Chapter 6: Learning

Describe Thorndike's law of effect

Any behavior that leads to a "satisfying state of affairs" is LIKELY to occur again. Any behavior that leads to an "annoying state of affairs" is LESS LIKELY to occur again.

Define learning

A change in behavior, resulting from experience.

Define classical conditioning and be able to apply terms like unconditioned stimulus (US), unconditioned response (UR), conditioned stimulus (CS), conditioned response (CR), extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization and discrimination.

Classical Conditioning: type of learned response in which a neutral object comes to elicit a response when it is associated with a stimulus that already produces a response. unconditioned stimulus (US): elicits a response that is innate and does not require any prior learning unconditioned response (UR): does not have to be learned such as a reflex conditioned stimulus (CS): elicits a response by only after learning has taken place. conditioned response (CR): response to a conditioned stimulus; a response that has been learned. Extinction: conditioned response is weakened when the conditioned stimulus is repeated without the unconditioned stimulus. Spontaneous Recovery: process which a previously extinguished response reemerges after the conditioned stimulus is presented again Stimulus Generalization: learning that occurs when stimuli that are similar but not identical to the conditioned stimulus produce the conditioned response Stimulus Discrimination: Learning to differentiate between two similar stimuli when only one of them is consistently associated with the unconditioned stimulus.

Explain the 4 different reinforcement schedules fixed interval (FI), variable interval (VI), fixed ratio (FR) and variable ratio (VR) and how they are related to learning.

Fixed Interval (FI): reinforcing the occurrence of a particular behavior after a predetermined amount of time since the last reinforcement. Variable Interval (VI): reinforcing the occurrence of a particular behavior after an unpredictable and varying amount of time since the last reinforcement. Fixed Ratio (FR): reinforcing a particular behavior after that behavior has occurred a predetermined number of times. Variable Ratio: reinforcing a particular behavior after the behavior has occurred an unpredictable and varying number of times.

Describe the primary difference between habituation and sensitization.

Habituation: decrease in behavioral response after lengthy or repeated exposure stimulus. Sensitization: increase in behavioral response after lengthy or repeated exposure to a stimulus.

Define observational learning and be able to discuss the differences between modeling and vicarious conditioning.

Observational Learning: acquisition or modification of a behavior after exposure to at least one performance of that behavior. In the context of Bandura's Social Learning theory, they are basically both the same thing. However, Bandura refers to vicarious reinforcement, not vicarious learning. VR is a component of observational learning

Define operant conditioning and be able to apply terms like positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive punishment, negative punishment, and shaping to an example.

Operant Conditioning: Learning process in which an action's consequences determine how likely an action is to be performed in the future. Positive Reinforcement: Addition of a stimulus to increase the probability that a behavior will be repeated. Negative Reinforcement: The removal of a stimulus to increase the probability that a behavior will be repeated. Positive Punishment: Addition of a stimulus to decrease the probability that a behavior will recur. Negative Punishment: Removal of a stimulus to decrease the probability that a behavior will recur. Shaping Reinforcing behaviors that are increasingly similar to the desired behavior. Can be used to train animals to perform unusual behaviors.

Describe the difference between an operant and a reinforcer.

Operant: An action that is performed on an environment and has consequences. Reinforcer: Consequence of an action that affects the likelihood of the action being repeated, or not, in the future.

Define behavior modification.

the use of operant conditioning techniques to eliminate unwanted behaviors and replace them with desirable ones. the general reasoning behind behavior modification is that most unwanted behaviors can be unlearned