“No topic is closer to the

heart of psychology than

learning, a relatively

permanent change in an

organism’s behavior due

to experience.”

Experience modifies pre-existing behavior

Which psychological theory supports this idea?

EVOLUTIONARY

Innate

Acquired with age

Learned at an earlier point

LEARNING is the development and changing

of behavior.

“Once burned, twice shy.”

“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”

Development of motor skills

Development of language skills

Object Categories

HOW?

Experiencing events & their relationships

Consciously through study

Unconsciously (we’ll talk about this later)

• Responses are UNLEARNED

• Habituation: Becoming accustomed to stimuli

• Sensitization: Overt responses to stimuli (threatening)

Non-Associative

• Reponses to stimuli are LEARNED

• Classical Conditioning

• Operant Conditioning

• Social Learning

Associative

Associative Learning

UCS: Unconditioned Stimulus

UCR: Unconditioned Response

NS: Neutral Stimulus

CS: Conditioned Stimulus

CR: Conditioned Response

UCS: Unconditioned Stimulus

UCR: Unconditioned Response

NS: Neutral Stimulus

CS: Conditioned Stimulus

CR: Conditioned Response

Little Albert showed discrimination when he

was placed into a bright lecture hall and his

fear response to the rat was slight.

Little Albert showed generalization when he

was fearful of a rabbit, dog, etc. This shows

stimuli with similar properties can elicit the

same response.

UCS: Unconditioned Stimulus

UCR: Unconditioned Response

NS: Neutral Stimulus

CS: Conditioned Stimulus

CR: Conditioned Response

The feather duster (UCS) was withheld and

so she stopped responding in an excited way

indicating extinction of the conditioned

response.

After walking by the shelf while Sasha was

sitting on a nearby chair, I noticed she stood

up and became very excited. Indicating

spontaneous recovery of the conditioned

response.

Associative Learning

Classical

Stimuli occur BEFORE or ALONG WITH a behavioral

response.

Operant

Stimuli FOLLOWbehavior

responses.

Also known as CONSEQUENCES.

• Precursor to operant conditioning

• Illustrated by Edward Thorndike

• “Puzzle Box” showed “The Law of Effect”

• Behavior is strengthened when a reward follows.

Instrumental Conditioning

• Illustrated by B.F. Skinner

• Organism learns by operating on the environment.

• “Skinner Box” & “Schedules of Reinforcement”

• Shows how often an animal responds in a specific period of time.

Operant Conditioning

Reinforcers (Consequences)

Stimuli that INCREASE the probability the operant

behavior will happen again.

Can be positive or negative

Can be primary or secondary

Operants (Behaviors)

Behaviors that have an effect on the environment.

Intended to generate a consequence.

Presenting something

pleasant which increases the

operant behavior.

Removal/avoidanceof something

unpleasant which increases the

operant behavior.

Primary possesses an innate value to the

organism.

Secondary are highly motivating but must be learned/experienced.

Escape Conditioning:

Learned behaviors that STOPan aversive stimulus.

Avoidance Conditioning:

Learned behaviors that AVOIDunpleasant stimuli.

Premack Principle:

Activities can become reinforcements for future

behaviors.

• Process of reinforcing responses that come successively closer to the desired response.

Shaping

• You want your dog to fetch your slippers from your closet every morning.

• Using shaping techniques, outline the steps you would take using reinforcement.

Example # 1

• You want your 2 ½ year old to use the toilet rather than a diaper.

• Using shaping techniques, outline the steps you would take using reinforcement.

Example # 2

Timing

• The effect of reinforcement is strongest immediately following a behavior.

• (Think about praise)

Size

• Behavior is more vigorous when the reinforcement is large.

• (Think about electric shocks)

Continuous Reinforcement

Schedule

Reinforcer is delivered every

time the response occurs.

Useful when teaching a new

skill.

Partial Reinforcement

Schedule

AKA: Intermittent Reinforcement

Schedule.

Fixed-Ratio (FR)

Variable-Ratio (VR)

Fixed-Interval (FI)

Variable-Interval (VI)

Variable Interval

(VI)

Variable Ratio

(VR)

Fixed Interval

(FI)Fixed Ratio

(FR)

# of necessary responsesTime that must

first pass

Predictable

Unpredictable

(“On the

Average”)

Telemarketer can take a break after 10 calls.

Fixed Ratio

(FR)• Predictability: Predictable-the telemarketer

KNOWS exactly when the break will happen.

• # of Responses: The reinforcement depends on the # of calls.

• Time: Not a factor in reinforcement.

A company often offers random bonuses to employees. The employees have to finish a certain number of projects. On average its about 4 projects that must be completed to get the bonus.

Variable Ratio

(VR)• Predictability: Unpredictable-there is an average

# of projects needed for the reinforcement but the exact amount is unknown.

• # of Responses: The reinforcement depends on the # of projects.

• Time: Not a factor in the reinforcement.

Partial Reinforcement Extinction Effect:

Behaviors are difficult to extinguish under partial

reinforcement schedules than continuous schedules

You allow yourself to have a “free hour” after studying for 2 hours.

Fixed Interval

(FI)

• Predictability: You KNOW exactly when the reinforcement will occur.

• Time is a factor (2 hours)

• # of Responses: Not a factor in reinforcement

A boss “drops in” every so often to check on the productivity of employees.

Variable Interval

(VI)

• Predictability: Unpredictable-you do not know when the boss will drop in.

• Time is a factor (certain time must pass) before reinforcement occurs but it’s inconsistent.

• # of Responses: Not a factor in reinforcement

Punishment Discussion

Answer the following questions:

What behaviors

are punished?

WHAT typeof

punishment do they typically rely on?

Do you feel it’s

effective?

Why or why not?

Does the type

change between you and

your siblings?

If punishment is considered

ineffective, what is considered effective

for changing behavior?

In our culture, what do we believe about

punishment?

What evidence suggests younger

children learn differently than older

children?

What techniques should be used to

change behavior for younger children? Older children?

• Technique used to decrease the frequency of an operant behavior.

Definition

• Behavior is followed by presentation of an adverse stimulus.

Positive (Addition)

• A pleasant stimulus is removed following a behavior.

Negative (Removal)