PSYCH 9B Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Sonoran Desert, Prairie Dog, Classical Conditioning
Document Summary
Inherent interest in why we do what we do, and why we feel what we feel. Learning theory: the core of what we do. What is it: change in behavior or knowledge as a result of experience or instruction, occurs at biological (brain) and behavioral level. Why should we care: learning is core to our existence, our ability to change, our functioning, and our adaptation. Shot: learned that sticking needles into your body hurts: single cells also learn to change their shape in response if probed by a needle, dogs. Interest in understanding both how learning takes place and why: types: what types of learning, consequences: what happens when learning takes place, biology: what changes at a biological level. Focus first on simple forms, then test to see if they generalize. A decrease in the strength of a response after repeated presentation of a stimulus. Respond more strongly over time to repeated dangerous, irritating, or both stimuli.
