Chapter 6: Learning Case Study: - PowerPoint Presentation

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Chapter 6: Learning

Case Study:

The Little Albert Experiment

Section 1:

Classical Conditioning

Section 2:

Operant Conditioning

Section 3:

Cognitive Factors in Learning

Section 4:

The PQ4R Method: Learning to Learn

Experiment:

Applying What You’ve Learned

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The Little Albert experiment showed that emotional reactions such as fear can be taught through classical conditioning.

Eleven-month-old Albert was conditioned to fear a white rat rather than be amused by it.

Psychologists achieved this by pairing the rat with something that Albert would find instinctively frightening.

The Experiment

Case Study: The Little Albert Experiment

After they paired the rat with loud noises, Albert showed a fear of the rat even when there was no noise.

Albert’s fear spread to similar objects.

By today’s standards, the experiment was unethical.

The Results

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What do you think?

How did Watson and Rayner condition Little Albert to fear white rats?

Do you think you have learned to fear or enjoy certain things because of conditioning or association? Explain.

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Classical Conditioning

Russian psychologist Ivan Pavlov pioneered research into a form of learning known as classical conditioning. In classical conditioning, one stimulus causes a response that is usually caused by another stimulus.

Classical conditioning can help people adapt to the environment and can help eliminate troubling fears or other behaviors.

Section 1 at a Glance

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Reading Focus

What are the basic principles of classical conditioning?

How might classical conditioning help people or animals adapt to the environment?

What are some applications of classical conditioning?

Main Idea

Classical conditioning is a form of learning that involves the use of a stimulus to generate a specific response.

Classical Conditioning

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Why do people have an immediate, physical response to a picture of pizza?

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Conditioning

is a type of learning that involves stimulus-response connections.

Classical conditioning

is a simple form of learning in which one stimulus calls forth the response that is usually called forth by another stimulus.

Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov used dogs in his studies of classical conditioning.

He trained the dogs to associate the sound of a bell with food.

They learned that the sound of the bell meant food was coming.

Pavlov’s Dogs

Principles of Classical Conditioning

Unconditioned stimulus

: a stimulus that causes a response that is automatic, not learnedUnconditioned response: caused by an unconditioned stimulusConditioned response: a learned response to a neutral stimulusConditioned stimulus: a previously neutral stimulus that causes a conditioned response

Stimulus and Response

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Answer:

One stimulus calls forth the response that is usually called forth by another stimulus.

Summarize

How does classical conditioning occur?

Reading Check

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Taste Aversions

Taste aversion:

learned response to a particular food

One-trial learning

Spontaneous Recovery

Spontaneous recovery:

Reappearance of an extinguished conditioned response after some time has passed

ExtinctionExtinction: Disappearance of conditioned response when unconditioned stimulus no longer follows conditioned stimulus

Generalization and Discrimination

Generalization: The tendency to respond in the same way to stimuli that have similar characteristicsDiscrimination: The act of responding differently to stimuli that are not similar to each other

Adapting to the Environment

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Answer:

Students should cite examples of taste aversion, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, or discrimination.

Describe

Give three examples of ways that classical conditioning can help people adapt to their environment.

Reading Check

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Flooding and Systematic Desensitization

In

flooding

, a person is exposed to the harmless stimulus until fear responses to that stimulus are extinguished.

With

systematic desensitization, people learn relaxation techniques and then, while they are relaxed, they are gradually exposed to the stimulus they fear.

CounterconditioningIn counterconditioning, a pleasant stimulus is paired repeatedly with a fearful one, counteracting the fear.

Applications of Classical Conditioning

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Answer:

flooding, systematic desensitization, counterconditioning

Identify

What are three applications of classical conditioning?

Reading Check

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Learning from a Virtual Rat

To research learning and conditioning, psychologists often design laboratory experiments with animals such as rats. But experiments with live animals can be costly and time-consuming. Why not take advantage of computer technology and use a virtual rat?

Current Research in Psychology

“Sniffy the Virtual Rat” allows students to design lab experiments in a virtual environment with a virtual rat.

To create “Sniffy,” researchers studied how real rats move and learn.

Students can use the program to design and run classical conditioning experiments.

A virtual rat is less costly than a real animal.

They never get tired, are always hungry, and learn more quickly, saving researchers time and effort.

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Thinking Critically

What are some advantages to using a virtual rat like Sniffy?

What drawbacks might there be to using a virtual rat in an experiment instead of a real one?

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Operant Conditioning

Psychologist B.F. Skinner helped pioneer research into a form of learning known as operant conditioning, in which individuals learn from the consequences of their actions.

Operant conditioning depends on the use of reinforcements and a schedule to execute them.

The principles of operant conditioning can be applied to help people or animals learn to combine a series of simple steps or actions to form complex behaviors.

Section 2 at a Glance

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Reading Focus

How are operant conditioning and reinforcement related?

What are the main types of reinforcers?

How do rewards and punishments shape learning?

How do schedules of reinforcement influence learning?

