PSYC1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Little Albert Experiment, Systematic Desensitization, Classical Conditioning
26 Jun 2018
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Learning:
Define learning:
An enduring and observable change in an animal’s behaviour that results from its interactions with
its physical/social environments (ie. It’s experience)
- Difference between changes in behaviour that come from experiences compared to
conditions ie. Fatigue, or maturation
A behaviour is the activity of living organisms
Types of learning include, habituation, classical conditioning and operant conditioning
How is new behaviour acquired?
How is existing behaviour lost?
Habituation
Modification of behaviour as a result of the repeated occurrence of a single stimulus
- Stimulus elicits response (ie. Reflex – innately built in us and closely tied to survival)
- Repetition of a stimulus leads to reduced (reflex) response
- Learning: safe to ignore the stimulus (learnt to inhibit the reflex and conserve energy)
Sensitisation
- Increase in the reflexive response
- Usually in a heightened state of arousal
Classical Conditioning
The learning of a new association between two previously unrelated stimuli. We learn that a
particular stimulus predicts a certain event and we respond accordingly. All responses are reflexes or
autonomic responses.
Discovered by Pavlov (Pavlovian Conditioning)
1) Unconditioned stimulus (UCS) – naturally occurring elicited stimulus
2) Unconditioned response (UCR) – response (elicited by the UCS)
3) Conditioned stimulus (CS) – new stimulus, previously unrelated, neutral)
4) Conditioned response (CR) – response elicited by the CS
Pavlov discovered and investigated aspects of classical conditioning:
- Acquisition – first understanding of learning the association between two stimuli
- Extinction and spontaneous recovery – the weakening of the conditioned response when the
CS is presented without the UCS. It’s not unlearning the CS, it’s a learned inhibition
(suppression) of responding. Spontaneous recovery is the re-emergence of a previously
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
An enduring and observable change in an animal"s behaviour that results from its interactions with its physical/social environments (ie. it"s experience) Difference between changes in behaviour that come from experiences compared to conditions ie. fatigue, or maturation. A behaviour is the activity of living organisms. Types of learning include, habituation, classical conditioning and operant conditioning. Modification of behaviour as a result of the repeated occurrence of a single stimulus. Stimulus elicits response (ie. reflex innately built in us and closely tied to survival) Repetition of a stimulus leads to reduced (reflex) response. Learning: safe to ignore the stimulus (learnt to inhibit the reflex and conserve energy) The learning of a new association between two previously unrelated stimuli. We learn that a particular stimulus predicts a certain event and we respond accordingly. Pavlov discovered and investigated aspects of classical conditioning: Acquisition first understanding of learning the association between two stimuli.
