Module 4 - human learning Flashcards
(25 cards)
define learning
a relatively permanent change in behaviour that occurs as a result of experience
what is a fixed action pattern
occurs when all members of a species produce an identical response to the same specific environmental stimuli
what is a reflex
an automatic involuntary behaviour that does not require prior experience and occurs in the same way each time
what is maturation
a developmental process leading towards maturity based on the sequence of changes that occurs in the nervous system and other bodily structures controlled by genetics
what is conditioning
the process of learning associations between a stimulus in the environment and a response
what is classical conditioning
a type of learning that occurs through the repeated association of two or more different stimuli
classical conditioning- pavlov’s dogs (1899)
1- the aim was to study the role of saliva in the digestion of food in dogs
2- dogs salivated at the sight of food
3- it was observed that dogs salivated at the sight of the technician who repeatedly brought them food (they were conditioned to salivate after repeated pairings
4- varied stimulus such as a bell
what are the 4 key elements of classical conditioning
- The Unconditioned Stimulus (UCS)
is any stimulus that consistently produces a particular naturally occurring automatic response - The Unconditioned Response (UCR)
is the response that occurs automatically when the UCS is presented - The Conditioned Stimulus (CS)
is the stimulus that is neutral at the start and becomes the CS through the repeated pairing with the UCS - The Conditioned Response (CR)
the learned response that is produced by the CS
what is acquisition
the overall process during which an organism learns to associate two events (CS and UCS)
-faste rate of learning
what is extinction
the gradual decrease in the strength or rate of a CR that occurs when a UCS is no longer presented
what is spontaneous recovery
The reappearance of a CR when the CS is presented following a rest period
what is stimulus generalisation
in the tendency for another stimulus similar to the CS to produce a CR
what is stimulus discrimination
when an organism responds to the CS only
factors affecting classical conditioning
1- nature of the response
2- association of stimuli
3- frequency and timing of stimulus
what are the flaws of classical conditioning
1- pavlov considered CR to be a conditional reflex
2 - can only condition simple behaviours vs complex
what is one trial learning
a type of learning involving a relatively permanent change in behaviour that occurs as a result of one experience only
what is taste aversion
conditioned response that results from establishing an association between a particular food and being ill
Cancer patients study- Bernstein (1978)
chemo patients were given unusual flavours of ice cream
group
1- on chemo days
2- non chema days
3- not at all
group one developed a taste aversion
what is higher order conditioning
involves the introduction of another or several conditioned stimulus
Watson and Rayner’s Little Albert experiment
What are the UCS, UCR, CS, CR and neutral stimulus in the experiment
neutral- Rat
UCS- Noise
UCR- Fear
CS- Rat
CR- Fear
what is graduated exposure
involves presenting successive approximations of the CS until the CS itself does not produce the conditioned response
two types of exposure
imaginal
in vivio
what is flooding
involves brining the client into direct contact with the fear producing stimulus and keeping them in contact with it until the CR has been extinguished
