UNIT 3 AOS2 - SAC 2 Flashcards
Define learning.
Learning = is commonly defined as a relatively permanent change in behaviour that occurs as a result of experience.
Explain Behaviourist Approaches to Learning.
- It can occur INTENTIONALLY (eg. taking piano lessons) or UNINTENTIONALLY (while watching someone play the piano.
- It can also be ACTIVE (eg. practicing your times tables) or PASSIVE (eg. Hearing about the footy results on the radio).
Define Behaviourist Approaches.
Behaviourist Approaches = emphasise the study of OBSERVABLE behaviour alone to understand and explain learning (without regard to mental processes or states such as thoughts, feelings, motives and consciousness).
Classical and Operant conditioning are the two predominant behaviourist approaches to explain learning.
Explain classical conditioning.
Classical Conditioning = a type of learning that occurs through the repeated association of two (or more) different stimuli. An automatic/involuntary response.
- Learning is only said to have occurred when a particular stimulus consistently produces a response that it did not previously produce.
ie. Opening the food cupboard at home consistently produces salivation in your dog expecting dinner.
- CONDITIONING = The process of learning associations between a stimulus and a response. Means LEARNING.
- PAVLOV, 1920s, Russian physiologist, was conducting research on the digestive system in dogs.
- As a result of his research, clear evidence was provided for a very SIMPLE type of learning which was based on the repetitive association of different stimuli.
(Wizzfizz experiment)
Explain Pavlov’s experiment in the three-phase model.
Pavlov paired a bell sound with the meat powder and found that even when the meat powder was not presented, the dog would eventually begin to salivate after hearing the bell.
BEFORE LEARNING:
- The BELL has no learned response so it is called the Neutral Stimulus.
- Since the MEAT POWDER naturally results in SALIVATION, these two variables are called the Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) and the Unconditioned Response (UCR), respectively.
DURING LEARNING:
The BELL and the Meat powder are repeatedly presented together.
- The bell and salivation are not naturally occurring; the dog was conditioned to respond to the bell.
AFTER LEARNING:
- Therefore, the BELL becomes the Conditioned Stimulus (CS), and the salivation to the bell becomes the Conditioned Response (CR).
List simply Pavlov’s experiment in the three-phase model.
NS - Bell
UCS - Meat
UCR - Salivation
CS - Bell
CR - Salivation
List the Elements of Classical Conditioning.
- Association/Acquisition
- Neutral Stimulus (NS)
- Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
- Unconditioned Response (UCR)
- Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
- Conditioned Response (CR)
Define Association/Acquisition.
Association/Acquisition = the process through which an organism learns to associate two events (NS and UCS – Bell and Meat).
- The most important part of Classical Conditioning.
Define Neutral Stimulus (NS).
Neutral Stimulus (NS) = The name given to the conditioned stimulus before it becomes conditioned. Referred to as ‘neutral’ stimulus while it fails to produce a response.
- (Alarm before learning).
Define Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS).
Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS) = Any stimulus which consistently produces a particular naturally occurring automatic response.
- (Wizz fizz before learning)
Define Unconditioned Response (UCR).
Unconditioned Response (UCR) = The response which occurs automatically as a result of the unconditioned stimulus. A reflexive or involuntary response to the UCS. (Salivation from eating wizz fizz).
It is UNCONSCIOUS and REFLEXIVE
Define Conditioned Stimulus (CS).
Conditioned Stimulus (CS) = The stimulus that would not normally produce the unconditioned response (UCR), but does so eventually because of its association with the unconditioned stimulus (UCS). This is initially the NS.
- (Alarm AFTER learning)
Define Conditioned Response (CR).
Conditioned Response (CR) = The learned or acquired response to the conditioned stimulus.
- (Salivation to sound of alarm AFTER learning).
Explain Operant Conditioning.
Operant Conditioning = A learning process where the consequences of a behaviour determine the likelihood that it will be performed again in the future.
A response that has a desirable consequence will tend to be repeated and a response that has an undesirable consequence will tend not to be repeated.
Outline the three-phase model of Operant Conditioning.
- The Antecedent (A) (a stimulus) that precedes (comes before) the behaviour. (Also sometimes called ‘Discriminative Stimulus’).
- ‘What happened before’ - The Behaviour (B) that occurs because of the Antecedent.
- ‘What happens’ - The Consequence (C) to the behaviour (which then determines future behaviours).
- ‘What happens after’
Antecedent ➡ Behaviour ➡ Consequence
Explain the experiment study that operant conditioning is based on.
