Objective 1: Define Learning, and Identify Two Forms of Learning

Unit 6: Learning Pages 262-315

Objective 1: Define learning, and identify two forms of learning.

 Learning:

How Do We Learn?  Associative Learning:

 Classical Conditioning:

 Operant Conditioning:

Classical Conditioning

Objective 2: Define classical conditioning and behaviorism, and describe the basic components of classical conditioning.

 Classical Conditioning (A.K.A. Pavlovian or respondent conditioning): A type of learning in which an organism comes to associated stimuli. A neutral stimulus that signals an unconditioned stimulus (UCS), begins to produce a response that anticipates and prepares for the unconditioned stimulus.

 Behaviorism:

Pavlov’s Experiments  Ivan Pavlov:

 Unconditioned Response (UCR):

 Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS):

 Neutral Stimulus (NS):

 When has conditioning occurred?

 Conditioned Stimulus (CS):

 Conditioned Response (CR): GUIDED PRACTICE: Provide your own example of a behavior acquired through classical conditioning

Before Conditioning UCS UCR

NS + UCS Acquisition Phase UCR

After Conditioning CS CR

***Think of the word “conditioned” as meaning the same as “learned.”***

 Forward pairing:

 Backward Pairing:

 Simultaneous Pairing:

Research has indicated that forward conditioning leads to the best conditioning, especially if the CS precedes the UCS by about half a second.

Acquisition

Objective 3: Describe the timing requirements for the initial learning of a stimulus- response relationship.

 Acquisition:

Extinction and Spontaneous Recovery

Objective 4: Summarize the processes of extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, and discrimination.

 Extinction:

 Spontaneous Recovery: Generalization  Generalization:

Critical Thinking Exercise: Learning (Unit 6)

In most classical conditioning examples, we should be able to identify an involuntary response at the core of the learning process. Consider the salivation response with Pavlov’s dogs. Salivation is an involuntary process—dogs don’t think “ok, here come food, I better start salivating so that I can help in the digestion of the food”. It is nature’s way of helping digestion; it is “hard-wired” into the dog (and most humans). Food is the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) and salivation is the unconditioned response (UCR). This unconditioned pair (\does not require conditioning because the bonding is natural.

So, when you are faced with a situation in which conditioning has occurred, the first step is to ask if there is an involuntary response at the core of the learning. If yes, it is almost always determining the basic elements of the conditioning process if you start by looking at the unconditioned stimulus/response. After you have done this, remember that the conditioned stimulus (CS) is the novel stimulus (one that has no particular meaning—like Pavlov’s bell before conditioning). The conditioned response is usually the same (except in strength and what elicits it) as the unconditioned response.

With this explanation in mind, try to identify the components in these four examples of classical conditioning.

The Troublesome Shower

Zeon takes a shower in the men’s locker room after working out. During one such shower, he hears someone flushing a nearby toilet. Suddenly, boiling hot water rushes out of the shower head, causing Zeon serious pain. As he continues the shower, he hears another toilet flush and immediately hops out from under the shower head.

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS):

Unconditioned Response (UCR):

Neutral Stimulus (NS):

Conditioned Stimulus (CS):

Conditioned Response (CR):

The Water Show

Zelda attended a water show with her family. The weather was unbearable with temperatures exceeding 100 degrees. As she watched the water skiers perform the routines to the blaring organ music, she got more sweaty and uncomfortable. Eventually, she fainted from the heat. After the family outing, Zelda could never again hear organ music without feeling dizzy and uncomfortable.

The Trouble with Tuna

Zach’s mother had prepared a tuna sandwich for his lunch. Unfortunately, the mayonnaise that she used had been left out too long and was tainted. Not long after eating, Zach felt extremely nauseated and had to rush to the bathroom. Since then, the mere mention of tuna made Zach’s stomach upset.

Captain Hook’s Time Problem Captain Hook had a nasty encounter with a crocodile in Never-Never Land. As a result of the battle, he lost his hand to the croc, which also swallowed an alarm clock. Unfortunately for Hook, any clock’s ticking now ushers in a full-blown anxiety attack;

Conditioned Response (CR): Discrimination

Objective 5: Discuss the survival value of generalization and discrimination.

