1. Learning
Module One: Booklet #7

2. Learning
Is a relatively permanent change in behaviour that results from experience
There are various ways is which people learn (we will look at some learning styles in Module 2)
We will look at 2 main schools of thought (viewpoints) regarding learning:
1) Classical Conditioning
2) Operant Conditioning

3. Psychology - Learning-Classical & Operant Conditioning-1
Psychology - Learning-Classical & Operant Conditioning-1.avi (13:50) T0k
Psychology - Learning-Classical & Operant Conditioning-2.avi (13:46) XVKI

4. 1) Classical Conditioning
Is a learning procedure in which associations are made between a neutral stimulus and a learned, neutral stimulus
Remember Little Albert and the white rat (BANG!)

6. It is thought that it helps animals and humans avoid danger
Person’s or animal’s old response becomes attached to a new stimulus
Ivan Pavlov did research (accidental discovery while researching digestion!)

7. Here is what he observed:
A neutral stimulus (one that does not initially elicit (draw out) a response) will cause a formerly unrelated response if it is presented regularly just before the stimulus that normally brings about that response

8. Here is what he observed:
In Pavlov’s example, a bell (conditioned stimulus) stimulated the dog to salivate (conditioned response)

10. Some of the finer details:
Acquisition (gaining) of a conditioned response will happen gradually (depends on frequency of practice and timing of a neutral stimulus)
Generalization can happen where a similar neutral stimulus initiates the conditioned response (anything white or fluffy for Little Albert)
Extinction (behaviour disappears) may happen and the conditioned response will stop if the conditioned response is repeatedly presented with the controlled stimulus
Example of a behaviourist theory

11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpoLxEN54ho (3:10)  

14. Try This...
Ryan was really looking forward to lunch because his mother had prepared a tuna salad sandwich. Unfortunately, the mayonnaise she used had been left out too long and was spoiled. Not long after eating the sandwich, Ryan felt sick and had to rush to the bathroom. Thereafter, the mere mention of a tuna sandwich would make Ryan nauseous.
Q: What is the NS, US, UR, CS & CR?

15. When Good Tuna Goes Bad:
NS: mention of tuna sandwich
US: spoiled mayonnaise
UR: getting sick
CS: mention of tuna sandwich
CR: feel nauseous

16. 2) Operant Conditioning
Refers to learning in which a certain action is reinforced or punished, resulting in corresponding increases or decreases in occurrence
Learning occurs from the consequences of behaviour
The subject "operates” on or causes some change in the environment which produces a result that influences whether the subject will operate or responds the same way in the future

17. Depending on the effect of the operant behaviours, the learner will repeat or eliminate these behaviours to get rewards or avoid punishment
Must engage in a behaviour in order for the programmed outcome to occur
Study of how voluntary behaviour is affected by its consequences

18. B.F. Skinner most closely worked with operant conditioning (worked with a rat in a “Skinner Box”)

19. Reinforcement (part of operant conditioning)
Occurs when a stimulus or event that follows a response and increases the likelihood that the response will be repeated
Skinner believed that most behaviour is influenced by a person's history of rewards and punishments

20. Two types:
Positive reinforcement
When a reward is added after an action
Ex: At work, you exceed this month's sales quota so your boss gives you a bonus.
Negative reinforcement
When something unpleasant is taken away if the animal/person performs an action
Ex: Before heading out for a day at the beach, you slather on sunscreen in order to avoid getting sunburned.

22. Schedules of Reinforcement (part of operant conditioning)
Continuous schedule
Behaviour is reinforced every time it occurs
If continuously reinforced for a behaviour, you tend to maitain that behaviour only when the reinforcement is given
If the reinforcement stops, the behaviours quickly undergoes extinction(disappears)

23. Partial schedule
Positive reinforcement only intermittently (not all the time)
Responses are more stable and last longer once they are learned
Behaviours are established more slowly but are more persistent (“continual”) because cannot predict when the next reinforcement will occur so have learned to be persistent

24. Aversive Control (part of operant conditioning)
Process of influencing behaviour by means of unpleasant stimuli
Events or actions that serve as reinforcers or punishers depend on their effect on the learner:
Are two ways in which unpleasant events can affects our behaviour:
Negative reinforcement
Punishment

25. Negative Reinforcement:
Increasing the strength of a given response by removing or preventing a painful stimulus when the response occurs
GOAL : The removal of unpleasant consequences increases the frequency of a behaviour
Ex: If walking with a rock in your shoe causes you to limp, removing stone from shoe allows you to walk without pain

26. Operates in opposite ways from negative reinforcement
Punishment
An unpleasant consequence occurs and decreases the frequency of the behaviours that produced it
Ex: If you want to stop a dog from pawing at you when it wants attention, you should loudly say “NO!”, and reprimand it when it paws at you
Operates in opposite ways from negative reinforcement
Behaviour that is punished decreases or is not repeated

27. Can produce unwanted side effects such as rage, aggression (violent behaviour), and fear
More likely to suppress (hold back) rather than eliminate behaviours
Punishment alone does not teach appropriative and acceptable behavior
The Big Bang Theory - Sheldon Trains Penny (2:45)

28. POSITIVE
(ADDED)
NEGATIVE
(SUBTRACTED)
REINFORCEMENT
(STRENGTHENS)
Clean the house and earn $5
a coach pats you on the back after a good play
a paycheck for working
Getting $10 for getting an “A” on your report card
You leave early for school to avoid traffic
You take Tylenol to remove back pain
You buy your child ice cream so they stop nagging
PUNISHMENT (WEAKENS)
You get your mouth washed out with soap when you curse
Touch and hot stove and get burned
Getting a ticket for speeding

30. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6zS7v9nSpo (6:29)

31. CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
CONCEPT
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
OPERANT CONDITIONING
BASIC PRINCIPLE
Building associations between an conditioned stimulus and conditioned response
Reinforcement increases the FREQUENCY of the behaviour preceding it; punishment decease the FREQUENCY of the behaviour preceding it
NATURE OF BEHAVIOUR
Based on involuntary, nature innate behaviour. Behaviour is elicited by the unconditioned or conditioned stimulus.
Organism voluntarily operates on its environment to produce a desirable result. After behaviour occurs, the likelihood of the behaviour occurring again is increase or decreased by the behaviour's consequences.
ORDER OF EVENTS
Before conditioning, an unconditioned stimulus leads to an unconditioned response. After conditioning, a conditioned stimulus leads to a conditioned response.
Reinforcement leads to an increase in behaviour. Punishment leads to a decrease in behaviour.
EXAMPLE
After a physician gives a child a series of painful injections (an unconditioned stimulus) that produce an emotional reaction (and unconditioned response), the child develops a emotional reaction (a conditioned response) whenever he sees the physician (the conditioned stimulus.
A student who after studying hard for a test, earns and A ( the positive reinforcer) is more likely to study hard the night before the test. A student who after going out partying the night before a test, fails the test (punishment) is less likely to go out partying the night before the next test.