Factors Influencing Respondent & Operant Learning: Part 2 Lesson 10

Salience: Operant Learning n S D / S ∆ intensity l More noticeable  faster learning n S R intensity l Magnitude of reinforcement l  magnitude  faster learning n S R value l  value  faster learning l Can be modified by experience ~

Operant: Delay vs Magnitude n Delay most important factor l Small, immediate reinforcer more powerful… l Than large, delayed reward n Immediate consequences l More closely connected to situation l e.g., hangovers as punishment ~

Salience: CS Intensity CR Hi Lo # of CS - US pairings Asymptote weaker CS stronger CS n CS intensity  intensity  ~ Faster conditioning

Salience: CS Intensity n Stimulus millieu l Always multiple potential CSs n Overshadowing l Concurrent cues l TONE/light – shock  pain/fear l TONE  stronger fear l light  weaker fear ~

Salience: US Intensity n Increased intensity l Faster conditioning and… l Stronger CR possible u Raise Asymptote

Salience: US Intensity CR Hi Lo # of CS - US pairings Asymptote weaker US stronger US

Salience & Previous Experience n Surprisingness of US important l Affects rapidity & strength of learning n Novel stimuli best cues l CS+ / CS- and S D / S ∆ l Not cues for other l only occur with US/S R ~

Salience & Previous Experience n Latent Inhibition l Slower acquisition if CS is familiar l Cues associated w/ other events l Inhibits association w/ new US/S R n Blocking effect l Tone—shock  pain/fear l Tone  fear l Tone/Light – shock  pain/fear l Light  no fear (or weak) l Redundancy ~

Sensory Preconditioning n Conditional Stimuli paired first l no US l many times n Acquisition l one CS is paired with a US l other is not n Extinction of CS paired with US ~

Conditioned Taste Aversion (CTA) n Exception to usual rules of conditioning l Delay can be hours l Requires only single CS-US pairing n Rats: novel food makes them sick l Will avoid that food, even if starving n Adaptive ? n Stewed tomatoes & beef jerky ~

Conditioned Taste Aversions n Learn to avoid foods that make you sick n Eat a novel food l Taste = CS l Become sick l Avoid food n Resistant to extinction n Species specific tendencies l Mammals: Taste cues (CS) l Birds: Visual cues ~

Biological Preparedness n Animals differentially prepared l to associate certain CSs & USs n Highly prepared l learn very quickly n Unprepared l according to general learning laws n Contraprepared l great difficulty, if at all l even w/ appropriate contingencies ~

Stimulus Relevance n Cues relevant for biologically important event l both taste & illness for food l visual cues & painful stimuli l highly-prepared associations n Contra-prepared or unprepared for others l Taste – foot shock l Sound/light -- illness ~