Cognition and LearningCognition and Learning
How can you tell if someone is How can you tell if someone is learning?learning?
Albert EinsteinAlbert Einstein did not begin did not begin to speak until he was three to speak until he was three years old. His parents years old. His parents feared he would never talk. feared he would never talk.
As a child, As a child, Thomas EdisonThomas Edison had trouble with grammar had trouble with grammar and spelling. His head was and spelling. His head was so large his parents thought so large his parents thought he might be retarded. he might be retarded.
Phobias and ConditioningPhobias and Conditioning Phobias are Phobias are
irrational fears of irrational fears of specific objects, specific objects, animals, or animals, or situationssituations
People acquire People acquire phobias through phobias through conditioningconditioning
Classical ConditioningClassical Conditioning A learning A learning
procedure in which procedure in which subjects make subjects make associations associations between a natural between a natural stimulus and a stimulus and a neutral stimulusneutral stimulus
Ivan PavlovIvan Pavlov Tuning Tuning
fork/salivationfork/salivation
The ExperimentThe Experiment
A neutral stimulus A neutral stimulus can replace a can replace a natural stimulus if natural stimulus if it’s presented just it’s presented just before that stimulusbefore that stimulus
Food = Food = unconditioned unconditioned stimulus (US)stimulus (US)
Salivation = Salivation = unconditioned unconditioned response (UR)response (UR)
Other TermsOther Terms
Conditioned Conditioned stimulus stimulus (CS) = tuning fork(CS) = tuning fork
Salivation = Salivation = conditioned conditioned response (CR)response (CR)
Conditioned Conditioned responses are responses are learned, not natural learned, not natural or reflexiveor reflexive
Classical ConditioningClassical Conditioning
Principles of Principles of Classical ConditioningClassical Conditioning
Acquisition of a conditioned response Acquisition of a conditioned response occurs graduallyoccurs gradually
Timing is very importantTiming is very important The intensity of the US The intensity of the US
(unconditioned stimulus)- hunger(unconditioned stimulus)- hunger
GeneralizationGeneralization Occurs when a Occurs when a
subject responds to subject responds to a second stimulus a second stimulus similar to the similar to the original (CS) original (CS) without any without any conditioningconditioning
Add an oval Add an oval alongside circle, alongside circle, dogs would also dogs would also salivate at the oval salivate at the oval alone.alone.
DiscriminationDiscrimination The ability to respond differently to The ability to respond differently to
different stimulidifferent stimuli Generalization and discrimination are Generalization and discrimination are
each a part of everyday lifeeach a part of everyday life For example, when some people hear
the sound of a dentist’s drill (CS), they become afraid (CR). After several uncomfortable sessions at the dentist, those people may generalize this feeling and become afraid when they hear any kind of drill. Later, those people may learn to discriminate between the sound of the dentist’s drill and that of a regular electric drill.
ExtinctionExtinction
The gradual weakening and eventual The gradual weakening and eventual disappearance of a conditioned disappearance of a conditioned responseresponse
The response disappears but is not The response disappears but is not forgotten (spontaneous recovery)forgotten (spontaneous recovery)
Response to a tone w/o food would Response to a tone w/o food would eventually weaken/disappear.eventually weaken/disappear.
Called “Reconditioning”Called “Reconditioning”
Extinction and Extinction and Spontaneous RecoverySpontaneous Recovery
John B. WatsonJohn B. Watson
The case of The case of “Little Albert”“Little Albert”
Fear responseFear response EthicsEthics
Classical Conditioning Classical Conditioning and Pleasant Responseand Pleasant Response
Advertising Advertising campaigns use campaigns use classical classical conditioningconditioning
Pairing a healthy, Pairing a healthy, young, pretty young, pretty model with a model with a productproduct
John WatsonJohn Watson
Classical Conditioning and Classical Conditioning and Products that Pose Health RisksProducts that Pose Health Risks
Positive EmotionsPositive Emotions
All types of emotions All types of emotions can be classically can be classically conditioned- conditioned- Examples:Examples:
A song on the radioA song on the radio Scent, fragrance, or Scent, fragrance, or
perfumeperfume Passing a bakeryPassing a bakery
Applications: Drug AddictionApplications: Drug Addiction
Withdrawal/“cold Withdrawal/“cold turkey”turkey”
Cues or triggers in Cues or triggers in the environment can the environment can reawaken their reawaken their craving.craving.
Avoidance of cuesAvoidance of cues
Taste AversionsTaste Aversions
John GarciaJohn Garcia explained explained the role of classical the role of classical conditioning in conditioning in creating creating TTaste aste Aversions-Aversions- when a when a subject associates the subject associates the taste of a certain food of a certain food with symptoms caused with symptoms caused by a by a toxic, spoiled, or , spoiled, or poisonous substance substance
Timing/single instanceTiming/single instance
Taste Aversion: An Taste Aversion: An ApplicationApplication
Aversions can have Aversions can have survival benefitssurvival benefits
How to protect How to protect sheep from coyotes sheep from coyotes without killing the without killing the coyotescoyotes
Injected sheep Injected sheep carcasses with a carcasses with a poison that would poison that would sicken the coyotes, sicken the coyotes, but not kill them.but not kill them.
Operant ConditioningOperant Conditioning
Groundwork for Groundwork for Operant ConditioningOperant Conditioning
Edward Thorndike-Edward Thorndike- puzzle boxes were puzzle boxes were arranged so that an arranged so that an animal would be animal would be required to perform a required to perform a certain response (pulling certain response (pulling a lever or pushing a a lever or pushing a button), while he button), while he measured the amount of measured the amount of time it took them to time it took them to escapeescape
Thinking and reasoningThinking and reasoning
The Puzzle BoxThe Puzzle Box Thorndike used a Thorndike used a
hungry cat who hungry cat who needed to learn a needed to learn a particular response particular response (stepping on a (stepping on a pedal) which would pedal) which would unlock a door with unlock a door with food behind itfood behind it
The “law of The “law of effect/instrumental effect/instrumental learning”learning”