Experimental PsychologyPSY 433

Chapter 9

Conditioning and Learning

Midterm Results

Score Grade N

29-34 A 7

25-28 B 11

21-24 C 4

17-20 D 0

0-16 F 2

Top score = 32/34Top score for curve = 32

Willow the Reading Dog http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_LhwuN1c1U

http://thestarryeye.typepad.com/pets/2009/10/youtube-video-willow-a-dog-that-can-read.html

Learning

A relatively permanent change in behavior or knowledge as a result of experience Conditioning means learning.

Classical (respondent) conditioning -- learn an association between two stimuli

Instrumental (operant) conditioning -- learn an association between a behavior and a particular outcome.

Pavlov’s Studies

Classical ConditioningPrior to conditioning

Conditioning

After conditioning

Neutral stimulus(tone)

(Orientation to soundbut no response)

UCS(food powder in mouth)

UCR(salivation)

Neutral stimulusCS (tone)

UCS(food powder)

+CR

(salivation)

CS(tone)

CR(salivation)

Classical Conditioning Examples

Dog learns to associate food with the sight of a dog food can.

Patient learns to associate the sight of the dentist’s office with the pain of dental work (drill).

Standing in front of the refrigerator until you feel hungry for something.

Hot dogs at the ballpark, popcorn at the movies.

Phobias – fear of flying.

Operant Conditioning

Operant conditioning – consequences of a behavior determine whether it will be repeated in the future. Thorndike’s S-R learning. Also called instrumental conditioning.

Skinner box – an animal is rewarded each time it makes a specific response.

Behavior Consequences+

Reinforcement

Punishment

Increases

Reduces

Positive reinforcement adds a good thingNegative reinforcement removes bad thing

Punishment adds a bad thingResponse cost removes good thing

Four Kinds of Consequences

Positive Stimulus (Add)

Negative Stimulus (Subtract)

Increase Behavior

Decrease Behavior

Positive Reinforcement

Bonus for working hard leads to more hard work

Negative Reinforcement

Headache gone after aspirin leads to more aspirin use

Positive Punishment

Getting speeding ticket leads to less speeding

Negative Punishment

Missing dinner leads to less staying out late

More Terminology

Discriminative stimulus – signals the opportunity to perform a behavior and get a reward. Traffic light tells us when to go. “Open” sign tells us when we can buy coffee.

Extinction – after learning, reward is withheld and the behavior gradually stops occurring.

Null contingency – no relationship between reward or punishment and behavior exists.

DVs in Learning Experiments

Response rate – number of responses as a function of time.

Response amplitude -- amount of saliva. Response latency -- time to accomplish a

response. Time to complete a maze

Resistance to extinction -- how long it takes a response to go away once it stops being rewarded.

IVs in Learning Experiments

Magnitude of reinforcement (size of reward). Delay prior to reinforcement. Amount of deprivation (motivation to obtain

the reward). Intensity of the CS and UCS in classical

conditioning.