Published on 30 Jul 2018
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Learning Processes Final Review
Chapter 8: Stimulus Control of Behavior
• Identification and Measurement of Stimulus Control
o Stimulus discrimination-
▪ We examine how organisms come to respond differently in the presence
of different stimuli
o Stimulus generalization-
▪ We examine how organisms come to respond similarly in the presence of
different stimuli
▪ Generalization gradients
• We can study the extent of an organism’s generalization by
presenting it with varying degrees from the training stimuli
• S+
o Stimulus then signals the availability of reinforcement
o Excitatory generalization gradient
▪ Stimuli that differ from S+ should be progressively
less effective in evoking the instrumental response
• S-
o Stimulus that signals the lack of reinforcement
o Inhibitory generalization gradient
▪ Stimuli that differ from S- should be progressively
less effective in inhibiting the instrumental
response
• Hypothetical generalization gradients
o Peaked gradients indicate control of responding
o Flat gradients indicate lack of control of responding
• Stimulus and Response Factors in Stimulus Control
o Sensory Capacity and Orientation
▪ Physical limitations of sensory systems
• Ultrasounds
• Infrared light
▪ Orientation
• Bottom of mobiles
o Relative Ease of Conditioning Various Stimuli
▪ Overshadowing
• The weaker or less salient stimulus will acquire a weaker
response, even though the stimulus would be an adequate CS on
it’s own
• Interference with the conditioning of a stimulus because of the
simultaneous presence of another stimulus that is easier to be
conditioned
• Illustrates competition among stimuli for access to the process of
learning
• A discriminative stimulus when it is presented alone may exert
some stimulus control over operant behavior
• If a discriminative stimulus is accompanied by another, then
stimulus control by the first (or overshadowed) stimulus may be
reduced or eliminated by the second (or overshadowing)
stimulus)
o Type of Reinforcement
▪ Development of stimulus control also depends on the type of
reinforcement that is used
▪ Reinforcement types:
• Positive
o Study hard, receive a good grade
• Negative:
o Person takes a Tylenol, headache goes away
▪ Compound stimulus:
• Stimulus presentation of two or more CSs
• Control of behavior by combinations of two or more separate
(elemental) stimuli
o Type of Instrumental Response
o Stimulus Elements Versus Configural Cues in Compound Stimuli
▪ Stimulus-element approach
• Individuals respond to a compound stimulus in terms of the
stimulus elements that make up the compound
▪ Configural cue approach
• Individuals respond to a compound stimulus as an integral whole
rather than a collection of separate and independent stimulus
elements
• Configural conditioning: is the whole stimulus compound treated
differently from its individual parts?
▪ Summary:
• Under certain conditions, organisms clearly respond to compound
stimuli in terms of the configuration of the elements that make up
the compound
• Under certain conditions, organisms respond to stimulus
compounds in terms of the stimulus elements that make up the
compound
• Under certain conditions, organisms utilize both cues in guiding
their responses
o Wagner-Brandon theory
• Learning Factors in Stimulus Control
o The main issue is the extent to which specific types of training can influence the
specificity of stimulus control of instrumental behavior
o Stimulus Discrimination Training
▪ Stimulus Discrimination Procedure