NEUR1020 W11

• What is classical conditioning?


  A powerful form of learning that forms associations between stimuli and responses. It is when a previously neutral stimulus elicits the same response as another stimulus, after repeatedly being paired together
• In the generic dog scenario, what is the unconditioned stimulus (UCS) and unconditioned response (UCR)?


  UCS = food

  UCR = salivation
• In the generic dog scenario, what is the conditioned stimulus (CS) and conditioned response (CR)?


  CS = metronome

  CR = salivating
• What are the 4 principles of conditioning?


  Acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalisation/discrimination
• What is acquisition?


  CR is gradually acquired by repeated pairing of the UCS and CS instead of appearing instantly. Acquisition is time-sensitive of the CS and UCS, where presenting the CS shortly before the UCS is the most efficient learning.
• What does acquisition look like on a graph?

  Early learning is characterised by more rapid changes in the CR. Later on, the graph flattens out (asymptote) where there are less changes in the CR
• What is extinction?


  CR will reduce in strength and eventually disappear if it is repeatedly presented without the UCS. However, this isn't the same as forgetting the CS-UCS pairing.
• What is spontaneous recovery?


  Previously trained CS-CR association remains intact
• What is the difference between generalisation and discrimination?


  Generalisation is when stimuli similar to the CS will tend to elicit the same CR, while discrimination is when stimuli is not similar to the CS and it won't elicit the CR
• What are some examples of everyday classical conditioning?


  Advertising --> advertisers pair their products (CS) with an UCS to elicit the same thoughts as the UCS

  Fear and phobias
• Who was the scientist who discovered associations in classical conditioning?

  Ivan Pavlov
• What did John B Watson's study show about fear and learning?

  Fears were learned behaviours, not manifestations of unconscious conflict. Little Albert has no innate fear response to a rat, but when the rat is associated with a loud noise, the fear is generalised with the rat
• What type of conditioning is disgust towards stimuli classified as?

  Classical conditioning
• What is operant conditioning?

  Learning through reward and punishment
• What is the difference between reinforcement and punishment?


  Reinforcement is the outcome that increases the strength/frequency of a behaviour. Punishment is the outcome that decreases it
• What does reinforcement and punishment depend on?


  Positive (adding) or negative (removing)
• Is training by reinforcement or punishment more effective? Why?


  Reinforcement is more effective. This is because reinforcement is more focused and informative, while punishment can lead to unexpected outcomes as the learner may learn other ways to avoid it
• What are the principles of operant conditioning?


  Extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalisation/discrimination, acquisition (the closer in time a behaviour is followed by reinforcement, the more rapid learning), continuous vs partial reinforcement (Humphrey's paradox)
• What is the difference between continuous and partial reinforcement schedules?


  Continuous (reinforcement schedule A) = every instance the behaviour is reinforced

  Partial (reinforcement schedule B) = only some instances the behaviour is reinforced
• What is the learning outcome differences between reinforcement schedule A and B?


  Schedule A (continuous) = produces faster learning and acquisition

  Schedule B (partial) = produces more robust learning

  Consistent reinforcement produces weaker learning
• What are some applications of operant conditioning?


  Animal training and shaping, and fears and phobias