Unit 5: Learning

Topic: Social Theories of Learning

 key name

Albert BANDURA
b. 1925

•Researched social theories of

learning (a.k.a. observational learning or modeling)
•Conducted the famous “Bobo
the clown” experiment
1887-1967 key name

Wolfgang KOHLER
•Insight learning. Argued
that animals do not simply
learn through trial and error
but from insight learning
(a.k.a. the “aha!” moment)
 Kohler’s Experiment

PROBLEM: Food has been placed beyond the

reach of the chimps, outside a closed pen.
The chimps behavior all seemed to follow a similar
pattern that suggested to Kohler that the chimps
were demonstrating insight and planning
1. failure
the chimp jumps fruitlessly at bananas that have been hung out of
reach

2. pause
after a period of unsuccessful jumping, the chimp apparently
becomes angry or frustrated, walks away in seeming disgust, pauses

3. look at the potential tools

the chimp looks at the food in what might be a more reflective way, then
at the toys in the enclosure, then back at the food, and then at the toys
again.

4. the attempt
the animal begins to use the toys to get at the food
 Insight is also know as an
“Aha! Moment” or “Lightbulb Moment”
Unit 5: Learning
Associative learning*: learning that two
events are linked together. Both classical and
operant conditioning are types of associative
learning.
Unit 5: Learning

Topic: Classical Conditioning

“Brian Wilson” by the Barenaked Ladies

It’s a matter of instinct,

a matter of conditioning,
a matter of fact.
You can call me Pavlov’s dog.
Ring a bell and I’ll salivate,
How’d you like that?”
1849-1936 key name

Ivan PAVLOV
•discovered classical
conditioning
•conducted the famous
salivating dog experiment
Dog in Pavlov’s Apparatus (clip)
 Pavlov’s Dog Experiment

NS (neutral stimulus): tuning fork / bell

UCS (unconditioned stimulus) sight of food

UCR (unconditioned response) salivation

CS (conditioned stimulus) tuning fork / bell

CR (conditioned response) salivation

Every time I go near the cabinet where Rover’s
treats are kept, Rover comes and sits,
waiting for a treat.
NS (neutral stimulus): cabinet

UCS (unconditioned stimulus) treats

UCR (unconditioned response) come and sit

CS (conditioned stimulus) cabinet

CR (conditioned response) come and sit

Bobby watched the movie JAWS when he was 4-
years-old. Now, every time he hears the song,
“da-duh, dah-duh, da-duh…) he gets anxious.
NS (neutral stimulus): “da-duh”

UCS (unconditioned stimulus) scary movie

UCR (unconditioned response) fear / anxiety

CS (conditioned stimulus) “da-duh”

CR (conditioned response) fear / anxiety

Pavlov's Dog in the Office
 Pavlov’s Dog – the Office

NS (neutral stimulus): “computer sound”

UCS (unconditioned stimulus) offer of mint

UCR (unconditioned response) put hand out

CS (conditioned stimulus) “computer sound”

CR (conditioned response) put hand out

Lemonade Activity*
 More Classical Conditioning Terminology

extinction when a CR no longer follows a CS

Remember the example of a person fearing the Jaws song?

CS (conditioned stimulus) “da-duh”

CR (conditioned response) fear / anxiety

 More Classical Conditioning Terminology

Reappearance of an extinguished
spontaneous response after a rest period
recovery
CS (conditioned stimulus) “da-duh”

CR (conditioned response) fear / anxiety

Time Passes

CS (conditioned stimulus) “da-duh”

CR (conditioned response) fear / anxiety

 More Classical Conditioning Terminology

generalization similar stimuli elicit similar responses

Remember Pavlov’s dog example?

CS (conditioned stimulus) tuning fork

Now the dog salivates whenever he hears bells,
alarm clocks, or music. The dog has GENERALIZED.

CR (conditioned response) salivation

 More Classical Conditioning Terminology

learned ability to distinguish between a CS

discrimination and other similar stimuli

Remember Pavlov’s dog example?

CS (conditioned stimulus) tuning fork

CR (conditioned response) salivation

The dog only salivates when he hears that particular
tuning fork; never when he hears bells, alarm clocks,
or music. The dog has DISCRIMINATED.
More Classical Conditioning Terminology

extinction when a CR no longer follows a CS

Reappearance of an extinguished
spontaneous response after a rest period
recovery
generalization similar stimuli elicit similar responses

learned ability to distinguish between

discrimination a CS and other similar stimuli
Can I Get A Volunteer to Be
Conditioned?*
 “Water in the Face Demo”

NS (neutral stimulus): The word “CAN”

UCS (unconditioned stimulus) Spray

UCR (unconditioned response) Wincing at spray

CS (conditioned stimulus) The word “CAN”

CR (conditioned response) Wincing at “CAN”

1878-1958 key name

John WATSON
•founder of Behaviorism
•conducted the famous &
controversial “Little Albert”
experiment
• Little Albert Video
Turn off sound!
 Watson’s Baby Albert Experiment

NS (neutral stimulus): furry things

UCS (unconditioned stimulus) loud noise

UCR (unconditioned response) startled

CS (conditioned stimulus) furry things

CR (conditioned response) startled

 Comparing
Classical Conditioning & Operant Conditioning
• Behavior affected is • Behavior affected is
usually INVOLUNTARY usually VOLUNTARY

• Key events are • Key events are

PRESENTED to the PRODUCED by the
learner learner
• Events CAUSE the • Events CONTROL the
behavior behavior

• The learner does not • The learner has a

have a choice choice
 Pigeon ping-pong
Schedules of Reinforcement
(pigeon pecking behavior)

Shaping pigeon turning

behavior
Training a puppy to roll over
• Shaping a dog's behavior - the clicker
technique
 Unit 5: Learning

Topic: Operant Conditioning