Learning (Behaviorism)

Classical Conditioning (Mod. 18)

Operant Conditioning (Mod. 19)

Observational Learning (Mod. 20)

Behaviorism

Dominated Psychology in the first half of the 20th Century.

Dealt with behavior only, not mental processes.

What is Learning?

Learning: any relatively permanent change in behavior brought about by experience or practice When people learn anything, some part of

their brain is physically changed to record what they have learned.

LO 5.1 Learning

Pavlov and Classical Conditioning

Ivan Pavlov: Russian physiologist (person who studies the workings of the body) who discovered classical conditioning through his work on digestion in dogs

Classical conditioning: learning to make a reflex response to a stimulus other than the original, natural stimulus that normally produces the reflex

LO 5.2 Classical Conditioning

Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning

Ivan Pavlov 1849-1936Russian physician/

neurophysiologistNobel Prize, 1904studied digestive

secretions

Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning

Pavlov’s device for recording salivation

Pavlov’s Apparatus for Studying Classical Conditioning in Dogs

Classical Conditioning Concepts

Unconditioned stimulus (UCS): a naturally occurring stimulus that leads to an involuntary response Unconditioned means “unlearned” or

“naturally occurring.” Unconditioned response (UCR): an

involuntary response to a naturally occurring or unconditioned stimulus

LO 5.2 Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning Concepts

Conditioned stimulus (CS): stimulus that becomes able to produce a learned reflex response by being paired with the original unconditioned stimulus Conditioned means “learned.” A neutral stimulus can become a

conditioned stimulus when paired with an unconditioned stimulus.

LO 5.2 Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning Concepts

Conditioned response (CR): learned reflex response to a conditioned stimulus sometimes called a conditioned reflex CS: ice cream truck CR: salivation when hear ice cream

truck bell

LO 5.2 Classical Conditioning

Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning: Respondent Behavior

Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) stimulus that unconditionally- naturally and

automatically - triggers a response

Unconditioned Response (UCR) unlearned, naturally occurring response to

the unconditioned stimulus salivation when food is in the mouth

Classical Conditioning: Respondent Behavior

learning in which a neutral stimulus acquires the capacity to elicit a response after being paired with another stimulus that naturally elicits that response

Unconditioned response (UCR): automatic response to a stimulus

Unconditioned stimulus (UCS): naturally and automatically elicits a response

Conditioned response (CR): learned response to a previously neutral stimulus

Conditioned stimulus (CS): after repeated pairings with UCS, elicits the same response

Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning: Respondent Behavior

Conditioned Stimulus (CS) originally neutral stimulus that, after

association with an unconditioned stimulus, comes to trigger a conditioned response

Conditioned Response (CR) learned response to a previously neutral

conditioned stimulus

Pavlov’s Classic Experiment

Before Conditioning

During Conditioning After Conditioning

UCS (foodin mouth)

Neutralstimulus(tone)

Nosalivation

UCR (salivation)

Neutralstimulus(tone)

UCS (foodin mouth)

UCR(salivation)

CS(tone)

CR (salivation)

Classical or Pavlovian Conditioning

UCS(passionate kiss) UCR

(sexualarousal)

CS(onionbreath)

CS(onion breath) CR

(sexualarousal)

UCS(passionate Kiss) UCR

(sexualarousal)

Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning

UCSDog Bite

UCRFrightened

CSSight of Dog

UCSDog Bite

UCRFrightened

CSSight of Dog

CRFrightened

Classical Conditioning

UCSCar Crash

UCRRacing Heart

CSSquealing

Brakes

UCSCar Crash

UCRRacing Heart

CSSquealing

Brakes

CRRacing Heart

Classical ConditioningUCSKiss

UCRRacing Heart

CSSight of

Significant Other

UCSKiss

UCRRacing Heart

CSSight of

Significant Other

CRRacing Heart

Classic Conditioning Allows Animals to Learn to Predict Events

Learning theorists once believed that the learning in classical conditioning is unintentional and automatic (classic behaviorism).

Most contemporary learning theorists now believe classical conditioning involves quite a bit of “mindfulness” because, (through the conditioning process) humans and other animals are learning to reliably predict upcoming events.

