POLS 110 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Rosalie Rayner, Edward Thorndike, Jon B.
29 Oct 2017
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Document Summary
Learning is the process of acquiring new and relatively enduring information or behaviors. Classical conditioning (associative learning)= learning to link two stimuli in a way that helps us anticipate an event to which we have a reaction. Operant conditioning (associative learning)= changing behavior choices in response to consequences. Cognitive learning = acquiring new behaviors and information through observation and information, rather than by direct experience. Studied digestive system; first russian nobel prize (1904). Salivation from eating food was eventually triggered by what should have been neutral stimuli such as: Neutral stimulus (ns) = a stimulus that elicits no response before conditioning (bell). Unconditional response (ur) = an unlearned, naturally occurring response (salivation) to an unconditioned stimulus (us) (food in the mouth) Unconditioned stimulus (us) = a stimulus that unconditionally - naturally and automatically triggers an unconditioned response (ur). Ns and us must be repeatedly paired during acquisition phase. The strength of a cr grows with conditioning.
