An In Depth Look at Human Behaviour

1. An In Depth Look at Human Behaviour Operant and Classical Conditioning

2. Learning • Cognition: how we acquire, store, and use knowledge • Learning: A change in knowledge or behaviour as a result of experience • We learn a lot within first few years of life • Humans rely on learning over instinct • We can change our thinking and behaviour to meet new situations

3. Classical and Operant Conditioning • Both study the effects of positive reinforcement (rewards) and punishment on behaviour • Both explain a different type of behaviour • Classical Conditioning explains how we learn attitudes, feelings, and basic responses • Operant Conditioning explains more complex behaviour

4. Classical Conditioning • Key Psychologist: Ivan Pavlov • Belief – pleasant or unpleasant reinforcement comes before the desired behaviour • Example: Pavlov’s Dog • Meat (reward) – salivates (behaviour) • Candy (reward) – be appropriate (behaviour)

5. Classical Conditioning • Learning in which a stimulus that does not elicit a given response is repeatedly linked with one that does until the neutral stimulus elicits the response by itself • Unconditioned Stimulus (US) – agent that leads to a response without training • Unconditioned Response (UR) – automatic response to a US • Neutral Stimulus (NS) – agent that initially has no effect • Conditioned Stimulus (CS) – a former NS that comes to elicit a given response after pairing it with an US • Conditioned Response (CR) – a learned response to CS * The NS always becomes the CS*

6. Pavlov’s Dog Experiment US – food UR – salivates US + NS – bell UR – salivates CS – bell CR - salivates

7. Operant Conditioning • Key Psychologist – B.F. Skinner • Belief – behaviour comes before reinforcement • Example – Mouse and lever • Mouse pushes lever (behaviour) to get cheese (reward) • You study hard on test (behaviour) you receive a 4+ (reward)

8. Observational Learning • Learning by watching or imitating models of behaviourthat are successful I.e. sports, speaking • Process: • Attention • Retention • Reproduction – convert stored memory into action • Motivation- interest in skill to practice • Issue: What is the effect of TV / Video game violence on children?

9. Insight Learning • Understanding or learning which is often sudden like an “aha” experience or “eureka” moment • Latent learning occurs • Latent learning – the mind works on the problem even though there are no outward signs until the insight reveals itself (AHA!!)

10. Behaviourists Behaviourist Psychologists (like Pavlov and Skinner) believe we can explain most, if not all, human learning as a form of conditioning – especially operant. For example, we continue to do things that bring us rewards and avoid things that bring us pain

11. What works best – Reward or Punishment? • Disadvantages of Punishment • May stop undesired behaviour but does not show the desired behaviour • Punishment is attention therefore may be considered a reward • Too much punishment causes psychological effects