Potts Christine Intro to Psychology 12:20-1:50 February 13, 2008 1. Describe the nature of classical conditioning, and show how it demonstrates associate learning. Classical conditioning is known as the type of learning that an organism has picked up and promotes a relatively permanent change in its behavior because of experiences it has endured. Classical conditioning occurs when a neutral stimulus becomes associated with an unconditioned stimulus (UCS). This ability to learn from experience is the foundation for associative learning. Associative learning is when an organism learns that certain events occur together. In other words, the organism has come to conclusion that one happens with the other.
2. Explain the process of acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, and discrimination. Acquisition refers to the initial stage of learning, during which the CR is established and gradually strengthened. Extinction is the diminishing of a CR when the CS is presented without a UCS, in other words, the organism "unlearns" a behavior because there are no longer relations between two events. Spontaneous recovery is the reappearance, after a rest period, of a weakened CR. Generalization is when stimuli similar to the CS to encourage a CR. Discrimination is the ability to distinguish between an actual CS and similar stimuli that have nothing to do with the UCS.
3. Describe the process of operant conditioning, including the procedure of shaping.
Operant conditioning is a type of associative learning that works on behaviors that operate on environment the to produce consequences that influence the future occurrences of those behaviors. Behaviors followed by reinforcers, which is positive stimuli, tend to be repeated. Behaviors followed by punishers, also known as unpleasant stimuli, usually are not repeated. Shaping is a procedure where reinforcers persuade behavior closer and closer approximations of a desired goal. Operant conditioning can play a part in this by, for example, trying to teach a pigeon to press a bar. A psychologist can reinforce a pigeon for every time it gets close to the bar by giving it food, thus persuading it to get closer and closer every time if it gets food the closer it gets. There are several different types reinforcers used such as fixed-ratio, variable-ratio, fixed-interval, and variable-interval schedules. Each of these are used in different experiments dealing with different hypothesizes about learning and extinction.
4. Identify the different types of reinforcers, and describe the four major schedules of partial (intermillent) reinforcement. A punisher is any consequence that decreases the frequency of the unwanted behavior. Although punishment may be effective in the short run, it may reappear in safe settings. Punishment may also promote aggressiveness as a way with coping with its problems; fear of the person who executes it; fear of the reason that make it occur; or, when it is unpredictable, a sense that things are not a person's control. Punishment doesn't teach positive behaviors, and it can be more effective when it is combined with positive reinforcement.