Learning

Study Guide for Learning

(Chapter 8 pp. 243-267)

Classical Conditioning

How a conditioned response is acquired (UCS, UCR, CS, CR) - Pavlov
Stimulus generalization and phobias - Watson & Little Albert
Treating phobias with systematic desensitization (Wolpe) or with flooding
Operant Conditioning
The difference between classical and operant conditioning
Thorndike and the Law of Effect -> Skinner develops operant conditioning
How an operant response is acquired (Stimulus-Response-Consequence)
Different types of consequences - punishment, pos. & neg. reinforcement
Shaping by rewarding successive approximations of the desired behavior
Different schedules of reinforcement - fixed & varied, ratio & interval
Applications of operant conditioning in business and mental health
Biological Boundaries of Behavior
Prepared learning, General learning, & Contraprepared learning
Social Learning
Bandura's social learning theory - observational learning

Chapter 6 Learning

1. Discuss the importance of experience in learning and describe the role of association in learning.

2. Describe the nature of classical conditioning and show how it demonstrates associative learning.

3. Explain the processes of acquisition, extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, and discrimination.

4. Discuss the importance of cognitive processes and biological constraints in classical conditioning.

5. Discuss the importance of Pavlov's work in classical conditioning and explain how Pavlov paved the way for the behaviorist position.

6. Describe the process of operant conditioning, including the procedure of shaping.

7. Identify the different types of reinforcers and describe the four major schedules of partial reinforcement.

8. Discuss the effects of punishment on behavior.

9. Discuss evidence of the importance of cognitive and biological processes in operant conditioning.

10. Describe some major applications of operant conditioning.

11. Describe the process of observational learning.