LEARNING
Learning in the process of acquiring new and lasting information or behaviours
There are two important classifications of learning
o The lasting change
o The mental process involved in obtaining and maintaining information
Theories of learning
1. Classical Conditioning – Pavlov / Watson
2. Operant conditioning – Thorndike / skinner
3. observational learning – Bandura
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Learning of behaviour through repeated association between two stimuli, one which is not normally
associated with the desired reflexive response Such that the stimulus alone results in the desired reflexive
response behaviour
Response:
Behaviour that emerges as a result of its stimulus
Reflex response:
An automatic involuntary and almost instantaneous response to a stimulus
Neutral stimulus:
A stimulus that on its own does not elicit a particular response
Unconditioned stimulus:
A stimulus with the inherent ability to elicit a reflex response
Unconditioned response:
The reflexive reaction to a specific unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned stimulus:
A stimulus the elicits a particular response due to learning
Conditioned response:
A reflex response elicited by a previously neutral stimulus as a consequence of learning
Classical conditioning Explained:
Classical conditioning is a passive form of learning that occurs when a neutral stimulus is repeatedly
paired with an unconditioned stimulus to produce an unconditioned response.
After repeated trials, The neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned stimulus and produces the same
unconditioned response on its own now called the conditioned response
Explain the difference between a neutral stimulus (NS) a (Bring about) a response:
The conditioned stimulus is the neutral stimulus after conditioning, which produces the conditioned
response.
,Three phases of classical conditioning process:
Before conditioning -
o NS does not elicit the target response UCS – elicits he UCR
o UCS – elicits the UCR
During conditioning -
o NS repeatedly paired with UCS to produce the UCR
After Conditioning -
o NS is now the CS and elicits the CR
Reflexive Behaviour
Classical conditioning is learning involving reflexive behaviours, below the level of conscious awareness
E.g. Salivation
Preparedness
Conditioned behaviours that work well with the organisms instinctive survival behaviours and are easy to
train
E.g. taste Aversion – organisms are innately predisposed to form associations between tastes and illness.
, PAVLOVS DOG (1902) – Classical Conditioning
Who was Pavlov?
Russian psychologist who won the 1904 Nobel prize for his work studying digestive processes.
While studying digestion in dogs Pavlov noted that his canine subjects would begin to salivate whenever an
assistant entered the room from which he developed of the concept of the conditioned reflex
Aim: To study and demonstrate the concept of classical conditioning.
Sample: Dogs (exact amount unspecified)
Research design: Experimental
Independent variable:
Changing the stimuli
Dependant variable:
How much saliva was produced and when it was produced
Data collection tool: Rotating Drum
Type of data collected: Quantitative Objective
Procedure:
1. First, the dogs were presented with the food, and they salivated. The food was the unconditioned
stimulus and salivation was an unconditioned (innate/natural) response. (i.e., a stimulus-response
connection that required no learning).
2. In his experiment, Pavlov used a bell as his neutral stimulus. By itself, the bell did not elicit a
response from the dogs.
3. Next, Pavlov began the conditioning procedure, whereby the ringing the bell was introduced just
before he gave food to his dogs.
4. After several repeats (trials) of this procedure, he presented the bell on its own. The sound of the
clicking metronome on its own now caused an increase in salivation.
5. The dog had learned an association between the bell and the food, and a new behaviour had been
learned.
6. Because this response was learned (or conditioned), it is called a conditioned response (also known
as a Pavlovian response). The neutral stimulus has become a conditioned stimulus.
Key findings: The dogs were able to learn to associate a neutral stimulus with a reflex response, leading to
the neutral response developing into a conditioned response
Contributions:
1. Through his initial experiments on dogs, Pavlov profoundly impacted the understanding of learning
processes by presenting classical conditioning as an undiscovered form of learning in the field of
psychology. His empirical study presented quantitative data allowing other researchers to replicate
the study and further develop the theory of classical conditioning.
