Learning Outline
Classical Conditioning
Classical Conditioning - a type of learning in which one learns to link two stimuli and
anticipate events.

Behaviorism - the view that psychology (1) should be an objective science
that (2) studies behavior without reference to mental processes. Most
research psychologists today agree with (1) but not with (2)
Stimuli and Responses




Unconditioned response (UR) - the unrelated naturally occurring response to
the unconditioned stimulus (US)
Unconditioned stimulus (US) - a stimulus that unconditionally-naturally and
automatically-triggers a response
Conditioned response (CR) - the learned response to a previously neutral
(but now conditioned) stimulus (CS)
Conditioned stimulus (CS) - an originally irrelevant stimulus that, after
associations with an unconditioned stimulus (US), comes to trigger a
conditioned response
Other terms






Acquisition - the initial stage, when one links a neutral stimulus and an
unconditioned stimulus so that the neutral stimulus begins triggering the
conditioned response in operant conditioning, the strengthening of a
reinforced response
Higher-order conditioning - a procedure in which the conditioned stimulus in
one conditioning experience is paired with a new neutral stimulus, creating a
second (often weaker) conditioned stimulus. For example, an animal that has
learned that a tone predicts food might then learn that a light predicts the tone
and begin responding to the light alone (also called second-order
conditioning)
Extinction - the diminishing of a conditioned response: occurs in classical
conditioning when an unconditioned stimulus (US) does not follow a
conditioned stimulus (CS); occurs in operant conditioning when a response is
no longer reinforced
Spontaneous recovery - the reappearance, after a pause, of an extinguished
conditioned response
Generalization - the tendency, once a response has been conditioned, for
stimuli similar to the conditioned stimulus to elicit similar responses
Discrimination - the learned ability to distinguish between a conditioned
stimulus and stimuli that do not signal an unconditioned stimulus
Classical Conditioning Experiments
Initial Experiment
Experimenter- Ivan Pavlov (Russian scientist)
-Originally studying the digestive system

Studied dog salivation when eating food
-Set out food and would ring bell to get dog’s attention
-Then would measure the amount of saliva produced while eating

Eventually started drooling when the bell was rung (before eating the food)
-Pavlov viewed it at first as an annoyance to his experiments

Started pairing the food and bell constantly and eventually removed the food
-Dog would drool at the sound of the bell

After enough times without food, bell no longer produced drool
Parts of Experiment
1. Unconditioned Stimulus- Food
2. Unconditioned Response- Salivation
3. Conditioned Stimulus- Bell Sound
-Food + Bell Sound
4.
Conditioned Response- Salivation
5. Extinction- Stopped drooling when bell was no longer paired with food
Basic Experiment
1. US- Passionate Kiss
2. UR- Sexual Arousal
3. CS- Onion Breath
-Passionate Kiss + Onion Breath
4.
CR- Sexual arousal
Taste Aversion
1. US- Drugs
2. UR- Side Effect of Nausea
3. CS- Favorite Food
-Drugs + Favorite Food
4.
CR- Side Effect of Nausea
Operant Conditioning
Operant Conditioning - a type of learning in which behavior is strengthened if
followed by a reinforce or diminished if followed by a punisher





Respondent behavior - behavior that occurs as an automatic response to
some stimulus
Operant behavior - behavior that operates on the environment, producing
consequences
Law of effect - Thorndike’s principle that behaviors followed by favorable
consequences become more likely, and that behaviors followed by
unfavorable consequences become less likely
Operant chamber - in operant conditioning research, a chamber (also known
as a Skinner box) containing a bar or key that an animal can manipulate to
obtain a food or water reinforce; attached devices record the animal’s rate of
bar pressing or key pecking
Shaping - an operant conditioning procedure in which reinforces guide
behavior toward closer and closer approximations of the desired behavior
Reinforce - in operant conditioning, any event that strengthens the behavior it follows




Positive reinforcement - increasing behaviors by presenting positive stimuli,
such as food. A positive reinforce is any stimulus that, when presented after
a response, strengthens the response
Negative reinforcement - increasing behaviors by stopping or reducing
negative stimuli, such as a shock. A negative reinforce is any stimulus that,
when removed after a response, strengthens the response. (Note: negative
reinforcement is not punishment)
Primary reinforce - an innately reinforcing stimulus, such as one that satisfies
a biological need
Conditioned reinforce - a stimulus that gains its reinforcing power through its
association with a primary reinforce; also known as a secondary reinforce
Schedules of Reinforcement



Continuous reinforcement - reinforcing the desired response every time it
occurs
Partial (intermittent) reinforcement - reinforcing a response only part of the
time; results in slower acquisition of a response but much greater resistance
to extinction than does continuous reinforcement
Fixed-ratio schedule - in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule that
reinforces a response only after a specified number of responses



Variable-ratio schedule - in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule
that reinforces a response after an unpredictable number of responses
Fixed-interval schedule - in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule
that reinforces a response only after a specified time has elapsed
Variable-interval schedule - in operant conditioning, a reinforcement schedule
that reinforces a response at unpredictable time intervals
Punishment - an event that decreases the behavior that it follows
1.
2.
3.
4.
Punished behavior is suppressed, not forgotten.
Punishment teaches discrimination.
Punishment can teach fear.
Physical punishment may increase aggressiveness by modeling aggression
as a way to cope with problems.
Cognition and operant conditioning




Cognitive map - a mental representation of the layout of one’s
environment. For example, after exploring a maze, rats act as if they have
learned a cognitive map of it
Latent learning - learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an
incentive to demonstrate it
Intrinsic motivation - a desire to perform a behavior effectively for its own
sake
Extrinsic motivation - a desire to perform a behavior to receive promised
rewards or avoid threatened punishment
B.F. Skinner’s Experiment
Experimenter- B.F. Skinner





Would use pigeons, rats, or sometimes primates
Wanted to see the effect of positive and negative reinforcement and
punishment would have on these animals and how this would motivate them
into doing certain actions.
The cage required that there was an unconditioned stimulus, such as water or
a food pellet.
The pigeon would be in the cage. When the light came on, the pigeon would
go up and peck the button that was in the cage. This would then give the bird
the positive reinforcement of the food pellet.
A rat would also be used in which they would press a button and be given
negative reinforcement of having the shocking on the bottom of the cage
stop.
Observational Learning



Nurture way of looking at learning
Children learn from what they see others do (family, teachers, friends, etc.)
Bandura’s “Bo-Bo Doll” Experiment
- Children played normally in a playroom
-Then watched an adult play in the room (often hitting a balloon clown,
shooting toy guns)
-Children went back into play and imitated the adult (monkey see monkey do)
Credits
Emily Myers : Operant Conditioning Definitions
Katie Urmann: Classical Conditioning Definitions
Kellie Wambold: Classical Conditioning Experiments
Leigh Ann Hall: Operant Experiments
Ashley Denae- Observational Learning