Learning

How Do We Learn?

• Most learning is associative learning.– Learning that certain events occur together.

Classical Conditioning

• Ivan Pavlov– Russian scientists that

studied digestion of dogs

– Dogs would salivate (drool) before they were given food (triggered by sounds, lights, etc.)

– Pavlov believed that dogs must have LEARNED to salivate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NSeYRanbbU

CONDITIONEDMeans LEARNED

UNCONDITIONED

NEUTRALSTIMULUS

Means UNLEARNED or NOT YET LEARNED

Means it does nothing

Classical Conditioning

• Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS): a stimulus that naturally and automatically triggers a response.

• Response known as the unconditional response (UCR)– Unlearned, naturally occurring response to UCS.

For Example…

• This is passive learning (learner does not have to think)

Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response

For Example…

• This is passive learning (learner does not have to think)

Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response

For Example…

• This is passive learning (learner does not have to think)

Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned Response

Next…

• You find a neutral stimulus– Something that by itself elicits no response– You present the stimulus with the UCS many times

Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned ResponseNeutral Stimulus

Next…

• You find a neutral stimulus– Something that by itself elicits no response– You present the stimulus with the UCS many times

Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned ResponseNeutral Stimulus

Next…

• You find a neutral stimulus– Something that by itself elicits no response– You present the stimulus with the UCS many times

Unconditioned Stimulus Unconditioned ResponseNeutral Stimulus

Eventually…

• Acquisition occurs– The body begins to link

together the neutral stimulus with the UCS

Which Means…

• The “do nothing” neutral stimulus is then learned, making it the conditioned stimulus (CS)

• The learned response to a previously neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned response (CR)

Math?!

UCS = UCR Not Learned

NS + UCS = UCR

CS = CR Learned!

______ ______

____ ______ ______

______ ______

Is Classical Conditioning Permanent?

• We know learning exists because the CS is linked to the UCS.– Called acquisition

• Does not last forever.– The moment the CS is

no longer associated with the UCS, we have extinction.

Generalization vs. Discrimination

• Something is so similar to the CS that you get a CR

• Something is too different from the CS so you do not get a CR

Spontaneous Recovery

• Sometimes, after extinction, the CR still randomly appears after the CS is presented.

http://www.flowgo.com/funny/2028_scary-jack-in-box-scary.html

How to Train Your Rat?

http://abcnews.go.com/OnCampus/video/kind-rat-race-college-capus-training-science-math-learning-future-education-features-12511756

My Turn!

• I’ll need a volunteer.• One who does not get angry easily…

Classical Conditioning in Pop Culture

• See if you can identify the UCS, UR, CS, CR

http://vimeo.com/35754924

Classical Conditioning & Humans

• John Watson brought classical conditioning to psychology with his Little Albert experiment.

• Extremely unethical

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGU0IYDlwn0

Learned Taste Aversions

• When it comes to food being paired with sickness, the conditioning is incredibly strong

• Even when food and sickness are hours apart