Learning: Theories and Processes
This unit tests the definition of learning, the conditioning paradigms, insight and social learning, and the transfer and curves of learning.
Defining learning
Learning is a relatively permanent change in behaviour or behavioural potential produced by experience, excluding changes due to maturation, fatigue, injury or drugs. It need not be immediately visible - latent learning is acquired without performance.
Conditioning and other theories
- Pavlov (classical): unconditioned stimulus elicits an unconditioned response; a neutral stimulus repeatedly paired with the UCS becomes a conditioned stimulus eliciting a conditioned response. Know extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalisation, discrimination.
- Skinner (operant): behaviour is shaped by consequences. Positive reinforcement adds a pleasant stimulus; negative reinforcement removes an unpleasant one; punishment adds an unpleasant one; omission removes a pleasant one. Schedules: fixed and variable, ratio and interval.
- Thorndike: trial-and-error learning; laws of readiness, exercise and effect.
- Kohler: insight - sudden restructuring of the perceptual field, shown with chimpanzees.
- Bandura: observational learning via attention, retention, reproduction and motivation; vicarious reinforcement.
Transfer of learning
Positive (facilitates), negative (interferes) and zero. Thorndike's identical elements theory, the generalisation theory, and transposition.
Worked example
A teacher scolds a pupil every time he talks in class, and the talking stops. Reinforcement or punishment? Reasoning: a stimulus is presented and behaviour decreases, which is punishment. If the teacher withdrew a privilege and talking decreased, that would be omission (response cost). Negative reinforcement would require an aversive event to be removed and behaviour to increase.
Traps that cost marks
Calling negative reinforcement "punishment"; assigning involuntary emotional responses to operant conditioning; describing insight learning as gradual trial and error rather than sudden reorganisation.