PSYCH 202 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Phobia, Mary Cover Jones, Toilet Training
Introduction to the Psychology of Learning
Overview of the Next 2-3 Lectures
*Locate Psychology of Learning within the History of Psychology and
Philosophy of Psychology
*Review Major Concepts and Applications of Mainstream “Learning
Psychology”
* Classical Conditioning (Ivon. Pavlov to Present)
* Operant Conditioning (Burrius F. Skinner to Present)
* Social Learning Theory (Albert Bandura is principal founder;
Seligman’s work is also central)
*
Historical Roots of Modern Learning Theory
*Pavlov was a physiologist--he stumbled into research on “associative
learning” and developed idea of “classical conditioning” Rang bell,
gave dog treat, continued doing this, dog would drool when bell was
rang. His error in research led to his discovery of “associative
learning”
*The Legacy of Edward Thorndike: “The Law of Effect” (1911)
*consequences of behavior determine its survival. Locked cats in
boxes, they learned how to get out. Actions that effective in survival
are learned
*Legacy of B.F. Skinner (1938, The Behavior of Organisms)
* Idea of “contingencies of reinforcement” built upon Thorndike’s
concepts. Different kinds of patterns that happen after action that
shape behavior
Philosophical Changes in Psychology: From Structuralism to Behaviorism
and Beyond
*The History of Modern Psychology began with Wilhelm Wundt, who
founded what came to be seen as a “school” of psychology focused on
the “structure” of consciousness, the building blocks of perception.
Proponents of this point of view were called “structuralists” and their
school “Structuralism” Interested on how we perceive the world
*Structuralists, led by Wundt, studied the elements of perception
(“atoms of the mind”) by using the methodology of
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“introspectionism”. Method that struct. Use to examine
consciousness. Build table of elements w/ elements of introspection
*Psychology was revolutionized by John Watson in 1920’s, who
articulated a radical philosophy of psychology called “Behaviorism.”
OG founder of school of psych. Rejected method of Structuralists.
*Watson and the Behaviorists rejected introspection and the study of
consciousness in favor of the objective analysis of behavior alone.
They said psychology should be about the study of what can be seen
and observed, it should be an S-R Psychology:
*Stimuli and Responses are observable and objective, and should be
the sole object of study in psychology
*Skinner popularized behaviorism further, extending its reach in
academic psychology through the 1960’s, continuing to today.
Philosophical Changes in Contemporary Views of Learning:
*Learning is no longer conceived as S-R psychology alone.
* Instead, S-O-R models dominate (where O = “Organismic” events:
internal, cognitive, mental events with neurobiological
underpinnings)
*Examples of “O” variables: cognitive processes (attitudes, thinking,
perception, vicarious learning, “mental maps”), emotional processes,
biological mediating variables
*Social Learning Theory rests on S-O-R conceptualizations.
Learning I: Basic Concepts In Classical Conditioning:
*Classical Conditioning involves a process of what Pavlov called
“stimulus substitution”.
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*(a process of “associative learning” wherein stimuli are associated
and one comes to substitute for another). One “stands” for another
Pavlov’s Original Discovery and Terminology, Diagrammed:
UCS→(automatically elicits)UCR
CS→CR
*UCS = UNLEARNED stimulus; CS= Controlled stimulus, learned
*UCR = UNLEARNED response; CR= Controlled reaction
*The UCS automatically elicits the UCR (reflex)
*So for Pavlov the UCS was food and the UCR was drool
*CS (previously neutral S) is paired repeatedly, with temporal
contiguity, with UCS.
*Over Trials (temporal pairings), CS comes to automatically elicit a
response (CR) that closely resembles the UCR
* (Note: CR is not identical to the UCR reflex, but instead is a learned
automatic associative response with similar form)
*So for Pavlov the CS was bells, tones and the CR was dogs drooling,
different in that it’s not as strong, it’s learned
Next figures portray Pavlov’s canine salivation experimental situation:
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Document Summary
* locate psychology of learning within the history of psychology and. * review major concepts and applications of mainstream learning. * operant conditioning (burrius f. skinner to present) * social learning theory (albert bandura is principal founder; * pavlov was a physiologist--he stumbled into research on associative learning and developed idea of classical conditioning rang bell, gave dog treat, continued doing this, dog would drool when bell was rang. His error in research led to his discovery of associative learning . * the legacy of edward thorndike: the law of effect (1911) Locked cats in boxes, they learned how to get out. * legacy of b. f. skinner (1938, the behavior of organisms) * idea of contingencies of reinforcement built upon thorndike"s concepts. Different kinds of patterns that happen after action that shape behavior. Philosophical changes in psychology: from structuralism to behaviorism and beyond.