 Discrimination:

Extending Pavlov’s Understanding

Cognitive Processes

Objective 6: Discuss the importance of cognitive processes in classical conditioning.

 Timing:

 Predictability:

 Signal Strength:

 Attention:

 Second-Order Conditioning/Higher Order Conditioning:

 Biopreparedness

Biological Predisposition

Objective 7: Describe some of the ways that biological predispositions can affect learning by classical conditioning.

 Taste Aversion is unusual because

 We seemed primed for this learning because Recognizing Basic Processes in Classical Conditioning

Apply your understanding of basic processes in classical conditioning by reading each of the following vignettes and identifying the process at work. Choose from the following:

Acquisition Extinction Spontaneous Recovery Stimulus Generalization Stimulus Discrimination Higher-Order Conditioning (Second Order Conditioning)

1. Lucy has flunked algebra twice. Now whenever she sees any kind of math book, she begins to get that same old sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

2. Little Suzy is experiencing her first thunderstorm. A bolt of lightning flashes across the sky, but this doesn’t bother her; she thinks it’s pretty. A second later, however, she just about jumps out of her skin when a tremendous crash of thunder shakes the room.

3. Otto has gotten A’s on all of his quizzes in history, so he likes Professor Olden quite a bit. But he’s not too crazy about professor Datum, because Otto’s received nothing but C’s and D’s in his research methods class.

4. Glenda tried sushi for the first time when she visited her cousin in San Francisco, and she love it. Back home in Kansas City she eagerly searched until she found a restaurant that served sushi, but the fish wasn’t fresh, so she didn’t like it much. On a visit to St. Louis she tried again, but she was disappointed once more. Glenda no longer gets excited by the prospect of eating sushi, unless it’s San Francisco sushi, which still makes her mouth water.

5. On his first day at work at the Joy Ice Cream Shop, Arnold helped himself and overdid it. He got sick and swore he’d never eat ice cream again. True to his word, he stayed off the stuff for the rest of the summer, though he continued working at the shop. For a while it was hard, because the sight and smell of the ice cream made him feel nauseous, but eventually those feelings faded. The following summer Arnold decided to visit his old employer, but as soon as he walked in the door, he felt so sick he had to turn around and leave immediately. 6. Little Timmy used to get so excited whenever Grandpa would come to visit, because Grandpa always brought Timmy some neat new toy. As Grandpa got older, however, he became forgetful. He no longer brings toys when he visits. Now Grandpa’s visits don’t excite Timmy as much.

Pavlov’s Legacy

Objective 8: Summarize Pavlov’s contribution to our understanding of learning.

Applications of Classical Conditioning

Objective 9: Describe some uses of classical conditioning to improve human health and well-being.

 Learned Immune Response

 Phobias

 Predator Control

Operant Conditioning

Objective 10: Identify the two major characteristics that distinguish classical conditioning from operant conditioning.

Operant Conditioning vs. Classical Conditioning DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN CLASSICAL CONDITIONING AND OPERANT CONDITIONING

Check your understanding of the usual differences between classical conditioning and operant conditioning by indicating the type of conditioning process involved in each of the following examples. In the space on the left, place a C if the example involves classical conditioning, an O if it involves operant conditioning, or a B if it involves both.

______1. Whenever Marcia takes her dog out for a walk, she wears the same old blue windbreaker. Eventually, she notices that the dog becomes excited whenever she puts on this windbreaker.

______2. The Creatures are a successful rock band with three hit albums to their credit. They begin their U.S. tour featuring many new, unreleased songs, all of which draw silence from their concert fans. The same fans cheer wildly when the Creatures play any of their old hits. Gradually, the band reduces the number of new songs it plays and starts playing more of the old standbys.

______3. When Cindy and Mel first fell in love, they listened constantly to the Creatures’ hit song “Transatlantic Obsession.” Although several years have passed, whenever they hear this song they experience a warm, romantic feeling.

______4. For nearly 20 years Ralph has worked as a machinist in the same factory. His new foreman is never satisfied with his work and criticizes him constantly. After a few weeks of heavy criticism, he experiences anxiety whenever he arrives at work. He starts calling in sick more and more frequently to evade this anxiety.

