Psychology 3306Psychology 3306

Dr. D. BrodbeckDr. D. Brodbeck

IntroductionIntroduction

You knew it would start this way….You knew it would start this way….What is learning?What is learning?Many people think of things like:Many people think of things like:

Kids in schoolKids in schoolStudyingStudyingDisabilities etcDisabilities etc

The study of Learning certainly has things The study of Learning certainly has things to say about some of these thingsto say about some of these things

What is learning?What is learning?

Talks about other things too:Talks about other things too:What cognitive constants there are across What cognitive constants there are across

speciesspeciesWhat cognitive differences there are across What cognitive differences there are across

speciesspeciesHow do you make good rat poisonHow do you make good rat poisonDo you only learn by doing or can you learn Do you only learn by doing or can you learn

by observing?by observing?Lots of other stuffLots of other stuff

What is learningWhat is learning

OK, Dave, you have convinced us that OK, Dave, you have convinced us that there are a lot of issues, and lots of stuff there are a lot of issues, and lots of stuff that isn’t boring (?) but….that isn’t boring (?) but….

WHAT IS LEARNING?WHAT IS LEARNING?OK, stop shoutingOK, stop shoutingChange resulting from experienceChange resulting from experienceSome event at time 1 affects behaviour at Some event at time 1 affects behaviour at

time 2time 2

What it isWhat it is

Both are pretty broad definitionsBoth are pretty broad definitionsPretty reasonable thoughPretty reasonable thoughOK, so, specifically, what do psychologists OK, so, specifically, what do psychologists

that study learning study?that study learning study?Basically there are two broad types of Basically there are two broad types of

questionsquestionsThose about process and those about the Those about process and those about the

productproduct

ProcessProcess

How it happensHow it happensWhat at time 1 leads to change at time 2What at time 1 leads to change at time 2How time 1 affect time 2 mechanisticallyHow time 1 affect time 2 mechanisticallyUnder what conditions do you get learningUnder what conditions do you get learning Interval between stimuli for exampleInterval between stimuli for example

Long for a taste aversion, short for eyeblink Long for a taste aversion, short for eyeblink for examplefor example

ProductProduct

What are the long term changes in What are the long term changes in behaviourbehaviour

What are the short term changes in What are the short term changes in behaviourbehaviour

For example, what is the form of the CR in For example, what is the form of the CR in drug conditioning?drug conditioning?

Why does a pigeon peck at a key in a Why does a pigeon peck at a key in a classical conditioning paradigm?classical conditioning paradigm?

Types of questionsTypes of questions

There are, of course, sub areas tooThere are, of course, sub areas tooAcquisitionAcquisitionLearning versus performanceLearning versus performanceDifferent types of conditioning and learningDifferent types of conditioning and learning

Hold on…Hold on…

Different types of learning?Different types of learning? Well maybeWell maybe The search for general laws or a general The search for general laws or a general

process theory has been going on for almost process theory has been going on for almost 100 years, maybe a tad more100 years, maybe a tad more

Driven by physics envyDriven by physics envy F=maF=ma E=mcE=mc22

6.02 x 106.02 x 102323

Umm, maybe this is crazyUmm, maybe this is crazy

Think of biologyThink of biologyThere is an overriding principle (evolution)There is an overriding principle (evolution)Many commonalities in how systems workMany commonalities in how systems workHowever, each species is differentHowever, each species is differentPerhaps it should be the same thing with Perhaps it should be the same thing with

learning, and in psychology in generallearning, and in psychology in generalCorrelations between events are Correlations between events are

important, could be the key thing in important, could be the key thing in learninglearning

Welcome to my laboratory..Welcome to my laboratory..(Insert evil laugh here)(Insert evil laugh here)

What about the notion that the lab is an What about the notion that the lab is an artificial environment?artificial environment?

