1. Unit 6:
Learning
BY: LAURA BROWN & CAMRYN JOSEPH
P.5

2. Key Ideas
 Classical Conditioning
 Operant Conditioning
 Cognitive processes of Learning

3. How We Learn:
Learning- a relatively permanent change in an
organism’s behavior due to experience
 2 types of Associative learning:
1. Classical Conditioning- type of learning in which
one learns to link two or more stimuli and
anticipate events
2. Operant Conditioning- A type of learning in which
behavior is strengthened if followed by a reinforcer
or diminished if followed by a punisher

4. Classical Conditioning
 A type of learning first described by Ivan Pavlov and
the infamous “dogs”!

5. Classical Conditioning Acronyms
 UR or unconditioned response is a not learned:
salivating when food** is presented
 US or unconditioned stimulus** is the food.
 CR or conditioned response is how the bell signaled
food for the dog
 CS or conditioned stimulus is the bell that had been
neutral but now means food
Remember: Conditioned = Learned
Unconditioned = Unlearned

6. Processes of Classical Conditioning:
Higher-order conditioning- a procedure in which the
conditioned stimulus in one experience is paired with a new
and neutral stimulus creating a second often weaker
conditioned stimulus
 Example: By using a dog and a bell in the Pavlov trials, the
dog salivates to the bell, then the bell can be paired
repeatedly with a flash of light and the dog will eventually
salivate to the light alone as well as the bell.

7. Processes Continued
Extinction -the diminishing of a conditioned
response
 Occurs when a conditioned stimulus no longer
signals an impending unconditioned stimulus
 Example: In previous example, if you ring a bell over
and over again and never feed the dog, the dog will
ultimately learn not to salivate when the bell rings

8. Processes Continued
Spontaneous Recovery
 Appears after extinction and without training
 The response briefly appears upon presentation of
the conditioned stimulus after a brief period of not
having it.

9. Processes Continued
Generalization - Occurs once a response has been
conditioned
 Similar stimuli to the conditioned stimulus elicits similar
responses
 Example: Little Albert was conditioned to fear white
rats, he also feared other things that resemble white such as
white rabbits and Santa Clause’ white beard

10. Processes Continued
Discrimination - The learned ability to distinguish
between a conditioned stimulus and other irrelevant
stimulus
 Example: The dog knows the sound of the bell for the
food so he will not respond to a bell being played on
the radio.

11. Operant Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
 A type of learning in which behavior is strengthened
if followed by a reinforcer or diminished if followed
by a punisher

12. Operant Conditioning
Law of Effect
 Developed by E.L Thorndike, conducted experiments in a puzzle box
 States that behaviors followed by satisfying or positive consequences are
strengthened and more likely to occur
 Behaviors followed by annoying or negative consequences are weakened and
less likely to occur

13. Operant Conditioning
B.F. Skinner
 Interested in the ABCs of Behavior
 Designed an operant chamber (Skinner Box)
 Contained a bar or key that an animal can
manipulate to obtain a food or
water: reinforcer

14. Operant Conditioning
B. F. Skinner
 Developed four different training procedures
-Positive Reinforcement
-Negative Reinforcement
-Positive Punishment
-Negative Punishment

15. Operant Conditioning
***Positive- something is added (not always good!)
***Negative-something is taken away(not always bad)

16. Operant Learning
Reinforcement Schedules
 Continuous Reinforcement- reinforce the desired response every
time it occurs
 Partial Reinforcement- Reinforcing a response only part of the time
 Fixed-Ratio Schedule- Reinforces a response only after a specified
number of responses (Every so many)
 Fixed-Interval Schedule- Reinforces a response only after a
specified time has elapsed (Every so often)
 Variable-Ratio Schedule- Reinforces a response only after a
specified time has elapsed (Unpredictable #)
 Variable-Interval Schedule- Reinforces a response at
unpredictable time intervals (Unpredictably often)

17. Operant Learning
Fixed-ratio- “definite, definite number, fixed amount”
 (buy 2 shirts get one free)
Fixed-interval- “definite period of time”
 (Checking cookies after the 10 min baking period)

18. Operant Learning
Variable-Ratio Schedule- “unpredictable #”, gamblers schedule”
 (Playing a slot machine)
Variable-Interval Schedule- “unpredictable amount of time “
 (Mr. R’s pop quizzes)

19. Cognitive Processes in Learning
 Latent Learning- learning that occurs but is not
apparent until there is an incentive to
demonstrate it
 Insight learning- a sudden and often novel
realization of the solution to a problem , occurs
after little or no interaction with our
environment
 Observational learning- learning by observing
others

20. Cognitive Processes in Learning
Observational learning (continued)
 Mirror Neurons- frontal lobe neurons that fire when
performing certain actions or when observing
another doing something!

21. Cognitive Processes in Learning
 Albert Bandura: Bobo Doll Experiment
-Kids imitated adults’ actions to a doll
 We are especially likely to imitate people we perceive
as similar to ourselves, as successful, or as admirable