- Skinner placed a pigeon (or a rat) into a SKINNER BOX. The box contained a lever and a food tray.
- The animal would move around the cage and at some stage it would accidentally press the lever – releasing a food pellet.
- Skinner took note of how many trials it took for the rat to learn to press the lever straight away.
- Skinner concluded that BEHAVIOUR IS SHAPED AND MAINTAINED BY ITS CONSEQUENCES.
- Meaning, that what happens directly after a behaviour will determine if that behaviour will be repeated (strengthened) or will stop (weakened).
Identify Skinner’s experiment in the operant conditioning three-phase model.
Antecedent = Hungry animal in cage
Behaviour = Taps lever
Consequence =
- Gets a food pellet = More likely to repeat
(Reinforcement).
- Gets electric shock = Less likely to repeat
(Punishment).
Outline the key to understanding positive and negative in relation to reinforcement and punishment.
Positive = adds
Negative = takes away
List the Elements of Operant Conditioning.
- Reinforcement
- Reinforcer
- Positive Reinforcement
- Negative Reinforcement
- Punishment
- Positive Punishment
- Negative Punishment
- Acquisition
Define Reinforcement.
Reinforcement = = Any stimulus that strengthens or increases the likelihood of a response that it follows.
Can either involve receiving a pleasant stimulus or ‘escaping’ an unpleasant one.
Define Reinforcer.
Reinforcer = Any stimulus that provides reinforcement, often referred to as a reward.
Define Positive Reinforcement.
Positive Reinforcement = ADDING a PLEASANT stimulus (consequence) following a desired response, thereby strengthening the response or making it more likely to occur again.
E.g. The food pellet. This BIRD is amazing
Or:
We wash the dishes at home, receive praise (+ positive reinforcement) and then are more likely to do it again.
Define Negative Reinforcement.
Negative Reinforcement = The removal or avoidance of an unpleasant stimulus; because the outcome is a pleasant one, the removal of the unpleasant stimulus is strengthened or more likely to occur again.
Eg. We take a panadol to get rid of a headache
(We add something to the situation to remove an unpleasant stimulus. Then more likely to take panadol again).
OR
On a rainy day we use an umbrella to remove the unpleasant experience of having wet clothes.
Define Punishment.
Punishment = Any stimulus that weakens or reduces the likelihood of a response that it follows.
Can either involve receiving an unpleasant stimulus or losing a pleasant one.
Define Positive Punishment.
Positive Punishment = A negative consequence (an unpleasant event or the addition of something that is unpleasant) following a response which decreases the likelihood of that response occurring again.
EG: Receiving a speeding fine and demerit points for speeding. These are unpleasant consequences intending to reduce the behaviour.
(+ Positive Punishment)
Define Negative Punishment.
Negative Punishment = The removal or loss of a stimulus, therefore decreasing the likelihood of a response occurring again.
If you continue to speed, you will accumulate points and lose your license. This is the removal of something pleasant as a form of punishment.
(- Negative Punishment)
Define Acquisition.
Acquisition = The establishment of a response through reinforcement. The speed of acquisition depends on the schedule of reinforcement applied.
Compare Acquisition in operant conditioning to classical conditioning.
Similar to CLASSICAL CONDITIONING in that it refers to the overall learning process during which a response is established, but differs with regard to HOW the behaviour is learned.
Distinguish between Classical Conditioning and Operant Conditioning.
CC = UCS must occur first, then response.
OC = Response (behaviour) first then consequence.
CC = The response’s nature is Involuntary/Reflexive.
OC = The response’s nature is Voluntary.
CC = The role of the learner is PASSIVE.
OC = The role of the learner is ACTIVE.
Simplify positive and negative punishment and reinforcement.
+ Positive reinforcement = Adding something valuable or desirable.
- Negative reinforcement = Avoiding something unpleasant.
+ Positive Punishment = Adding something unpleasant.
- Negative Punishment = Removing something valued or desired.
Define Social Cognitive Approaches to Learning.
Social Cognitive Approaches to Learning = emphasises the social context in which learning occurs and the cognitive processes which influence the individual in the learning process.
- Albert Bandura is the most prominent researcher in this area.
Define Observational Learning.
Observational Learning = involves the acquisition of information, skill or behaviour through watching the performance of others, either directly or indirectly (through media or other means).
- (the pen trick experiment)
Identify the role of the learner in Observational Learning.
The learner plays an active role in the learning process.
There are five criteria that must be met for observational learning to occur.