 Operant Conditioning:

 Respondent Behavior:

 Operant Behavior:

Skinner’s Experiments

Objective 11: State Thorndike’s law of effect, and explain its connection to Skinner’s research on operant conditioning

 Law of Effect:

 Operant Chamber (Skinner box): Shaping Behavior

Objective 12: Describe the shaping procedure, and explain how it can increase our understanding of what animals and babies can discriminate.

 Shaping

Types of Reinforcers

Objective 13: Compare positive and negative reinforcement, and give one example each of a primary reinforcer, a conditioned reinforcer, an immediate reinforcer, and a delayed reinforcer

 Reinforcement:  Positive Reinforcement: Examples:  Negative Reinforcement: Examples:

Primary and Conditioned Reinforcers  Primary Reinforcers: Examples:  Conditioned (Secondary) Reinforcers: Examples: Immediate and Delayed Reinforcers

Reinforcement Schedules Objective 14: Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of continuous and partial (intermittent) reinforcement schedules, and identify four schedules of partial reinforcement.  Continuous Reinforcement Schedule

 Partial (intermittent) Reinforcement Schedules Fixed Variable o Fixed: o Variable: Interval o Interval: o Ratio: Ratio

o Fixed Interval:

o Fixed Ratio:

o Variable Interval:

o Variable Ratio:

RECOGNIZING SCHEDULES OF REINFORCEMENT

Check your understanding of schedules of reinforcement in operant conditioning by indicating the type of schedule that would be in effect in each of the examples below. In the spaces on the left, fill in CR for continuous reinforcement, FR for fixed-ratio, VR for variable-ratio, FI for fixed-interval, and VI for variable-interval.

______1. Sarah is paid on a commission basis for selling computer systems. She gets a bonus for every third sale.

______2. Artie’s parents let him earn some pocket money by doing yard work approximately once a week.

______3. Martha is fly-fishing. Think of each time that she casts her line as the response that may be rewarded.

______4. Mort, who is in the fourth grade, gets a gold star from his teacher for every book he reads.

______5. Skip, a professional baseball player, signs an agreement that his salary increases will be renegotiated every third year.

 Behaviors are learned most rapidly when reinforced

 However, behaviors extinguish the fastest when reinforced  So… to make a behavior resistant to extinction

Punishment Objective 15: Discuss the ways negative punishment, positive punishment, and negative reinforcement differ, and list some drawbacks of punishment as a behavior-control technique  Positive Punishment (Punishment I):

Examples:  Negative Punishment (Punishment II or Penalty):

Examples:

Discriminative Operant Effect on Future Stimulus Response Consequence Behavior The actively The Reinforcement Definition The environmental emitted or environmental increases the stimulus that voluntary stimulus or likelihood of operant precedes an behavior event that being repeated; operant follows the punishment or lack of response operant reinforcement response decreases the likelihood of operant being repeated Neighbor in yard Talk to Pleasant Positive Examples neighbor conversation reinforcement: More likely to talk to neighbor in the future when he is out in the yard Red oil light Shut off car Avoid engine Negative engine damage reinforcement: More likely to shut off car in the future when red oil light is present Poison ivy plant Touch plant Painful, itchy Punishment: Less rash on hand likely to touch poison ivy plant in the future  Disadvantages of Punishment

Recognizing Components of Operant Conditioning: Reinforcement and Punishment

1. Josh studies to avoid the aversive or unpleasant consequence of bad grades. His studying behavior is maintained by: A. Positive Reinforcement C. Punishment B. Negative Reinforcement D. Primary Reinforcement

2. Katie’s room is a mess. Her parents agree to increase her allowance by $5 each week if she cleans her room every Tuesday. A. Positive Reinforcement C. Punishment by Application B. Negative Reinforcement D. Punishment by Removal

3. Judy’s dog, Murphy, will roll over, beg, and do other tricks for a food reward. However, when offered a $10 bill, he won’t do any of these tricks. It appears that Murphy is more responsive to ______than to ______A. Positve Reinforcers; Negative Reinforcers B. Bribery; Corruption C. Primary Reinforcers; Conditioned Reinforcers D. Punishment; Positive Reinforcement

