Chapter 7
Basic forms of learning (conditioning)
Associative learning - brain automatically registers things
that occur close together in time (learned associations or links)
Classical
conditioning - Ivan Pavlov
neutral stimulus (NS)
unconditioned stimulus (US)
("unconditioned" means it did not have to be learned - body
responds reflexively to this stimulus with no previous experience)
unconditioned response (UR) (the
built-in reflexive response to the US - again, this biological
response did not have to be learned)
conditioned stimulus (CS) stimulus which
only comes to trigger a response because of learning
conditioned response (CR) learned response
to the CS
Terms about the learning process
acquisition
generalization
discrimination
extinction
spontaneous recovery
examples of classical conditioning
conditioned emotional response (Watson)
conditioned physiological responses
conditioned responses to images or sounds
Operant
Conditioning and Cognitive Learning)
Edward Thorndike, his puzzle box and his "law of effect"
Operant conditioning; BF Skinner
operant chamber or Skinner box
systematic investigation of the impact of "consequences" on
behavior
shaping behavior using consequences
Types of consequences
positive vs negative reinforcement
positive vs negative punishment
disadvantages of the use of punishment
ways of modifying behavior without using physical
punishment
behavior modification
Shaping a response using reinforcement
continuous reinforcement - reinforcing every correct
response
alternative to continuous reinforcement: partial
reinforcement or "schedules of reinforcement"
fixed ratio (FR)
variable ratio (VR)
fixed interval (FI)
variable interval (VI)
Acquisition, generalization, extinction, spontaneous
recovery terms can also be applied to operant conditioning
situations
comparison of classical conditioning and operatn conditioning (see
Table 7.4)
Biological constraints on learning
Cognitive
learning
"Insight" learning
(Kohler) (see p 327)
"Latent Learning" and Cognitive maps (Tolman)
Observational or social learning or "modeling" (Bandura)
Observational learning of aggressive behaviors versus
prosocial behaviors
Biologically ready to observe and imitate (mirror neurons)
Biological basis for imitation of a model - mirror
neurons
Chapter 6
What is the difference between sensation and
perception?
"Bottom-up" processing- sensory receptors provide input to cortex
sensory receptors- transduction of outside stimuli to
neural messages
Electromagnetic energy; visible spectrum, light waves
and their wavelength & intensity
Parts of the eye and their functions
the structure of the retina
characteristics of rods versus cones
visual pathway from retina to visual cortex
parallel processing of different aspects of vision
Young-Helmholtz or trichromatic theory color vision
opponent process theory of color vision
(more about visual perception further down)
parallel processing of the different aspects of sensory input (
e.g. color, shape, brightness, motion, depth or pitch,
loudness, rhythm, pattern)
conscious and unconscious levels of sensory processing
Sound waves and how they relate to the sounds we hear
Parts of ear, cochlea, hair cells; auditory cortex
how does brain locate sounds
conduction deafness/hearing loss
sensorineural deafness/hearing loss
cochlear implants
special features of pain sensation: gating
of pain messages; stimuli that "close the gate"; endorphins,
acupuncture, hypnosis
smell (olfaction) receptors and taste (gustation) receptors
pheromones
sensory interaction
Perception- how the brain organizes & interprets
the sensory input from millions of sensory receptors
organization of input to detect features
Gestalt principles of perceptual organization to
discern figures (objects) from background
rolle of expectations or "perceptual set"
Depth perception cues (6 monocular (artist's)
vs 2 binocular cues (retinal disparity and convergence))
perceptual constancies
"Top-down" influences on perception (e.g. effects of experience, expectations,
motivation, context)