not directly observable
- Tolmans Rat maze study
- Group 1 reward every time reached goal
- Group 2 no reward when reached goal
- Group 3 no reward 1st 10 days, reward on 11th
- Finding Latent learning (3rd group had learned
cognitive map in 1st trial, but didnt show it
until reward) - Thus learning takes place without reinforcement
44Cognitive Learning
- Insight Learning (aha!)
- Sudden grasp of problem
- Wolfgang Kohler Chimpanzees
- sudden insight, not gradual strengthening of S-R
association
45Cognitive Learning
- Abstract Learning
- Higher order thinking (inferring relationships,
complex problem solving)