2. The study provided a link between psychological and physiological processes and provided insights
as to their interaction in the production of learning behaviour
3. People can use classical conditioning to exploit others for their gain. (An example of this occurs in
advertising where the advertiser attempts to get consumers to associate their product with a
particular response or feeling so they are more likely to buy the product. Advertisers can use music
or mouth-watering food in their ads to create an association with their product)
Learning in the process of acquiring new and lasting information or behaviours
There are two important classifications of learning
o The lasting change
o The mental process involved in obtaining and maintaining information
Theories of learning
1. Classical Conditioning – Pavlov / Watson
2. Operant conditioning – Thorndike / skinner
3. observational learning – Bandura
CLASSICAL CONDITIONING
Learning of behaviour through repeated association between two stimuli, one which is not normally
associated with the desired reflexive response Such that the stimulus alone results in the desired reflexive
response behaviour
Response:
Behaviour that emerges as a result of its stimulus
Reflex response:
An automatic involuntary and almost instantaneous response to a stimulus
Neutral stimulus:
A stimulus that on its own does not elicit a particular response
Unconditioned stimulus:
A stimulus with the inherent ability to elicit a reflex response
Unconditioned response:
The reflexive reaction to a specific unconditioned stimulus
Conditioned stimulus:
A stimulus the elicits a particular response due to learning
Conditioned response:
A reflex response elicited by a previously neutral stimulus as a consequence of learning
Classical conditioning Explained:
Classical conditioning is a passive form of learning that occurs when a neutral stimulus is repeatedly
paired with an unconditioned stimulus to produce an unconditioned response.
After repeated trials, The neutral stimulus becomes the conditioned stimulus and produces the same
unconditioned response on its own now called the conditioned response
Explain the difference between a neutral stimulus (NS) a (Bring about) a response:
The conditioned stimulus is the neutral stimulus after conditioning, which produces the conditioned
response.
,Three phases of classical conditioning process:
Before conditioning -
o NS does not elicit the target response UCS – elicits he UCR
o UCS – elicits the UCR
During conditioning -
o NS repeatedly paired with UCS to produce the UCR
After Conditioning -
o NS is now the CS and elicits the CR
Reflexive Behaviour
Classical conditioning is learning involving reflexive behaviours, below the level of conscious awareness
E.g. Salivation
Preparedness
Conditioned behaviours that work well with the organisms instinctive survival behaviours and are easy to
train
E.g. taste Aversion – organisms are innately predisposed to form associations between tastes and illness.
, PAVLOVS DOG (1902) – Classical Conditioning
Who was Pavlov?
Russian psychologist who won the 1904 Nobel prize for his work studying digestive processes.
While studying digestion in dogs Pavlov noted that his canine subjects would begin to salivate whenever an
assistant entered the room from which he developed of the concept of the conditioned reflex
Aim: To study and demonstrate the concept of classical conditioning.
Sample: Dogs (exact amount unspecified)
Research design: Experimental
Independent variable:
Changing the stimuli
Dependant variable:
How much saliva was produced and when it was produced
Data collection tool: Rotating Drum
Type of data collected: Quantitative Objective
Procedure:
1. First, the dogs were presented with the food, and they salivated. The food was the unconditioned
stimulus and salivation was an unconditioned (innate/natural) response. (i.e., a stimulus-response
connection that required no learning).
2. In his experiment, Pavlov used a bell as his neutral stimulus. By itself, the bell did not elicit a
response from the dogs.
3. Next, Pavlov began the conditioning procedure, whereby the ringing the bell was introduced just
before he gave food to his dogs.
4. After several repeats (trials) of this procedure, he presented the bell on its own. The sound of the
clicking metronome on its own now caused an increase in salivation.
5. The dog had learned an association between the bell and the food, and a new behaviour had been
learned.
6. Because this response was learned (or conditioned), it is called a conditioned response (also known
as a Pavlovian response). The neutral stimulus has become a conditioned stimulus.
Key findings: The dogs were able to learn to associate a neutral stimulus with a reflex response, leading to
the neutral response developing into a conditioned response
Contributions:
1. Through his initial experiments on dogs, Pavlov profoundly impacted the understanding of learning
processes by presenting classical conditioning as an undiscovered form of learning in the field of
psychology. His empirical study presented quantitative data allowing other researchers to replicate
the study and further develop the theory of classical conditioning.
2. The study provided a link between psychological and physiological processes and provided insights
as to their interaction in the production of learning behaviour
3. People can use classical conditioning to exploit others for their gain. (An example of this occurs in
advertising where the advertiser attempts to get consumers to associate their product with a
particular response or feeling so they are more likely to buy the product. Advertisers can use music
or mouth-watering food in their ads to create an association with their product)
