OLD P101 (Learning & Behavior)

Learning Theory

What is Learning?

"A relatively permanent change in behavior, or behavior potential, as a result of experiences."

- Pastorino & Doyle-Portillo (2019)

Classical Conditioning

Ivan Pavlov (1849 - 1846)

• Russian physiologist.
• Studied digestion.
• Nobel Prize Winner.
• "Pavlov's Dogs."
• Classical Conditioning.

Pavlov's Dogs

Why do dogs drool when they hear my footsteps?

Original Experiment Footage

Make a Mark on your Paper.....

Whenever you hear the word...

"THE"

Pavlov's Dogs

Why do the dogs salivate when they hear footsteps? A bell?

Unconditioned Stimuli & Response

(US) Unconditioned Stimulus

(UC) Unconditioned Response

Let' Try JUST the Neutral Stimulus

(NS) Neutral Stimulus

(UC) Unconditioned Response

"Creative" PSY 101 Project

What happens if this really gets out of hand?

How Phobias are Formed

What are Phobias?

Fears that involve behavior that is "life limiting."

Forming a Phobia

Generalizing one bad experience to all future experiences that seem similar.

Little Albert

E.L. Thorndike (1874 - 1949)

• American psychologist.
• Operant Conditioning.
• Cats & puzzle boxes.
• Little Albert.
• Laid the foundation of Educational Theory.

Operant Conditioning

What is Operant Conditioning?

A learning process that uses consequences (rewards and punishments) to gain a desired response (e.g. behavior).

Thorndike's Cats

Will cats be so motivated by food that they can learn to push the lever to open the door?

Original Footage

The Law of Effect

Behaviors that have negative consequences will decrease and behaviors that have positive consequences will increase.

Reinforcement

Something that strengthens the response or behavior you want to see.

Positive Reinforcement

Something that strengthens the response or behavior you want to see by giving or adding something.

Negative Reinforcement

Something that strengthens the response you want to see by taking something away.

Big Bang Theory

I need a volunteer.....

How hard would learning new tasks be if the reinforcement wasn't consistent?

B.F. Skinner (1904 - 1990)

• American psychologist.
• Puzzle boxes.
• Skinner Boxes.
• Operant Conditioning.
• Pigeons.

Skinner's Pigeons

What happens to Pigeon behavior if we keep changing up how they are rewarded?

Original Footage

Slot Machines

Addiction

"It's limited edition!"

"How many likes did I get?"

"Just one more time."

"Maybe they will pick up this time?"

What if our associations cause us to learn the wrong thing?

App Highlight:

PSY 101 Week 9

Habitica is a phone app that lets you incorporate your IRL chores and tasks into a game for a rewarding experience.

This Week's Learning Objectives:

• What is learning?
• What is Classical Conditioning?
• What is Operant Conditioning?
• Behavior & Addiction.
• Phobias & Superstitions.
• Modeling.
• Adult Learning Styles.

This Week's Tasks:

• Attend class.
• Class participation.
• Quiz #5.
• Catch up on work.

Psych Hack:

Say "thank you" when someone does something you like, if you want to increase the chances they will repeat that behavior.

How superstitions are formed....

Cargo Cults

Observational Learning

Observational Learning

Learning by watching others model it for us.

Albert Bandura (b. 1925)

• American psychologist.
• Social Learning Theory.
• Bobo Doll Experiments.

The Modeling Process

Four Steps:

1. Attention: you must pay attention to the behavior.

2. Memory Retention: you must retain memory of the behavior.

3. Behavior Reproduction: you must be able to repeat what you saw and

remembered.

4. Motivation: you must want to repeat/reproduce the behavior.

The Bobo Doll Experiments

Experiential Learning

David A. Kolb b. 1939

• American Learning Theorist.
• Experiential Learning Theory.

Experiential Learning

Learning by doing.

Adult Learning Styles: Activists

They want practical tasks and little theory. They learn best from activities where:

• New experiences are emphasised;
• The focus is on the present and on doing such activities as games, problem solving, simulations;
• There is a lot of action and excitement;
• They can lead and be in the limelight;
• Ideas are generated without any concern about practical constraints;
• They have to respond to a challenge and take risks;
• The central focus is on team problem-solving.

Adult Learning Styles: Theorists

They want something to take and study. They learn best from activities where:

• The learning forms a part of a conceptual whole, such as a model for a theory;
• There is time to explore the interrelationship amongst elements;
• They can explore the theory and methodology underlying the subject under investigation;
• They are intellectually stretched;
• There is a clear and obvious purpose to the activities;
• There is a reliance on rationality and logic;
• They can analyse situations and then generalise their findings;
• They are asked to understand complex situations.

Adult Learning Styles: Reflectors

They want breaks read and discuss. They learn best from activities where:

• There are opportunities to observe and consider;
• There is a strong element of passive involvement such as listening to a speaker or watching avideo;
• There is time to think before having to act or contribute;
• There is opportunity for research and problems can be probed in some depth;
• They can review what was happening;
• They are asked to produce reports that carefully analyse a situation or issue;
• There is interaction with others without any risks of strong feelings coming up;
• They can finalise a view without being put under pressure.

Adult Learning Styles: Pragmatist

They want shortcuts and tips. They learn best from activities where:

• There is a clear link back to some job-related problem;
• Material is directed towards techniques that make their work easier;
• They are able to practice what they have learned;
• They can relate to a successful role model;
• There are many opportunities to implement what has been learned;
• The relevance is obvious and the learning is easily transferred to their jobs;
• What is done is practical such as drawing up action plans or trialing techniques or procedures.

Sub-Type: Divergers

• (Concrete experiencer/Reflective observer)
• Take experiences and think deeply about them.
• They diverge from a single experience to multiple possibilities.
• When they learn they will ask 'why', and will start from detail to logically work up to the big picture.
• They like working with others but like things to remain calm.
• They will be distressed by conflicts in a group.
• They like to receive constructive feedback.

Sub-Type: Convergers

• (Abstract conceptualization/Active experimenter).
• Think about things and then try out their ideas to see if they work in practice.
• When they learn they will ask 'how', and will want to learn by understanding how things work in practice.
• They like facts and will seek to make things efficient by making small and careful changes.
• They prefer to work alone or independently.

Sub-Type: Accomodators

• (Concrete experiencer/Active experimenter).
• Have the most hands-on approach, with a strong preference for doing rather than thinking.
• When they lean they will ask 'what if?' and 'why not?' to support their action-first approach.
• They do not like routine and will take creative risks to see what happens.
• They learn better by themselves than with others.

Sub-Type: Assimilators

• (Abstract conceptualiser/Reflective observer).
• Have the most cognitive approach.
• Preferring to think than to act.
• When they learn they will ask 'What is there I can know?' and like organised and structured understanding.
• Lectures are their preference, with demonstrations where possible, and will respect the knowledge of experts.
• People with this style will have a strong control need.
• They learn best with lectures that start from high-level concepts and work down to the detail.

Are Learning Styles a Myth?

App Highlight:

PSY 101 Week 9

Habitica is a phone app that lets you incorporate your IRL chores and tasks into a game for a rewarding experience.

This Week's Learning Objectives:

• What is learning?
• What is Classical Conditioning?
• What is Operant Conditioning?
• Behavior & Addiction.
• Phobias & Superstitions.
• Modeling.
• Adult Learning Styles.

This Week's Tasks:

• Attend class.
• Class participation.
• Quiz #5.
• Catch up on work.

Psych Hack:

Say "thank you" when someone does something you like, if you want to increase the chances they will repeat that behavior.