Learning perspectives:Lecture #3 topics

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classical conditioning (Pavlov) conditioned emotional responses

operant conditioning (Skinner) schedules of reinforcement superstitious behaviours

observational learning (Bandura) the Bobo doll experiment (1965)

Learning perspectives

personality:

consists of all the associations we have learned over life emphasis on external, not internal, factors emphasis on situational specificity

Classical conditioning

Ivan Pavlov(1849 – 1936)

Classical conditioning

Classical conditioning

stage 1:

unconditioned stimulus (US) unconditioned response (UR)

→

→

→

URUS

Classical conditioning

stage 2:

conditioned stimulus (CS) + unconditioned stimulus (US)

(US) food salivation (UR)

Classical conditioning

stage 3:

conditioned stimulus (CS) conditioned response (CR)

(US) food salivation (UR)bell + food

Classical conditioning

stage 4:

present conditioned stimulus (CS) alone

Classical conditioning

higher-order conditioning:

conditioned stimulus (CS) conditioned response (CR)unconditioned stimulus (US) unconditioned response (UR)

(US) food salivation (UR)bell + food

(CS) bell salivation (CR)

Classical conditioning

generalization gradient:

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test stimuli (Hz)

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Classical conditioning

1500 Hz tonetrial 6:

1200 Hz tone + foodtrial 5:

1500 Hz tonetrial 4:

1200 Hz tone + foodtrial 3:

1500 Hz tonetrial 2:

1200 Hz tone + foodtrial 1:

Classical conditioning

salivationtonetrial 6:

salivationtonetrial 5:

salivationtonetrial 4:

salivationtone + foodtrial 3:

salivationtone + foodtrial 2:

salivationtone + foodtrial 1:

Classical conditioning

John B. Watson(1878 – 1958)

Watson & Raynor

Classical conditioning

emotional conditioning:

classical conditioning where the CRs are emotional reactions

preferences reflect learned associations between neutral stimuli and good/ bad feelings

e.g., business lunches & break-ups

Classical conditioning

(US) ex-bf -ve feelings (UR) “Berger” + ex-bf

(CS) “Berger” -ve feelings (CR)

“Berger”

Classical conditioning

phobias:

unrealistic fears of something, ranging from mild to severe e.g., girl with a pickle phobia

treatment includes:

Classical conditioning

systematic desensitization:

involves counterconditioning responses that are incompatible with anxiety (e.g., deep muscle relaxation)

steps:

Operant conditioning

B.F. Skinner(1904 – 1990)

Edward Thorndike(1874 – 1949)

Operant conditioning

law of effect (Thorndike):

if a behaviour is followed by a ______ state of affairs,

the behaviour will be ______ likely to recur.

if a behaviour is followed by a ______ state of affairs,

the behaviour will be ______ likely to recur.

Operant conditioning

stimulus: response: consequence:

Operant conditioning

reinforcers:

strengthen the tendency to perform a response e.g., biological needs (food, water); social needs (approval,

acceptance)

punishers:

aversive outcomes that reduce the tendency to perform a response

reinforcement:

positive reinforcement _____ something _____ to increase likelihood of a given

behaviour e.g., pay Johnny $5 after he cleans his room

negative reinforcement _____ something _____ to increase likelihood of a given

behaviour e.g., stop playing loud music so your roommate is nice to you

Operant conditioning

Operant conditioning

punishment:

positive punishment _____ something _____ to decrease likelihood of a given

behaviour e.g., spank Johnny for talking back to you

negative punishment _____ something _____ to decrease likelihood of a given

behaviour e.g., time-outs

Operant conditioning

schedules of reinforcement:

continuous schedules every response is reinforced

partial schedules responses are reinforced only some of the time

Operant conditioning

Operant conditioning

ratio schedules:

a certain # of responses must occur before reinforcement is delivered fixed ratio: variable ratio:

Operant conditioning

interval schedules:

reinforcement depends on how much TIME has passed since last reinforcement

fixed interval: variable interval:

Operant conditioning

discrimination:

occurs when there is differential responding to different stimuli discriminative stimulus: accounts for situational specificity of behaviour

Operant conditioning

Operant conditioning

superstitious behaviour:

develops because of an accidental relationship between a response and reinforcement e.g., wearing a red shirt to your exams for “luck”

Observational learning

Albert Bandura(1925 – )

Observational learning

observational learning:

occurs when 1 person performs an act, and another person observes and acquires the ability to repeat the act

Observational learning

variables influencing observational learning:

attention for encoding

Observational learning

retention

production

Observational learning

performance

acquisition vs. performance:

Bandura’s Bobo doll study (1965) measured acquisition & spontaneous

performance

Observational learning

Observational learning

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model rewarded no consequences model punished

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acquisition performance

Bandura (1965):