LEARNING THEORIES
● Humans born a “blank state” (tabula rasa)
● All behaviour is a response to to a stimulus in the environment, not taking
into account cognitions
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
LEARNING BY ASSOCIATION
● Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) = Unconditioned response (UCR) based on
biology
● Neutral stimulus (NS) that normally doesn’t affect us, paired with
Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) = both become associated (conditioning)
● NS = Conditioned stimulus (UCS): produces SAME reaction of UCS
● Conditioned response (CR): artificial learned response to CS
● EXTINCTION: conditioned stimuli gradually lose their association with the
original unconditioned stimuli, so revert back to NS
Prevented : CS + old UCS again to strengthen association
● SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY: association never truly forgotten so CR can still
reappear
● STIMULUS GENERALISATION: tendency of CR to appear in response to
things not original CS (stimuli similar to CS produce CR)
Enables us to apply what we’ve learned in 1 context to other similar contexts
1
, Strengths
Theory only looks at behaviors : every step in conditioning process is observable
=scientific credibility
Challenging evidence
Generalising conclusions from animal research to humans learning isn’t so clear b/C
animals different anatomy + physiology and day-to-day experiences
Difficult to tell whether one learning theory is largely responsible when something
is learned
E.g. even when associations are formed, person is being rewarded / punished at
the same time
Reductionist: reduces ALL behavior to learning through association
2
● Humans born a “blank state” (tabula rasa)
● All behaviour is a response to to a stimulus in the environment, not taking
into account cognitions
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
LEARNING BY ASSOCIATION
● Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) = Unconditioned response (UCR) based on
biology
● Neutral stimulus (NS) that normally doesn’t affect us, paired with
Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) = both become associated (conditioning)
● NS = Conditioned stimulus (UCS): produces SAME reaction of UCS
● Conditioned response (CR): artificial learned response to CS
● EXTINCTION: conditioned stimuli gradually lose their association with the
original unconditioned stimuli, so revert back to NS
Prevented : CS + old UCS again to strengthen association
● SPONTANEOUS RECOVERY: association never truly forgotten so CR can still
reappear
● STIMULUS GENERALISATION: tendency of CR to appear in response to
things not original CS (stimuli similar to CS produce CR)
Enables us to apply what we’ve learned in 1 context to other similar contexts
1
, Strengths
Theory only looks at behaviors : every step in conditioning process is observable
=scientific credibility
Challenging evidence
Generalising conclusions from animal research to humans learning isn’t so clear b/C
animals different anatomy + physiology and day-to-day experiences
Difficult to tell whether one learning theory is largely responsible when something
is learned
E.g. even when associations are formed, person is being rewarded / punished at
the same time
Reductionist: reduces ALL behavior to learning through association
2
