Classical conditioning

 is a process in which a behavior that originally followed one event is made to follow a
different event.
 Classical conditioning involves associating an involuntary response and a stimulus, while
operant conditioning is about associating a voluntary behavior and a consequence
 Pairing of a response that is automatically produced by one stimulus with a second
stimulus that does not automatically produce the response

Observational learning- behavior is best learned through observing and modeling

 process of learning to respond in a particular way by watching others, who are called
models.
 Observational learning is a process in which learning occurs through observing and
imitating others.
 People learn through observing and imitating the actions of others.

Law of learning- theory of learning based solely on trial and error behavior

 the individual responds to a stimulus in a problem situation and if the response is

successful it is reinforced by a sense of satisfaction
 Three laws of learning. These laws are universally accepted and apply to all kinds of
learning: the law of readiness, the law of exercise, and the law of effect. Since Thorndike
set down his laws, three more have been added: the law of primacy, the law of intensity,
and the law of recency.
 People will imitate the actions of others without direct reinforcement.
 Four important elements are essential for effective observational learning: attention,
motor skills, motivation, and memory.

Operant conditioning- type of learning where behavior of the organism and reinforcement that
follows

 A type of learning where behavior is controlled by consequences

Positive Reinforcement- Any stimulus or event that increases the likelihood of the occurrence
of a behavior that it follows.

Shaping- The method of successive approximations.  Shaping reinforces the behaviors as

they get closer and closer to the desired behavior.

Negative Reinforcement- Reinforcement is anything that increases a behavior that results in

the reinforcers removal.

Punishment- Any consequence that decreases the future occurrence of a behavior that
produces it.
When You Remove a Positive Stimulus 
 Extinction
      If the stimulus is a reinforcer for the behavior (e.g., parent ignores child/withdraws
attention when child  acts up to get attention)
 Response Cost
      If the stimulus is not a reinforcer for the behavior (e.g., parent takes away child's TV
privileges when child acts up to get attention)

Three Major Types of Learning

 
1)      Learning through association  - Classical Conditioning
2)      Learning through consequences – Operant Conditioning
3)      Learning through observation – Modeling/Observational Learning
 
LEARNING
Learning is a change in behavior or in potential behavior that occurs as a result of
experience.  Learning occurs most rapidly on a schedule
of continuous reinforcement.  However it is fairly easy to extinguish… switching to variable
reinforcement after the desired behavior has been reached prevents extinction.

LAW of EFFECT
If a response is followed by a pleasant or satisfying consequence, that response will be
strengthened.  If a response is followed by an unpleasant or negative state of affairs, it will be
weakened.

Differences between Operant and Classical Conditioning

 
1)      In classical conditioning, the conditional behavior (CR) is triggered by the particular
stimulus (CS) and is therefore called an elicited behavior.  Operant behavior is an emitted
behavior in the sense that it occurs in a situation containing many stimuli and seems to be
initiated by the organism.  In a sense the subject chooses when and how to respond.
 
2)      In classical conditioning, behavior (CR) is affected by something that occurs before the
behavior (the CS-UCS pairing).  In contrast, the operant response is affected by what
happens after the behavior – that is by its consequences.

 In operant conditioning, the learner is also rewarded with incentives, while classical
conditioning involves no such enticements. Also, remember that classical conditioning is
passive on the part of the learner, while operant conditioning requires the learner to
actively participate and perform some type of action in order to be rewarded or punished.

 Law of learning is more based on trial and error behavior and responds to a stimulus in a
given problem situation while observational is more on observing and modeling