Question

MCAT Psychology Tutorial: Learning & Conditioning

Answer 1

\({\bf{Learning:}}\) acquisition of new knowledge, behaviors, and cognitions
- associative learning: learning of automatic behaviors through conditioning

\({\bf{Classical~Conditioning:}}\)
- starts with the observation of an unconditioned stimulus and response
- introduction of neutral stimulus that is paired with the US
- eventually the neutral stimulus becomes associated with the unconditioned stimulus
- the neutral stimulus (now called the conditioned stimulus) can now induce the response (now called the conditioned response)

Related Terminology:
- acquisition: the early stages of learning
- extinction: the gradual decline of the conditioned response if not paired with the unconditioned stimulus
- spontaneous recovery: the revival of the conditioned response after extinction
- stimulus generalization: an individual starts to associate separate but related stimuli with the conditioned stimulus
- discrimination: individual must learn what makes the conditioned stimulus and related stimuli different

\({\bf{Operant~Conditioning:}}\) associating a voluntary behavior with a reward/punishment to increase/decrease the prevalence of that behavior
- primary reinforcer (also unconditioned reinforcer): a stimulus that has an inherent positive effect
- secondary reinforcer: a stimulus that is neutral but can be associated with something positive

Reinforcement vs Punishment
- reinforcement: adding or removing a stimulus to increase the frequency of a behavior
> positive reinforcement: adding positive stimulus
> negative reinforcement: removing negative stimulus

- punishment: adding or removing a stimulus to decrease the frequency of a behavior
> positive punishment: adding a negative stimulus
> negative punishment: removing a positive stimulus

- escape: an individual's attempt to remove the stimulus
- avoidance: an individual's attempt to prevent the stimulus from occurring

Answer 2

shaping: attempts to reinforce a behavior by reinforcing smaller, similar behaviors
extinction burst: when a behavior stops being reinforced an individual will intensify that behavior in attempts to gain the reward

\({\bf{Reinforcement~Schedule:}}\) the pattern at which reinforcement is delivered
- continuous: behavior is reinforced every single time (useful in early stages)
- partial: behavior is only reinforced sometimes (more useful in later stages)
> fixed interval: behavior is rewarded at a set interval (ex. once every hour)
> variable interval: the interval is not always the same
> fixed ratio: behavior is rewarded at set number of correct behaviors/responses
> variable ratio: behavior is rewarded after some changing number of correct behaviors/responses

using a variable schedule increases the frequency of behavior even w/o reward, can help explain certain addictive behaviors like gambling

Answer 3

\({\bf{Non-Associative~Learning:}}\)
- habituation: the response to the same stimulus will eventually decrease if not reinforced
- rehabituation: temporarily removing and then reintroducing a stimulus can revive the response

Observational Learning: learning through looking/listening to others and repeating their actions
- modeling: performing a behavior to teach somebody else
- mirror neurons: involved when one observes and performs a certain action, involved in certain biological responses like crying when somebody else is crying

\({\bf{Cognitive~Theories:}}\)
- Elaboration Likelihood Model: describes two routes for changing one's behavior in response to an external idea
> central route: the individual assesses the idea directly
> peripheral route: individual assesses information that is not directly related to the idea

Social Cognitive Theory: individuals are motivated by intrinsic rewards and external factors like modeling

Answer 4

Anyway, that's the end of my tutorial, I hope it was a helpful resource. Source material is the 2nd Edition Barron's Prep book for the new MCAT