4. Zachary works on a cattle ranch. When the chuck wagon comes around, the cook rings a big metal bell to signal that the food is ready. Whenever Zak and the other cowhands hear the sound of the bell, they head straight for the chuck wagon. In this example, the sound of the bell is a(n): A. Primary Reinforcer C. Unconditioned Stimulus B. Negative Reinforcer D. Discriminative Stimulus

5. Seeing a stranded motorist, Dean stopped to see if he could help. The stranded motorist robbed Dean and stole his car. Dean no longer stops to help strangers. This is an example of: A. Positive Reinforcement C. Punishment B. Primary Reinforcement D. Negative Reinforcement

Negative Reinforcement vs. (Positive) Punishment Extending Skinner’s Understanding Cognition and Operant Conditioning

Objective 16: Explain how latent learning and the effect of external rewards demonstrate that cognitive processing is an important part of learning.

 Latent Learning o Cognitive Map:

o Latent Learning:

 Intrinsic Motivation o Intrinsic Motivation:

o Extrinsic Motivation:

Skinner’s Legacy

Objective 18: Describe the controversy over Skinner’s views of human behavior

Applications of Operant Conditioning

Objective 19: Describe some ways to apply operant conditioning principles at school, in sports, and at home.

 At School:

 In Sports:

 At Work:

 At Home:

Contrasting Classical and Operant Conditioning

Objective 20: Identify the major similarities and differences between classical and operant conditioning.

Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning Response

Acquisition

Extinction Cognitive Process

Biological Predisposition

Learning by Observation

Objective 21: Describe the process of observational learning, and explain the importance of the discovery or mirror neurons.

 Observational Learning:

 Modeling:

 Mirror Neurons:

Bandura’s Experiments

Objective 22: Describe Bandura’ findings on what determines whether we will imitate a model

 Bobo Doll Experiments:

 You are more likely to imitate…

Applications of Observational Learning

Positive Observational Learning

Objective 23: Discuss the impact of prosocial modeling

 Prosocial Behavior:

Television and Observational Learning

Objective 24: Explain why correlations cannot prove that watching violent TV causes violent behavior, and cite some experimental evidence that helps demonstrate a cause-effect link.

 What are you being asked to believe or accept?

 What evidence is available to support the assertion?

 Are there alternative ways of interpreting the evidence?  What additional evidence would help to evaluate the alternative?

 What conclusions are most reasonable? Terms not covered in the book but are important  Counter Conditioning: Conditioning a new response to an old stimulus.

 Escape Conditioning: An organism learns to make a response in order to end an aversive stimulus, or negative reinforcer Example: Dogs jump over a barrier in a shuttle box to escape shock

 Avoidance Conditioning: A subject responds to a signal in a way that prevents exposure to an aversive stimulus

 Learned Helplessness: A phenomenon that occurs when an organism has or believes that it has not control over its environment. The typical result of this situation or belief is to stop trying to exert control Example: Dogs were placed in a box that administered an electric shock that could be escaped by jumping over a partition. When these dogs were prevented from escaping the shock by being placed in a harness, the dogs eventually stopped trying to escape even when the harness was removed

 Premack’s Principle: The principle that one behavior may act as a reinforcer for another behavior.

Example: A child who enjoys cutting the grass may clean his/her room for the opportunity to cut the grass

 Disequilibrium Hypothesis: The belief that any activity can become a reinforcer if access to that activity has been restricted. Therefore, different activities will be reinforcing at different times and in different situations. Name______Hour______Due Date______Score______/15

WHAT WORKS: SCHEDULES OF REINFORCEMENT

Directions: Identify the type of intermittent reinforcement schedule being used. You have four choices: Fixed interval (FI); Fixed Ratio (FR); Variable Interval (VI); Variable Ratio (VR)

1). ______Being paid $10 for every 20 puzzles solved.

2). ______Studying for a class that has surprise quizzes.

3). ______Slot machines are based on this schedule.

4). ______Trolling for fish in a lake in the summer.

5). ______Selling a product door to door.

6). ______Doing 20 pushups to stay fit.

7). ______Winning a Bingo game.

