Psychology 281 Learning & Behaviour

Psychology 281Learning & BehaviourEmily BattySpring Session 2008SyllabusCourse Website:www.ualberta.ca/~egray/psyc281.html

Textbook:Chance, P. (2006). Learning & Behavior: Active Learning Edition (Fifth Edition). USA: Thompson Wadsworth.

Prerequisite:Psyco 104 (or equivalent)InstructorEmily BattyBS P-549492-7886 (office) or 492-7139 (lab)emily.batty@ualberta.caPsych 281 in subjectName & ID in messageEmail is the BEST way to reach me!!!Office hours:Monday, 2-3:30, or by appointmentGrading Breakdown1 midterm: 25%Final: 35%2 assignments: 15% each5 quizzes: 2% each

ScheduleChapters 1,2,3: May 5, 7Chapters 4,5: May 12, 14NO CLASS: May 19Chapters 6: May 21 Assignment #1 due (21st)MIDTERM: May 26Chapters 7,10: May ,26, 28Chapters 8,9: June 2, 4 Assignment #2 due (2nd)Chapters 11,12: June 9, 11FINAL: Thursday, June 12 3 pmGradingA+ (4.0) = 95-100% A (4.0) = 90-94% A- (3.7) = 85-89%B+ (3.3) = 80-84%B (3.0) = 75-79% B- (2.7) = 70-74%C+ (2.3) = 65-69%C (2.0) = 60-64% C- (1.7) = 55-59%D+ (1.3)= 50-54% D (1.0) = 45-49% F (0.0) = 0-44%

Not graded on a curveGrades will be based on:Quizzes: 10% (5 x 2%)Assignments: 30% (2 x 15%)Midterm exam: 25%Final exam:35%

Quizzes5 SHORT quizzes worth 2% eachGiven at the BEGINNING of class10 minutes to answerBased on readings or previous days lecture

e.g.What is the definition of learning?

Assignments2 assignments worth 15% eachOne-page limitYou can work in pairsDeductions for late assignments

e.g. Explain gambling behaviour in terms of different schedules of reinforcement.

Cheating & Plagarismhttp://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/governance/StudentAppealsCheatsheet.cfm?ExamsMultiple ChoiceFill-in-the-blankShort answerWhat is Learning?What is learning?School kids? Studying for exams? Learning to drive?

What else?Cognitive constants across speciesCognitive differences across speciesHow to make good rat poison?

DefinitionsLearning is:Some event at Time 1 affects behaviour at Time 2Problem with this definitionA change in behaviour due to experience

A change in behaviour is not sufficient to show learningNot all behaviours are learnedEven some complex behaviours are innateReflexes, fixed action patterns, general behaviour traitsBehaviour & EvolutionWhere do these innate behaviours come from?Natural SelectionVariation, inheritance, selection, differential reproductive successActs on the level of the individualNatural selection commonly known to work on physical traitsE.g. white & black peppered moths

Natural SelectionBehaviours, as well as physical characteristics, can be selected for!Survival of the Sneakiest:http://evolution.berkeley.edu/evolibrary/article/0_0_0/sneakermales_01

Evolutionary advantages for behaviours like reflexes?More complex behaviours, like altruism and pair bonding?

Artificial SelectionAnimal breedersPet domesticationGenetic engineeringSexual SelectionMate choice based on non-adaptive traitsi.e. traits that dont increase survivability may evolve if they help an organism compete for matesPeacocks

Limits of Natural SelectionSLOW!Generational lagNot very helpful within a lifetimee.g. new predatorsInnate BehavioursReflexes, Fixed Action Patterns & General Behaviour TraitsReflexesResponse to an environmental stimuli (i.e. an event)Relationship between a specific event and a simple responseNot learned, innate responsesSurvival mechanismPrimitive reflexes

Sensory neuronInter-neuronMotor neuronBRAINchanges in reflexesReflexes are generally very stereotypici.e. they dont change much in terms of form, strengthHowever, they can vary between people & time

