What is Learning?

How would you define learning?

Technical definition: A relatively permanent change in behavior or knowledge that comes as a result of practice or experience.

Four Types We Will Study

• Classical Conditioning

• Operant Conditioning

• Social Learning

• Cognitive Learning

Classical Conditioning

• What is it?

• Pairing a new stimulus with a natural stimulus to elicit a response.

• Making unavoidable physical associations– Sweating, drooling, feeling fear, nausea

Huh?Examples

• Feeling anticipation every time the WHS bell rings.

• Feeling nauseous every time you go into your Math classroom

• Your goldfish swimming to the top of the bowl every time he sees you

All these things do not naturally happen- theyare the result of Classical Conditioning!

Let’s take a look at our Vocabulary Sheet

Can we Classically Condition Our Pupils?

• What naturally makes our pupils dilate?• What neutral stimulus can we introduce?

Ivan Pavlov and Classical Conditioning

• Russian Physiologist• Specialized in digestion• Experimented with

dogs to see connection between salivation & digestion

• “Discovered” classical conditioning through his work with dogs

Pavlov’s Experiment1. Pavlov gave his dog food = dog drooled

It’s natural, the drooling makes sense

2. Rings bell + gives food = dog drools

The bell doesn’t mean anything, it’s just a soundBut he keeps ringing the bell and giving the food and

eventually . . .

3. Pavlov rings bell = dog drools

UnconditionedStimulus

UnconditionedResponse

UnconditionedStimulus

UnconditionedResponse

Neutral Stimulus

ConditionedStimulus

ConditionedResponse

Classical Conditioning Formula

1. Unconditioned Stimulus = Unconditioned Response

2. Neutral Stimulus + Unconditioned Stimulus = Unconditioned Response

3. Conditioned Stimulus = Conditioned Response

Can also use abbreviations

US =URNS + US = URCS=CR

I Need a volunteer:

Turn our experiment with our eyes and the buzzer into the Classical Conditioning

formula.

The Office

Little JohnnyWhenever Johnny gets yelled at he becomes

anxious and feels nauseous. Mr. Jones isJohnny’s first grade teacher. He loves to yell at

students. Now, whenever Johnny sees Mr. Jonesor even hears his mother mention Mr. Jones’

name he feels anxious and nauseous.

What’s Going On Here?

1. Getting yelled at = anxiety, nausea

2. Mr. Jones + yelling = anxiety, nausea

3. Mr. Jones = anxiety, nausea

UnconditionedStimulus

UnconditionedResponse

UnconditionedResponse

UnconditionedStimulus

Neutral Stimulus

ConditionedStimulus

ConditionedResponse

Classical Conditioning “Rules”

• NS must come BEFORE the UCS

• NS and UCS must occur close in time- 5 second rule

• It takes several pairings of NS & UCS

• NS/CS must stand out

John Watson and Little Albert

• Generalization- the conditioned response spreads to other similar stimuli

• White rat to white bunny, fur coat, fizzy mask, white beard.

Mary Cover Jones- Counter Conditioning

• Get rid of fears by making a new association

• Associate dogs not with getting bit but with something pleasant

• Make a new conditioning pattern

Taste Aversion/Garcia Effect

• Become conditioned to avoid/dislike foods that have made us sick

• Usually only takes 1 pairing

• Can generalize to similar looking foods

• Biological preparedness

Why Does Classical Conditioning Work?

• Pavlov• Stimulus substitution• Because it occurs close

in time, the brain is tricked and the same places are activated

• It’s all about time association

• Rescorla• Cognitive Perspective• It’s more than time• NS/CS has to provide

info about what is about to happen

• It’s all about our expectations