Theories of Learning

A form of learning in which consequences for behaviour, changes the likelihood that the behaviour will occur in the future

Known is "Instrumental Conditioning"

First studied by Thorndike

Developed Law of Effect

Behaviours are followed by positive outcomes are strengthened. Behaviours followed by negative outcomes are weakened.

Performed the "Puzzle Box" experiment

Placed cats inside the box

Wanted to learn how cats would get out

Put food outside of the box

The cats would come out

B.F Skinner was the main researcher

Worked with pigeons and rats

Taught rats to press a lever and go through mazes

Taught pigeons many complex tasks

Built on Reinforcement and Punishments

Reinforcement is a type of consequence that increase the likelihood of a behaviour

Positive Reinforcement (+)

Adding something positive after a behaviour is observed

An example is when a father gives candy to their daughter for cleaning her room

Negative Reinforcement (-)

Taking away something negative after a behaviour observed

An example of this a son does the dishes so his mom can stop yelling at him

Punishment is a type of consequence that decrease the likelihood of a behaviour happening again

Positive Punishment (+)

Adding a stimulus to prevent that behaviour from happening again

An example of this is a mom giving their child a time out for lying

Negative Punishment (-)

Removing a stimulus to prevent that behaviour from happening again

An example, a child is not allowed to go out (grounded) for talking back.

Reinforcement

Continuous reinforcement- reinforcement for every occurrence of the targeted behaviour

Partial reinforcement- reinforcement that is occasional or intermittent (most of the time reinforcement is partial)

Schedules of Reinforcement

Fixed-Ratio Schedule

A behaviour is reinforced after a set number of responses

Ex. A man receives $5 for every box he makes

Variable-Ratio Schedule

A behaviour is reinforced after an average number of times, but on an unpredictable bases

Ex. A charity makes an average of 15 phone cals for every donation received

Fixed- Interval Schedule

The first appropriate response after a fixed amount of time is reinforced

Ex. Checking the oven to see if Cookes are done when baking time is known

Variable-Interval Schedule

A response is reinforced after a variable amount of time has elapsed

Ex. Watching and seeing shooting starts on a dark night

The Premack Principle

Idea that an undesired task must be completed before you may engage in a reinforcing activity

Ex. "Eat all your vegetables and you can have dessert"

A type of learning that happens when a person observes and imitates someone else's behaviour.

Discovered by Albert Bandura

Performed the "Bobo Doll Experiment"

All the children beat the bob-doll after watching the same-sex adult do the same thing prior

Bandura thought that self-efficacy has powerful influence over behaviour

Requirements To Observational Learning

Attention- the learner must pay attention to the model

Retention- the learner requires clarity and meaning from the model

Motor Reproduction- the learner must have the ability to mimic the model

Reinforcement- if the model is reinforced than it enhances the effects of observational learning

A form of learning in which an automatic response is connected to an external stimuli

Created by Ivan Pavlov

Researched on dogs

Gave dogs meat powder, and they started to salivate because of they anticipated food. The dogs have become conditioned to salivate when they see food.

Stimulus- Response

Unconditioned Stimulus- a stimulus that can results a response without any prior conditioning

Unconditioned Response- an automatically produced response to a non neutral stimulus

Neutral Stimulus- a stimulus that would not cause a specific response

Conditioning

Conditioned Stimulus- a stimulus that used to be neutral and now produces a conditioned response after being associated with the unconditioned stimulus

Conditioned Response- a learned response to the conditioned stimulus that happens following the unconditioned stimulus and conditioned stimulus pairing

4 Stages of Classical Conditioning

Acquistion

The initial phase of learning the conditioned response

Extinction

The response is gone after the stimulus is gone

Generalization

The disappearance of the conditioned response brought by repeatedly presenting the stimulus without the unconditioned stimulus

Subject can also respond to a similar stimulus without training

Ex. If a child is bit by a dog, then the child will fear other dogs also

Discrimination

Happens when a subject learns to produce a conditioned response to one stimulus, but not to another similar stimulus

Opposite of generalization

Phobias

An intense fear of an object or situation that's greatly out of proportion to its actual threat

Fetishism

Sexual attraction to non-living things

Systematic Desensitization

Method that reduces anxiety by getting the individual to associate deep relaxation with successive visualization of increasingly anxiety-producing situations

A stepwise process that treats fear and phobias