Sensitization & HabituationSimple forms of learningChanges in reflexive behaviour patternsDifferent from sensory adaptation and fatiqueDiscreet stimulus

sensitizationIntensity and repetition of the event can affect habituation & sensitization

Sensitization: an INCREASE in the intensity or probability of response to stimuliSensitization example:Light touch: no responsePainful shock: flinchLight touch: flinchhabituationHabituation: a DECREASE in the intensity or probability of response to stimuliStimulus specificHabituation example:Loud noise: startleLoud noise: less startleLoud noise: less startle

Fixed Action PatternsSimilar to reflexes: innate and very stereotypicInvolve more complex actions, or a series of actionsSet off by a sign stimulus or releaserStart-to-finishfixed action patterns

MAILOther examples of FAPsGreylag Goose rolling eggsGullsYawning?Westermarck effect

General Behaviour TraitsBehavioural traits strongly influenced by genesNot the same as FAPsMore plastic, flexibleNo single sign stimulusSpecies specific defense reactionsRats: freezeEvolved modifiabilityNatural selection is slow, so innate behaviours are not enoughAbility to learnNature vs. NurtureMeasuring LearningLearning & BehaviourRemember: Learning is a change in behaviour due to experienceWhy behaviour??Hard Line Behaviourism?WatsonSkinnerThe Science of LearningAvoiding circular explanations

Q: Why did the chicken cross the road?Q: How do we know the chicken wanted to get to the other side?A: To get to the other side.A: Because it crossed the roadOperational DefinitionsA precise way of defining eventsMultiple observers can agree on occurrence of eventOr, quantify an eventInter-rater reliabilityHow to define choice?When bird lands on perch?When bird pulls off Velcro?When beak touches Velcro?

Measuring LearningReduction in errorsChange in speedChange in topography (form)Change in intensityChange in latencyChange in rate or frequencyHow to study learningAnecdotal evidenceFirst- or second-hand reports of personal experiencesGood for ideas, but not very scientificHow to study learningAnecdotal evidenceNaturalistic ObservationObserve subjects in their natural settingLimited controlsLittle to no interactionHow to study learningAnecdotal evidenceNaturalistic ObservationCase StudiesMore detail than an anecdoteStudy an individual/event/small group in detailTime consumingHard to generalizeDoesnt answer all questions (e.g. causation)How to study learningAnecdotal evidenceNaturalistic ObservationCase StudiesDescriptive StudiesQuestionnaires, statistical analysesMore information than case studies, but less detailCorrelations, not causationHow to study learningAnecdotal evidenceNaturalistic ObservationCase StudiesDescriptive StudiesExperimental StudiesManipulate variablesDifferent designsHigh controlMeasures effect of specific variables on behaviourTypes of VariablesIndependent variablesManipulatedDependent variablesMeasuredControlled variablesThings to keep constantExperimental DesignsBetween Subjects designTwo or more groups of participants/subjectsExperimental & Control groupsManipulate independent variable between groupsOne group gets it, and one doesntMeasure dependent variable between groupsAssignment into groups can be random or matched

Between SubjectsExperimental DesignsWithin Subjects designOne group of participants/subjects, compare across time pointsExperimental DesignsWithin Subjects DesignsABA reversalsEvaluation ResearchValidityHow well a study, a procedure, or a measure does what it is supposed to doReliabilityHow well a measure can be reproducedReplicability

Evaluating ResearchSampling biasSample: collection of subjects selected for a studyPopulation: much larger collection of animals or people from which the sample was drawnDistortions in self-reportsSelf-reports: subjects give a verbal/written account of their own performance

Evaluation ResearchPlacebo effectsDemand characteristicsExperimental biasIntentional and unintentionalSingle- and double-blind procedures

Animal ResearchHow useful to human learning?Control over variablesEthicsCognitive constants, differencesComparative CognitionAnimal RightsComputer simulations