Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning and Observational Learning

Classical Conditioning, Operant Conditioning, and Observational Learning

Humans are not born with a genetic layout for life Learning gives us flexibility Adaptability- to cope with changing circumstances.

If it can be learned then it is teachable. Agree/Disagree? Can change occur if new patterns are taught? Agree/Disagree?

Learning: a relatively permanent change in an organism’s behavior due to experience Three types of learning Classical Conditioning Operant Conditioning Observational/Social Learning

How do we learn? Aristotle: We learn by association Learned associations feed routine behaviors Repeating behaviors in a certain context lead those behaviors to be associated with the contexts

More “And on association: to the Republic, for which it stands, one nation…” What is the line that came before this?

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. ” “And to the Republic, for which it stands, one nation…”

Associate Learning: learning that certain events occur together. The events may be two stimuli or a response and its consequence

Conditioning is the process of learning associations Classical conditioning: learn to associate 2 stimuli and we can anticipate events Operant conditioning: learn to associate a response and its consequences Repeat acts followed by rewards and avoid acts that result in punishment.

learn to associate 2 stimuli and we can anticipate events learn to associate a response and its consequences

Conditioning is not the only type of learning Observational experience Learning- learn from others

Conditioning is learned through association. Classical Conditioning is a learning process in which associations are made between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus. it is sometimes called “reflexive learning”

No one developed Classical Conditioning Ivan Pavlov is credited with discovering it. Started off as a biologist in Russia First Russian to receive the Nobel Prize Began to study why dogs drool even though no food present.

An event that elicits a certain predictable response typically without previous training. Food normally causes salivation- a dog does not have to be taught to salivate when it smells meat.

An organisms automatic/natural response to stimulus This is a reflex

Stimulus that does not initially elicit any part of an UCR (unconditional response) Tuning fork or bell before used in experiment

A once-neutral event that elicits a given response after a period of training in which it has been paired with an UCS (unconditioned stimulus) Salivation of a dog was a natural occurrence until trained to do so when hears a bell.

Learned reaction to a conditioned stimulus Salivation of a dog was a natural occurrence until trained to do so when hears a bell. That salivation is the conditional response.

UCS (food)=UCR (salivation) NS (Bell)+UCS(food)=UCR (salivation) CS (Bell)=CR (salivation)

Classical conditioning is involved in many of our behaviors wherever stimuli are paired together over time we come to react to one of them as if the other were present a particular song is played and you immediately think of a particular romantic partner you smell cinnamon and you immediately think of Christmas

Some pointers on effective conditioning NS and UCS pairings must not be more than about 1/2 second apart for best results Repeated NS/UCS pairings are called “training trials” Presentations of CS without UCS pairings are called “extinction trials” Intensity of UCS effects how many training trials are necessary for conditioning to occur

Generalization – Learning on stimulus A changes behavior regarding stimulus B Discrimination – Learning on stimulus A doesn’t change behavior regarding stimulus B Extinction – Loss of learned behavior after training stops Spontaneous Recovery – Exhibiting learned behavior after extinction has occurred.

In pairs create a storyboard to illustrate the steps in the classical conditioning experiment performed by Pavlov. The storyboard should include both drawings and captions that pertain to the three phases of classical conditioning (before, during, and after training). Use your notes and page 243 for further help.

The nurse says “Now this won’t hurt a bit” just before stabbing you with a needle. The next time you hear “This won’t hurt” you cringe in fear. You have a meal at a fast food restaurant that causes food poisoning. The next time you see a sign for that restaurant, you feel nauseous.

Suppose your dog is wandering around the neighborhood, sniffing trees, checking garbage cans, looking for a squirrel to chase. A kind neighbor sees the dog & tosses a bone out to it. The next day, the dog is likely to stop at the same door on its rounds. Your neighbor produces another bone and another the next day. Your dog is a regular visitor now.

