Learning
The Concept of Learning
What Does The Term Learning Really Mean?
Learning is any relatively permanent change in behaviour brought about by
experiences or practice, and is different from maturation that is controlled by the
genes.
The major learning theories are Classical Conditioning, Operant Conditioning,
Cognitive Learning theory, And Observational Learning theory.
How Was Classical Conditioning First Studied, And What Are The Important
Elements And Characteristics Of Classical Conditioning?
Pavlov and the Salivating Dogs
Important concepts/terminology: reflex— involuntary response; stimulus— any
object, event, or experience that causes response (reaction of an organism).
Pavlov accidently discovered the phenomenon in which one stimulus can,
through pairing with another stimulus, come to produce a similar response. He
called this classical conditioning.
Elements of Classical Conditioning
The unconditioned stimulus (UCS) is the stimulus that is naturally occurring and
produces the reflex, or involuntary unconditioned response (UCR). Both are
called “unconditioned” because they are not learnt.
The conditioned stimulus (CS) begins as a neutral stimulus (NS), but when
paired with the unconditioned stimulus, eventually begins to elicit the reflex on its
own. The reflex response to the conditioned stimulus is called the conditioned
response (CR), and both stimulus and response are learnt.
, Putting It All Together: Pavlov’s Canine Classic, Or Tick Tock, Tick Tock
Pavlov paired a sound with the presentation of food to dogs and discovered
several principles for classical condition: the neutral and UCS must be paired
several times and the CS must precede the UCS by only a few seconds.
Stimulus generalisation: stimuli similar to UCS will evoke CR but to a lesser
degree.
Stimulus discrimination: presentation of a stimulus similar to CS without UCS
leads to this stimulus not producing generalisation.
Extinction: disappearing of or weakening of the CR following the removal of UCS.
Spontaneous recovery: reappearance of CR after a pause to extinction trials.
Higher-order conditioning occurs when a strong CS is paired with a neutral
stimulus, causing the neutral stimulus to become a second conditioned stimulus.
What Is A Conditioned Emotional Response, And How Do Cognitive
Psychologists Explain Classical Conditioning?
Conditioned Emotional Responses: Rats!
Watson was able to demonstrate that an emotional disorder called a phobia
could be learnt through classical conditioning by exposing a baby to a white rat
and a loud noise, producing conditioned fear of the rat in the baby.
Vicarious conditioning: classical conditioning of a reflex response or emotion by
watching the reaction of another person.
Other Conditioned Responses in Humans
Conditioned tastes aversions occur when an organism become nauseated
sometime after eating a certain food, which becomes aversive to the organism.
Some kinds of conditioned responses are more easily learnt because of
biological preparedness, which may cause humans to associate certain stimuli
with danger to survival.
The Concept of Learning
What Does The Term Learning Really Mean?
Learning is any relatively permanent change in behaviour brought about by
experiences or practice, and is different from maturation that is controlled by the
genes.
The major learning theories are Classical Conditioning, Operant Conditioning,
Cognitive Learning theory, And Observational Learning theory.
How Was Classical Conditioning First Studied, And What Are The Important
Elements And Characteristics Of Classical Conditioning?
Pavlov and the Salivating Dogs
Important concepts/terminology: reflex— involuntary response; stimulus— any
object, event, or experience that causes response (reaction of an organism).
Pavlov accidently discovered the phenomenon in which one stimulus can,
through pairing with another stimulus, come to produce a similar response. He
called this classical conditioning.
Elements of Classical Conditioning
The unconditioned stimulus (UCS) is the stimulus that is naturally occurring and
produces the reflex, or involuntary unconditioned response (UCR). Both are
called “unconditioned” because they are not learnt.
The conditioned stimulus (CS) begins as a neutral stimulus (NS), but when
paired with the unconditioned stimulus, eventually begins to elicit the reflex on its
own. The reflex response to the conditioned stimulus is called the conditioned
response (CR), and both stimulus and response are learnt.
, Putting It All Together: Pavlov’s Canine Classic, Or Tick Tock, Tick Tock
Pavlov paired a sound with the presentation of food to dogs and discovered
several principles for classical condition: the neutral and UCS must be paired
several times and the CS must precede the UCS by only a few seconds.
Stimulus generalisation: stimuli similar to UCS will evoke CR but to a lesser
degree.
Stimulus discrimination: presentation of a stimulus similar to CS without UCS
leads to this stimulus not producing generalisation.
Extinction: disappearing of or weakening of the CR following the removal of UCS.
Spontaneous recovery: reappearance of CR after a pause to extinction trials.
Higher-order conditioning occurs when a strong CS is paired with a neutral
stimulus, causing the neutral stimulus to become a second conditioned stimulus.
What Is A Conditioned Emotional Response, And How Do Cognitive
Psychologists Explain Classical Conditioning?
Conditioned Emotional Responses: Rats!
Watson was able to demonstrate that an emotional disorder called a phobia
could be learnt through classical conditioning by exposing a baby to a white rat
and a loud noise, producing conditioned fear of the rat in the baby.
Vicarious conditioning: classical conditioning of a reflex response or emotion by
watching the reaction of another person.
Other Conditioned Responses in Humans
Conditioned tastes aversions occur when an organism become nauseated
sometime after eating a certain food, which becomes aversive to the organism.
Some kinds of conditioned responses are more easily learnt because of
biological preparedness, which may cause humans to associate certain stimuli
with danger to survival.
