Learning

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Learning

• Classical Conditioning

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The Fathers of Behaviorism(1st half of 20th
century)
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What is learning?

• Relatively permanent change in behavior resulting
  from experience. (behavior as measurement of
  learning)

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Classical Conditioning

• Ivan Pavlov

• 1849-1936
• 30 years in research on Learning
• Tripped upon theory of learning while studying
  digestion
• Classical Conditioning
• Youtube/edu (Biola Univ. lecture 29th minute)

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Pavlovs Experiment
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Classical Conditioning

• Learning to associate a neutral stimuli with
  another stimuli that produces reflexive,
  involuntary responses. (Bell with food)

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Key principles

• Unconditioned stimulus US (UCS)
• Something that elicits a natural, reflexive
  response (food)
• Unconditioned response (UR / UCRunlearned!)
• 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)

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Conditioning 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

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Extinction

• To unlearn a behavior (suppressed)
• Qualifies when CS (bell) no longer elicits the CR
  (salivation)
• How is it done?
• Present CS without US
• (Bell without food)

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Spontaneous 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

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Generalization / 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.)

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John 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

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John 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?

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Second-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

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Biology 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

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Garcia 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)

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Thus, 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

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Operant Conditioning

• Learning based on consequences
• Association made between consequences and ones
  behavior
• Thorndikes Law of Effect
• (Early pioneer of Operant Learning)
• Positive consequences result in increased
  behavior
• Negative consequence results in weakened /
  decreased behavior
• Instrumental Learning Consequence shapes
  behaviors

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Thorndikes Cat and Puzzle Box Study

• Cats learn gradually, not by insight.
• Suggests stimulus-response process

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Classical vs. Operant

• Remember
• Classical stimuli
• Operant consequences

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Introducing 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..)

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The Skinner Box
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Skinners Reinforcement

• Reinforcement A consequence that encourages
  behavior
• Types Effects Examples?
• Positive R Add something pleasant
• Negative R Remove something unpleasant

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Skinners Punishment

• Punishment A consequence that discourages
  behavior
• Types Effects Examples?
• Positive Punishment Adds something negative
• Negative Punishment Removes something pleasant
• (omission training)

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Remember!

• When figuring Operant conditioning, ask the
  following
• What is the focal behavior?
• Is behavior being encouraged or discouraged?
• Is something being removed or added?

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Application 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!)

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Learning 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)

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Operant 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

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A 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 _________ .

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Types 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

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Money 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

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Challenges of ParenthoodWhats the Best
Consequence?

• For each of the following, choose only one of
  Skinners 4 consequences, how you would
  specifically enforce it and the reasoning behind
  your decision.
• 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.

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Questions 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?

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Biology 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

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Reinforcement Schedules

• Reinforcement Schedules pattern of reinforcing
  behavior
• Administered in 2 ways
• Ratio number of responses made
• Interval passage of time

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Reinforcement 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)

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Learning 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..

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Operant Learning

• Continuous vs. Partial Reinforcement
• Continuous optimal while learning association
• Partial optimal after acquisition (resists
  extinction)

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Learning 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

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Pitfalls 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)

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Classical 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

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Behavioral 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
  conscious thought (cognition)
• Focused only on observable behavior

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Cognitive 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)

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Cognitive 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

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Cognitive 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

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Cognitive Learning

• Insight Learning (aha!)
• Sudden, definitive understanding
• Wolfgang Kohler Chimpanzees
• sudden insight, not gradual strengthening of S-R
  association

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Cognitive Learning

• Abstract Learning
• Higher order thinking (inferring relationships,
  complex problem solving)

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Practice Round

• One day 3 year old Tammy is sitting beside her
  mom in the yard when a dog enters the yard. The
  mom screams hysterically. Crying, the mom swoops
  up her child, creating a major scene and scaring
  her child. Now Tammy is afraid of dogs.
  Identify the following
• UCS, UCR, CS, CR

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Practice Round

• Performance bonuses for professional athletes.
• Smacking the dog in the rear with a newspaper
  after if jumps up on the counter.
• Taking recess away from students after disruptive
  behavior.
• Taking away homework for students after their
  great performance in class.