8). ______Getting a paycheck at the end of 2 weeks.

9). ______Getting a strike in bowling (at least for most of us).

10. ______Frequent flyer program where one gets a free flight after a specific number of miles flown.

11). ______A child who runs to the television to hear the theme music from Jeopardy every afternoon at 3:30.

12). ______Trying to find a parking spot at UWM with a meter that works.

13). ______A wife is watching a boxing match with her husband. She receives a kiss from him at the end of every 3- minute round.

14). ______Waiting for a sunny day to go to the beach.

15). ______You have a Psychology quiz every Friday. Name______Due Date______Score______/14

Unit 6 Review (Learning)

_____1. Just before something scary happens in a horror film, they often play scary- sounding music. When I hear the music, I tense up in anticipation of the scary event. In this situation, the music serves as a A. Unconditioned Stimulus C. Unconditioned Response B. Conditioned Stimulus D. Conditioned Response

_____2. In teaching your cat to jump through a hoop, which reinforcement schedule would facilitate the most rapid learning? A. continuous C. variable ratio B. fixed ratio D. variable interval

_____3. The classical conditioning training procedure in which the Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) is presented first is known as A. backward conditioning C. simultaneous conditioning B. forward conditioning D. delayed conditioning

_____4. Zandy likes to play with slugs, but she can find them by the shed only after it rains. On what kind of reinforcement schedule is Zandy’s slug hunting? A. fixed interval C. fixed ratio B. variable interval D. variable ratio

_____5. Just before the doors of the elevator close, Zoe, a coworker you despise enters the elevator. You immediately leave, mumbling about having forgotten something. Exiting the elevator is an example of A. positive reinforcement C. punishment B. a secondary reinforcer D. negative reinforcement

_____6. When Zach was young, his parents decided to give him a quarter every day he made his bed. Zach started to make his siblings’ beds also and help with other chores. Behaviorists would say that Zach was experiencing A. spontaneous recovery C. acquisition B. generalization D. discrimination

_____7. With which statement would B.F. Skinner most likely agree? A. Pavlov’s dog learned to expect that food would follow the bell B. Baby Albert thought the white rat meant the loud noise would sound C. All learning is observable D. Pigeons peck disks knowing that they will receive food E. Cognition plays an important role in learning

_____8. Which of the following is an example of positive reinforcement? A. Buying a child a video game after she throws a tantrum B. Going inside to escape a thunderstorm C. Assigning a student detention for fighting D. Getting a cavity filled at the dentist to halt a toothache E. Depriving a prison inmate of sleep

_____9. Zinfandel keeps poking Zeon in Ms. Zablocki’s third-grade class. Ms. Zablocki tells Zeon to ignore Zinfandel. Ms. Zablocki is hoping that ignoring Zinfandel’s behavior Will A. punish her B. extinguish the behavior C. negatively reinforce the behavior D. cause Zinfandel to generalize E. make the behavior latent

_____10. The phenomenon of higher-order conditioning shows that A. only a genuine, natural UCS can be used to establish a CR B. auditory stimuli are easier to condition than visual stimuli C. visual stimuli are easier to condition than auditory stimuli D. an already established CS can be used in the place of a natural UCS

_____11. A primary reinforcer has ______reinforcing properties; a secondary reinforcer has ______reinforcing properties. A. biological; acquired C. weak; potent B. conditioned; unconditioned D. immediate; delayed

_____12. Positive reinforcement ______the rate of responding; negative reinforcement ______the rate of responding. A. increases; decreases C. increases; increases B. decreases; increases D. decreases; descreases

_____13. Analysis of avoidance learning suggest that many phobias are acquired through ______conditioning and maintained through ______conditioning. A. classical; operant C. classical; classical B. operant; classical D. operant; operant

_____14. On September 1, Nathan Hale High School’s fire alarm sounded, and students ran in fear from the burning chemistry lab. During the next few weeks, there was a rash of false alarm, and students began to ignore the fire bells. On December 15, the fire alarm sounded, and students once again ran from the building in fear. What phenomenon was responsible for the students’ renewed fear? A. Spontaneous recovery C. Generalization B. Reconditioning D. Second-order conditioning