What are some applications of operant conditioning?

Main IdeaOperant conditioning occurs when people or animals have learned to respond to a certain situation.

Operant Conditioning

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How can a squirrel learn how to water ski?

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In

operant conditioning

, people and animals learn to do certain things—and not to do others—because of the results of what they do.

They learn from the consequences of their actions.

In operant conditioning, voluntary responses are conditioned.

B.F. Skinner studied operant conditioning by using the “Skinner box.”His experiment demonstrated reinforcement, or the process by which a stimulus (food) increases the chances that a preceding behavior (a rat pressing a lever) will occur again.

Knowledge of results is often all the reinforcement that people need to learn new skills.Operant Conditioning and Reinforcement

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Answer:

In operant conditioning, people and animals learn to do certain things because of the results of what they do. Reinforcement increases the chances that such behavior will occur again.

Describe

How does reinforcement result in operant conditioning?

Reading Check

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Primary and Secondary Reinforcers

Primary reinforcers

are reinforcers that function due to the biological makeup of an organism.

Secondary reinforcers

are learned by being paired with primary reinforcers.

Money is a secondary reinforcer because we have learned that it may be exchanged for primary reinforcers like food and shelter.

Positive and Negative ReinforcersPositive reinforcers increase the frequency of a behavior. In positive reinforcement, a person receives something he or she wants following the behavior.Negative reinforcers increase the frequency of a behavior when they are removed.In negative reinforcement, a behavior is reinforced because something unwanted stops happening or is removed following the behavior.

Types of Reinforcers

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Answer:

Primary reinforcers are those that people and animals do not need to be taught to value, such as food and water. Secondary reinforcers, like money, must be learned. Positive reinforcers, such as food and fun, increase the frequency of the behavior they follow when they are applied. Negative reinforcers increase the frequency of the behavior that follows when they are removed. They are unpleasant, and include discomfort and fear.

Summarize

Describe the four main types of reinforcers.

Reading Check

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Rewards

Like positive reinforcement, rewards help encourage learning.

Some psychologists, however, prefer positive reinforcement because the concept of reinforcement can be explained without trying to guess what an organism will find rewarding.

Punishments

Punishments are quite different from negative reinforcers.

Punishments are unwanted events that decrease the frequency of the behavior they follow.

Punishments tend to work only when they are guaranteed.Most psychologists believe it is preferable to reward children for desirable behavior than punish them for unwanted behavior.

Rewards and Punishments

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Answer:

Negative reinforcers increase the frequency of a behavior by being removed, whereas punishments, when applied, decrease the frequency of the behavior they follow.

Contrast

Explain how punishments are different from negative reinforcers.

Reading Check

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The effectiveness of a reinforcement depends on the

schedule of

reinforcement

—when and how often the reinforcement occurs.

Continuous reinforcement

is the reinforcement of a behavior every time the behavior occurs.Continuous reinforcement is not always practical or possible.The alternative is partial reinforcement, which means a behavior is not reinforced every time the behavior occurs.

Continuous and Partial Reinforcement

Schedules of Reinforcement

Fixed-interval schedule: a fixed amount of time must elapse between reinforcements

Variable-interval schedule: varying amounts of time go by between reinforcements

Interval Schedules

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Ratio Schedule

Fixed-ratio schedule: reinforcement occurs after a fixed number of responses

Variable-ratio schedule: reinforcement occurs after a varying number of responses

Extinction in Operant Conditioning

In operant conditioning, extinction results from repeated performances of the response without reinforcement.

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Answer:

because timing is unpredictable; reinforcement can come at any time

Infer

Why are both variable-interval schedules and variable-ratio schedules successful?

Reading Check

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Shaping and Chaining

Shaping

is a way of teaching complex behaviors in which one first reinforces small steps in the total activity.

Chaining

is combining the steps of a sequence to progress toward a final action.

Chaining can be forward or backward. Chaining can be used to teach complex behavior patterns to animals.

Programmed LearningProgrammed learning is based on shaping and chaining. Developed by B.F. Skinner, it assumes that any task can be broken down into small steps.Programmed learning does not involve punishments.Instead, it reinforces correct responses.

Applications of Operant Conditioning

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Answer:

shaping, chaining, programmed learning

Identify Supporting Details

What are three examples of applications of operant conditioning?

Reading Check

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Cognitive Factors in Learning

Cognitive psychologists focus on the mental aspects of learning and are interested in what people or animals know, not just what they do.

Cognitive learning is based on the idea that people and animals can learn by thinking or by watching others.

Some techniques for behavioral modification are based on the ideas of operant conditioning and cognitive factors.

Section 3 at a Glance

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Reading Focus

What is latent learning?

In what situations does observational learning take place?

What learning principles are involved in behavior modification?

Main Idea

Cognitive learning focuses on the mental aspects of learning, such as obtaining, processing, and organizing information. Cognitive psychologists are interested not only in what people do, but also what they know.

Cognitive Factors in Learning

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What do tamales have to do with Christmas?

