Learning

Long lasting
change in
behavior due to
experience
 Classical Conditioning
(a.k.a. respondent conditioning)

• Studied Digestion of
Dogs
• Dogs would salivate
before they were
given food (triggered
by sounds, lights
etc…)
• Dogs must have
LEARNED to salivate Ivan Pavlov
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhqumfpxuzI
Classical Conditioning

• This is passive learning

(automatic…learner does
NOT have to think)
• First thing you need is a
unconditional relationship
– Unconditional Stimulus
(UCS/US)- something that
elicits a natural, reflexive
response
– Unconditional Response
(UCR/UR)- response to the
UCS/US

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfT
Tm-rgFFI&list=PL5323550EAE54D71
2&index=29&feature=plpp_video
 Classical Conditioning
• Next you find a neutral stimulus (NS
-something that by itself elicits no response)
• You present the stimulus with the UCS/US a
whole bunch of times
 Classical Conditioning
• After a while, the
body begins to link
together the NS
with the UCS/US
• Acquisition!
 Classical Conditioning
• We know learning takes
place when the
previously neutral
stimulus elicits a
response
• At this point the
neutral stimulus is
called the conditioned
stimulus (CS) and the
unconditioned response
becomes the
conditioned response
(CR)
 Classical Conditioning
• TRICKY FACT: We know learning exists
because the CS is linked to the UCS/US

• This is called ACQUISITION

– Acquisition does not last forever

• The moment the CS is no longer associated

with the UCS/US, we have EXTINCTION
– (example - dog stops sitting when you give
command without a treat)
Popular Classical Conditioning Examples
See if you can identify the Unconditioned Stimulus?
Conditioned Response?

Classical Conditioning as
portrayed in The Office
https://youtu.be/PBb1CH18Smg?si=9hCz7WLR65RW1sSg
 Spontaneous Recovery
• Sometimes after extinction the CR still randomly
appears after the CS is presented; this is called
spontaneous recovery.
• Let's say I condition (teach/train) a rat to press a
lever whenever I ring a bell.
– Then I teach the rat to press the lever when I flash
a light and not when I ring the bell.
– Once I've accomplished this, we can say that the
first conditioned response (pressing the lever when
I ring the bell) has been extinguished.
– But then one day, the rat starts to press the lever
when I ring the bell and not when I flash the light.
– In this situation, there was spontaneous recovery of
the response that was previously extinguished.
 Classical Conditioning & Humans
• John Watson brought Classical Conditioning to
psychology with his Baby Albert experiment

This type of Classical Conditioning is a.k.a. Aversive Conditioning

 Learned Taste Aversion
• When it comes to
food being paired
with sickness, the
conditioning is
incredibly strong
• Even when food and
sickness are hours
apart
• Food must be salient
(i.e. noticeable).
Operant Conditioning

The Learner is NOT passive.

Learning is based on
consequence!!!
The Law of Effect

• Edward Thorndike
• Locked cats in a cage
• Behavior changes because
of its consequences
• Rewards strengthen
behavior
• If consequences are
unpleasant, the
Stimulus-Reward
connection will weaken
• Called the whole process
“Instrumental Learning”
(trial and error)
 B.F. Skinner
• The “Father of
Operant
Conditioning”
• Believed in nurturing
through and through
• Used a Skinner Box
(a.k.a. Operant
Conditioning
Chamber) to prove
his concepts
 Reinforcers
• A reinforcer is anything that
INCREASES a behavior

• Positive Reinforcement:
The addition of something pleasant
(candy for good work)
• Negative Reinforcement:
The removal of something unpleasant
(seat belt alarm)
 The consequence The consequence takes
provides something something away
($$, spanking, reward) (removes headache or
timeout)

The consequence makes

Positive Negative the behavior more likely
Reinforcement Reinforcement to happen in the future.

Positive The consequence makes

Negative the behavior less likely
Punishment Punishment to happen in the future.
Punishment
Meant to decrease a
behavior
Positive Punishment
• Addition of something
unpleasant (detention)
Negative Punishment
(a.k.a. Omission
Training)
• Removal of something
pleasant (no more Ipad)
Punishment works best
when it is done
immediately after
behavior and if it is
harsh!
How do we actually use Operant
Conditioning? To train a dog to get
your slippers, you
Do we wait for the would have to
reinforce him in small
subject to deliver the steps. First, to find
the slippers. Then to
desired behavior? put them in his mouth.
Then to bring them to
Sometimes, we use a you and so on…this is
shaping behavior.
process called shaping
Shaping is reinforcing
small steps on the way
to the desired
behavior
Popular Operant Conditioning
Examples
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
ENidblhm1M8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
EWyZHSZf3TM
(6 min.)

• What is the learned

behavior?
• How is it being
conditioned?
○ pos/neg reinforcement
or pos/neg
punishment?
Classical vs. Operant Conditioning
 Chaining Behaviors
• Subjects are taught a
number of responses
successively in order
to get a reward

A rat chaining behaviors:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A9sPBftMQg

Pigeon Ping-Pong:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_u1Zhh5ZfGM
 Primary v. Secondary
Reinforcers
Primary Reinforcer Secondary Reinforcer
• Things that are in • Things we have learned to
themselves rewarding value
• Money is a special
secondary reinforcer
called a generalized
reinforcer (because it can
be traded for just about
anything!)
 Token Economy
• Every time a desired
behavior is performed,
a token is given
• They can trade tokens
in for a variety of
prizes (reinforcers) –
like Chuck E Cheese!
• Used in homes, prisons,
mental institutions, and
schools
 Reinforcement Schedules
How often do you give
the reinforcer?
• Every time or just
sometimes you see
the behavior?
 Continuous v. Partial Reinforcement
Continuous Partial
• Reinforce the behavior • Reinforce the behavior
EVERYTIME the behavior only SOME of the times
is exhibited it is exhibited
• Usually done when the • Acquisition comes more
subject is first learning slowly
to make the association • But is more resistant to
extinction
• Acquisition comes really
fast • FOUR types of Partial
Reinforcement
• But so does extinction schedules
 Ratio Schedules
1. Fixed Ratio 2. Variable Ratio
• Provides a • Provides a
reinforcement after a reinforcement after a
SET number of RANDOM number of
responses responses
• Very hard to get
acquisition but also very
resistant to extinction

Fixed Ratio - She gets a manicure

for every 5 pounds she loses
 Interval Schedules
3. Fixed Interval 4. Variable Interval
• Requires a SET amount • Requires a RANDOM
of time to elapse before amount of time to
giving the reinforcement elapse before giving the
reinforcement
• Very hard to get
acquisition but also very
resistant to extinction

Fixed Interval: She gets a

manicure for every 7 days she
stays on her diet
 Observational Learning
a.k.a. Social Learning Theory
• Albert Bandura and his
BoBo Doll
• We learn through
modeling behavior from
others
• Observational learning +
Operant Conditioning =
Social Learning Theory

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHHdovKHDNU
 Insight Learning
• Wolfgang Kohler and
his Chimpanzees
• Some animals learn
through the “ah ha”
experience

Insight learning.

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fPz6uvIbWZE
Learning Overview