Chapter 9: Conditioning and Learning

Outline

• Classical conditioning

• Operant conditioning– types of reinforcement– types of reinforcement schedules– role of discriminative

• Vicarious learning

• Factors that influence modelling

Classical Conditioning

• Unconditioned Stimuli (national flag)

• Unconditioned Response (sense of nationalism)

• Neutral or Conditional Stimulus (candidate)

• When flag is paired with candidate, he/she elicits a sense of nationalism.

Classical Conditioning (continued)• No voluntary control

• Multiple pairing of US and CS

• Works better for behavioral responses (Pavlovian Dog) than for cognitive/affective responses

• Can be chained [association can be transferred]

• Influence behavior by triggering association between conditional and neutral stimulus.

Operant Conditioning

• Altering behavior by associating each behavior with consequences.

• A positive consequence will increase probability of behavior and negative will decrease.

• Applicable for voluntary behaviors

Reinforcement

• It refers to the consequences that come with a given behavior.

• The probability of behavior depends on the consequences of the behavior.

Types of Reinforcement• Positive -- behavior is followed by a reward or a positive

consequence

• Negative -- behavior followed by the removal of a negative consequence

• Punishment -- behavior followed by a negative consequence.

• Extinction -- no consequence

Reinforcement Schedules

• Continuous -- consequence for every time the behavior occurs.

• Fixed-Ratio -- consequence for every predefined number of times the behavior occurs

• Variable -- no set pattern

Pros and Cons of Different Reinforcement Schedules

• Continuous is expensive and very effective, but changes expectations.

• Fixed is less expensive, but less effective.

• Variable is less effective, but very inexpensive, and not prone to extinction, and does not influence expectations.

Shaping

• Changing behavior using small incremental changes in behavior rather than a single big shift in behavior.

Discriminative Stimuli

• The mere presence or absence of certain stimuli can alter the likelihood of behaviors.

• This is related to the concept of reinforcement except that it occurs before the behavior.

• Most promotions are examples of discriminative stimuli.

Vicarious Learning

• Changing one’s own behavior by observing the behavior of others and the consequences that occurred.

• Known as modeling.

• Can be used for developing new behaviors, inhibit undesirable behaviors, facilitate known desired behaviors.

Factors Influencing Vicarious Learning (Modeling)

• Models who are attractive, credible, high-status, experts are more effective.

• Vivid and detailed portrayal of modeled behavior and consequences increases modeling.

• Perceptive and confident people are able to learn better.