PSYC2050 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Karl J. Friston, Free Energy Principle, Classical Conditioning
Document Summary
How do learning and cognition fit together: cognitivists complained that behaviourism: Ignored basic mental processes like memory, attention and imagers: assumed equipotentiality, behaviourists complained that cognitivism, made merely inferences about mental constructs, made no reference to physiology. Ignored emotion and motivation: modern learning theorists, appreciate biological constraints and preparedness, modern cognitivists, appreciate utitlity and power of learning principles. Habituation: getting used to stimuli, helps us avoid being distracted and focus more on important things. 2 types of associative learning: classical 2 and 3, operant 4 and 5. Low entropy = ideal for human flourishing: playing tennis for first time = high entropy, minimising surprise leads to maximising sensory evidence for agent"s existence. Learning tennis over time = entropy lowers and can play better. Classical conditioning: stages, before conditioning, food (unconditioned stimulus, salivation (unconditioned response, whistle (neutral stimulus, salivation (non conditioned response, whistle + food = salivation = unconditioned response.