““Well sure, species X behaves like Y in the Well sure, species X behaves like Y in the lab, and so does species Z, but, that’s in lab, and so does species Z, but, that’s in the lab, so it is not real behaviour”the lab, so it is not real behaviour”

Oh shut upOh shut upLooking at effects in isolation is the Looking at effects in isolation is the

essence of experimentationessence of experimentation In order to control conditonsIn order to control conditons

There is nothing wrong with looking at stuff There is nothing wrong with looking at stuff in the real world, let’s be clear on thatin the real world, let’s be clear on that

It is a great place to test the generality of It is a great place to test the generality of your findingyour finding Indeed, if something only happens in the lab, is Indeed, if something only happens in the lab, is

it that interesting?it that interesting? It is a great place to get ideasIt is a great place to get ideasStill, testing theories (which tend to be Still, testing theories (which tend to be

statements about cause and effect statements about cause and effect relationships) is best done under controlled relationships) is best done under controlled conditionsconditions

CausationCausation

To make causal inferences you need three To make causal inferences you need three things:things:

1) Covariation1) Covariation2) Temporal Precedence2) Temporal Precedence3) Elimination of alternative explanations3) Elimination of alternative explanationsUnless you satisfy all three of these you Unless you satisfy all three of these you

cannot say that X causes Ycannot say that X causes Y

Judging TheoriesJudging Theories

Theories must be falsifiableTheories must be falsifiableMust make precise enough predictions to be Must make precise enough predictions to be

shown falseshown falseThe simpler the theory the betterThe simpler the theory the betterThe more general the theory the betterThe more general the theory the betterFruitful theories are good theoriesFruitful theories are good theoriesTheories make predictionsTheories make predictions

Judging TheoriesJudging Theories

That was not an exhaustive listThat was not an exhaustive listBeware the Einstein syndromeBeware the Einstein syndromeSo, how do we test theories?So, how do we test theories?Well, we have to collect dataWell, we have to collect data

How do we collect dataHow do we collect data

AnecdotesAnecdotesCan be useful for generating hypothesesCan be useful for generating hypothesesLousy for testing theoriesLousy for testing theories I know a guy who….I know a guy who….

Observational approachesObservational approachesNeed for operationismNeed for operationismExample, Imprinting studiesExample, Imprinting studies

More ways to test theoriesMore ways to test theories

CorrelationCorrelation Still not causationStill not causation Which direction?Which direction?

ExperimentationExperimentation Vary one variableVary one variable Observe the otherObserve the other Hold all others constantHold all others constant Watch out for confoundsWatch out for confounds Placebo effectsPlacebo effects expectationexpectation

More key points about More key points about experimentationexperimentation

Double blind proceduresDouble blind proceduresComparing groupsComparing groupsLooking at change over timeLooking at change over timeSystematic replicationSystematic replicationStatistical methods are used to see if Statistical methods are used to see if

group differences are ‘real’group differences are ‘real’

Different approaches to learningDifferent approaches to learning

Behaviourist vs. CognitivistBehaviourist vs. CognitivistThe true behaviourist deals only with the The true behaviourist deals only with the

observableobservableBehaviourists rarely use intervening Behaviourists rarely use intervening

variablesvariables

stimulus behaviourInterveningvariable

However….However….

Cognitive psychologists do not just toss Cognitive psychologists do not just toss intervening variables around carelesslyintervening variables around carelessly

Cognitive psychologists study Cognitive psychologists study representationsrepresentations

Explain Suzuki et al, 1980 without any Explain Suzuki et al, 1980 without any reference to a spatial representationreference to a spatial representation

You can’tYou can’t

Cognition and behaviourCognition and behaviour

Both cognitive and behaviourist Both cognitive and behaviourist psychologists study humans and non psychologists study humans and non humanshumans

We are animalsWe are animalsEach species is different, though there are Each species is different, though there are

some overriding commonalitiessome overriding commonalities

EthicsEthics

There are potential ethical issuesThere are potential ethical issuesYou can’t test animal learning with a tissue You can’t test animal learning with a tissue

culturecultureRules are strictRules are strictSome are actually ridiculousSome are actually ridiculousCCACCCAC IACCIACCA – E ratingA – E rating

Who pays for it?Who pays for it?

You doYou doNSERCNSERCThey pay between 10 and 60 K or so to They pay between 10 and 60 K or so to

qualified researchersqualified researchersVERY competitiveVERY competitivePay for grad school for somePay for grad school for somePostdocsPostdocs

Determinism and free willDeterminism and free will

Many scientists are deterministsMany scientists are deterministsMe for exampleMe for exampleWith enough data I can predict the futureWith enough data I can predict the futureHard to get all the dateHard to get all the dateSo, it feels like you have free willSo, it feels like you have free will