B. F. Skinner and Edward Thorndike

Different from classical conditioning Classical conditioning is respondent behavior Behavior stimuli that occurs as an automatic response to some

Operant conditioning is a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcement or diminished if followed by a punisher

Operant behavior: behavior that operates on the environment, producing consequences We can distinguish if a situation is classical or operant by asking if the organism learns association between events: Is the organism learning associations between events that it does not control (It’s Classical) OR Is the organism learning associations between its behavior and resulting events (It’s Operant)

Operant conditioning works on Thorndike’s law of effect: Principle that behaviors followed by favorable consequences become more likely and that behaviors followed by unfavorable consequences become less likely Rewarded behavior is likely to occur & vice versa.

Skinner developed the Skinner box, or the operant chamber

Used to study behavior conditioning by teaching a subject to perform certain actions (like pressing a lever) in response to specific stimuli, like a light or sound signal. When the subject correctly performs the behavior, the chamber mechanism delivers food or another reward. In some cases, the mechanism delivers a punishment for incorrect or missing responses.

Shaping: an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforcers guide behavior closer and closer to desired behavior

Reinforcers: Any event that strengthens behavior it follows

Types: Positive Reinforcement Negative Reinforcement

Positive Reinforcement Increasing behaviors by presenting a positive stimuli, such as food. This should strengthen the response

You avoid talking about the problems between Israel and Palestine with your roommate, because it always results in an argument. A child is allowed one-half hour of TV time for each hour she spends doing homework. After being sure that the infant's diapers are dry and that he has been recently fed, a mother and father ignore the infant's crying at bedtime.

Negative Reinforcement Increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing negative stimuli. A negative reinforcer is any stimulus that, when removed after a response, strengthens the response THIS IS NOT PUNISHMENT!!!!!!! Examples Taking away an electrical shock Pushing your snooze button to stop the alarm Taking an aspirin to rid a headache

Types of reinforcers Primary: Ex. meets some biological need Getting food when hungry Conditioned (secondary): gains reinforcing power through its association with a primary reinforcer. Ex. Light in the Skinner box

Punishment An event that decreases the behavior it follows

Positive Ex. Punishment: Physical Punishment Spanking Negative Punishment: Removal of a pleasant stimulus Ex. Grounding, taking away phone, etc.

Notes on physical punishment: Punished behavior is suppressed, not forgotten 9/10 parents of 3 -4 year olds spank Is spanking abuse or punishment? Punishment teaches discrimination Can’t swear at home, but can get away with it at my friend’s house!!! Punishment can teach fear Physical punishment could model aggression as way to cope with problems

Create a comic strip. It must include the following: Compare & Contrast Classical & Operant Conditioning Explain the purpose of the Skinner Box Depict aspects of Shaping, Types of Reinforcement & Punishment All key terms above must be defined

How often should one reinforce a behavior?

Two schedules of reinforcement: Continuous Reinforcement Partial Reinforcement

Continuous Reinforcement: Reinforcing the desired response every time it occurs Examples of continuous reinforcement: Every time Billy raises his hand answers a question, he will receive praise. Every time Jamie Sue potty’s in the toilet, she receives a cookie. Every time I put $1. 00 in the candy machine and press C 7, I get a Butterfinger! Extinction happens quickly once reinforcement is stopped

Partial (intermittent) reinforcement: Reinforcing a response only part of the time Results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance to extinction than does continuous reinforcement Types of partial reinforcement Fixed-ratio schedules Variable-ratio schedules Fixed-interval schedules Variable-interval schedules

Fixed Ratio Schedules: reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses Example: for every ten slurpee’s that you purchase, the 11 th is free

Variable Ratio Schedules: a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after an unpredictable number of responses Example:

Fixed-Interval schedules: a reinforcement schedule that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed Example:

Variable Interval Schedules: a response is rewarded after an unpredictable amount of time has passed. Example: Boss dropping by to check on your progress throughout the day.