Classic Conditioning Allows Animals to Learn to Predict Events

Psychologists once believed that the key to acquiring a conditioned response was the sheer number of CS-UCS pairings.

However, the order and timing of CS-UCS pairings is also very important because it provides valuable information about the upcoming occurrence of the unconditioned stimulus.

Utility: Avoiding a Predator’s Attack through Classical Conditioning—Step 1

Avoiding a Predator’s Attack through Classical Conditioning—Step 2

Avoiding a Predator’s Attack through Classical Conditioning—Step 3

Classical Conditioning Concepts Acquisition: the repeated pairing of the

NS and the UCS; the organism is in the process of acquiring learning Although classical conditioning happens quite

easily, there are a few basic principles that researchers have discovered:

The CS must come before the UCS. The CS and UCS must come very close together in time

—ideally, only several seconds apart. The neutral stimulus must be paired with the UCS

several times, often many times, before conditioning can take place.

LO 5.2 Classical Conditioning

Classical Conditioning Concepts

Stimulus generalization: the tendency to respond to a stimulus that is only similar to the original conditioned stimulus with the conditioned response

LO 5.2 Classical Conditioning

GeneralizationDrops of salivain 30 seconds

60

50

40

30

20

10

0Hindpaw

Pelvis Shoulder Frontpaw

Thigh Trunk Foreleg

Part of body stimulated

Classical Conditioning Concepts

Extinction: the disappearance or weakening of a learned response following the removal or absence of the unconditioned stimulus (in classical conditioning) or the removal of a reinforcer (in operant conditioning)

LO 5.2 Classical conditioning

Extinction and Spontaneous Recovery

Classical Conditioning Concepts

Spontaneous recovery: the reappearance of a learned response after extinction has occurred Learning is a relatively permanent change in

behavior.

LO 5.2 Classical Conditioning

Animals Differ in What Responses Can Be Classically Conditioned

Early learning theorists assumed that the principles of conditioning were similar across all species, but subsequent research indicates that this assumption is incorrect. Animals often differ in what responses can

be conditioned. In some animals, some responses can be

conditioned much more readily to certain stimuli than to others.

An animal’s biology steers it toward certain kinds of conditioning.

Taste aversion study by Garcia and Koelling

Rats learned to avoid a light-noise combination when it was paired with electric shock, but not when it was followed by X rays that made them nauseous.

In contrast, rats quickly learned to avoid flavored water when it was followed by X rays, but they did not readily acquire an aversion to this same water when it was followed by shock.

It is also adaptive that in taste aversion, strong conditioning develops despite the long delay between the CS (the taste) and the UCS (the nausea).

Biological Constraints on Taste Aversion in Rats

Classically Conditioned Phobias

Phobias: exaggerated and irrational fears of objects or situations

Such intense fear reactions often develop through classical conditioning.

We can develop a phobia toward anything, but some objects (snakes) or situations elicit phobic reactions more easily than others.

Conditioned Emotional Response

Conditioned emotional response (CER): emotional response that has become classically conditioned to occur to learned stimuli, such as a fear of dogs or the emotional reaction that occurs when seeing an attractive person CERs may lead to phobias—irrational

fear responses.

LO 5.3 Conditioned Emotional Response

Conditioning of “Little Albert”

Little Albert’s Fear Conditioning

UCS(loud noise) UCR

(fear)

CS(rat)

CS(rat) CR

(fear)

UCS(loud noise) UCR

(fear)

Stimulus similarto rat (such as rabbit) Conditioned fear

(generalization)

Classical Conditioning

UCSLoud Noise

UCRStartle

CSBunny Rabbit

UCSLoud Noise

UCRStartle

CSBunny Rabbit

CRStartle

John B. Watson: Famous Behaviorist

Conditioned Emotional Responding Extreme Nurture (learning) position Fear learned through stimulus

generalization? Emotion-evoking Advertising

Nausea Conditioning among Cancer Patients

UCS(drug)

UCR(nausea)

CS(waiting room)

CS(waitingroom) CR

(nausea)

UCS(drug)

UCR(nausea)

Why Classical Conditioning Works

Cognitive perspective: modern theory in which classical conditioning is seen to occur because the conditioned stimulus provides information or an expectancy about the coming of the unconditioned stimulus (cue, signal, warning)

LO 5.3 Conditioned Emotional Response