Learning Theories: Classical Conditioning Learning Theory

Learning Outcomes Students are able to: discuss the Classical Conditioning Learning Theory Elaborate the application of Classical Conditioning Theory

Advance Organizer..

BEHAVIORISM

Thorndike

Pavlov

Skinner

Behaviorist Theory
Behavioral Learning Theories: Explanations of learning that focus on external events as the cause of changes in observable behaviors. Learning as association E. L. Thorndike Learning: A series of associations between stimulus and response Association can be strengthened or weakened.

Thorndike placed a hungry cat inside a puzzle box, the only escape was to press a lever located on the floor of the box. Thorndike placed a dish of food outside the box, so the hungry cat is highly motivated to get out. Lever- stimulus Pushing of lever-response Escape and food -consequence

 Law of Effect- if an action is followed by pleasurable consequence, it will tend to be repeated. If an action is followed by an unpleasant consequence, it will tend not to be repeated. Thorndike called this type of learning as Trial and Error Learning.

Ivan Pavlov
Concept: Classical Conditioning stimulus which did not produce any response when paired with an unconditioned stimulus repeatedly will be able to elicit a response. Through the process of classical conditioning, humans and animals can be trained to react involuntarily to a stimulus which previously had no effect on them.

The experiment conducted by Pavlov.

Concepts : Stimulus: events that activate behavior Response: observable reaction to a stimulus Classical Conditioning: Association of automatic responses with new stimuli Neutral stimulus: stimulus not connected to a response Unconditioned Stimulus (US): Stimulus that automatically produces an emotional or physiological response.

Unconditioned response (UR): Naturally occuring emotional or physiological response. Conditioned stimulus (CS): Stimulus that evokes an emotional or physiological response after conditioning. Conditioned Response(CR) : Learned response to a previously neutral stimulus.

Generalization: Responding in the same way to similar stimuli. Discrimination: Responding differently to similar, but not identical stimuli. Extinction: Gradual disappearance of a learned response.

J.B. Watson used classical conditioning technique to study how emotion (fear) is learned among children. Subject Albert Initially Little Albert did not show a fear of animals. Stage 2 A loud noise(unconditioned stimulus) was made behind his back by hitting a steel bar with a hammer.

 Stage 3 Albert automatically cried (unconditioned response). Stage 4 the loud sound was paired with the appearance of the white rat repeatedly. Stage 5 Albert started to cry whenever he saw the white rat even without the loud sound. He developed a phobia of rats. Stage 6 white rat (conditioned stimulus) which could elicit the cry (conditioned response).

Generalization Example Albert became afraid of white cotton and everything which is white in colour.

Summary Learning according to behaviorist theory Classical conditioning theory Principles and concepts in classical conditioning theory