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One kind of cognitive learning is

latent learning

, which is learning that remains hidden until it is needed.

Most psychologists believe that much learning takes place without reinforcement.

Latent Learning

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Answer:

Latent learning is revealed when it is needed.

Recall

When is latent learning revealed?

Reading Check

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Observational learning

is knowledge and skills acquired by observing and imitating others.

Modeling is basically a kind of imitation.

Vicarious reinforcement is the ability to learn from the experiences of another.

Observational learning and modeling account for much human learning.

Modeling

Observational Learning

Television is a major source of informal observational learning.

Most health professionals agree that media violence contributes to aggression.

The Effects of Media Violence

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Click on the image to play the Interactive.

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Answer:

child learning to speak, eat, and play from parents

Describe

What are three examples of observational learning?

Reading Check

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Token Economics

People are “paid” to act correctly by earning rewards that can be cashed in for treats, merchandise, or privileges.

Classroom Discipline

Teachers are taught to pay attention to students when they are behaving appropriately and to ignore misbehavior that is not harmful to themselves or others.

Behavior Modification

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Personal Contracts

A personal contract is a personal behavior modification technique.

It works by first identifying a behavior you want to change, setting a goal for a new behavior, and creating a system of rewards or punishments that encourage the new behavior.

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Answer:

classroom discipline—misbehaving students may be separated from the rest of the class; token economies—people are “paid” to act correctly by earning rewards; personal contracts—people can create a system of rewards or punishments to alter their behavior

Explain

How are learning principles used to modify behavior?

Reading Check

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Pathways to Rewards

Pathways to Rewards is a program that seeks to help improve the lives of public housing residents in Chicago. The program uses the principles of token economies and has proved to be highly successful in helping people modify their behavior through a system of individual goals and rewards.

Psychology in Today’s World

The Pathways to Rewards program is for residents of Henry Horner Homes in Chicago.

Residents set monthly goals and establish the steps needed to reach them.

Adults and children may participate in the program.

Participants earn points for meeting their goals.

The points can be redeemed for rewards such as merchandise, bill-paying assistance, and health club membership.

At the end of 2007, 58 percent of eligible residents had enrolled in the program.

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Thinking Critically

Why do you think this program is successful?

Some people have criticized the Pathways to Rewards program as being bribes for good behavior. How do you view this criticism?

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The PQ4R Method: Learning to Learn

The PQ4R method is a study method based on the work of educational psychologist Francis P. Robinson. Robinson believed that students will learn more when they take an active approach to learning.

The PQ4R method includes these six steps: preview, question, read, reflect, recite, and review.

Section 4 at a Glance

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Reading Focus

When should you preview and question new material?

Why is it important to read, review, recite, and reflect on material?

Main Idea

The PQ4R method for studying is a system of active learning based on the work of an educational psychologist.

The PQ4R Method: Learning to Learn

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Have educational psychologists created an easy way to study and learn new material?

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Question

You can create learning goals by writing questions about the chapter after you preview it.

One way to write questions is to read the headings or the first sentence of each paragraph and write a question about it.

Preview

Previewing a textbook means getting a general picture of the material before you start to read.

Many textbooks are designed to encourage previewing. Previewing helps form a cognitive map of a chapter.

Preview and Question

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Answer:

Both take place before a person starts reading.

Compare

How are the steps of previewing and questioning similar?

Reading Check

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Read

Read the chapter with the goal of answering the questions you wrote.

As you read, jot down a few key words that will remind you of the answer.

Recite

After you have answered your questions, recite the answers out loud or silently to yourself.

You can recite alone or with a study group. Both are effective.

Reflect

Relate new information to old information.Relate new information to events in your own life or to people you know.

Review

Learning that occurs regularly and is distributed over time is distributed learning.Learning that occurs all at one time is massed learning

, or cramming.Read, Reflect, Recite, and Review

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Answer:

read, reflect, recite, review

Summarize

What are the “four Rs” in the PQ4R method?

Reading Check

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Reinforcement and Discouragement

How can positive reinforcement and discouragement affect people’s behavior and performance?

You will work with classmates to conduct an experiment on the number of sit-ups a person can do in three different situations: with no feedback, with positive reinforcement, and with discouragement.

1. Introduction

Experiment: Applying What You’ve Learned

Find about 30 students from another class to be research subjects.

Do not reveal the purpose of the study.

Randomly assign the students to three groups.

Assign roles for running the experiment.

2. Preparing for the Experiment

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Follow the Experiment Schedule.

On Day 1, Group A is the control group.

On Day 1, Group B will receive encouragement and positive reinforcement.

On Day 1, Group C will receive discouragement.

On Days 2 and 3, the groups will rotate to different stations according to the schedule.

3. Conducting the Experiment

Experiment (con’t.)

Compare each participant’s performance at each station.

Discuss the experiment with the study participants.

Revisit your hypothesis and draw some conclusions about the effects of positive reinforcement and discouragement on behavior.

4. Analysis and Conclusion

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