The Mind Doesn’t Matter

The Assumptions of the Behaviorist

Learning

Learning is a relatively permanent change in behavior which occurs as a result of experience.The learning is a result of the relationship between behavior (response) and events (stimuli)

Assumptions

Parsimony - Occam's Razor one should not increase, beyond what is necessary, the number of entities required to explain anything

Associationism -the doctrine supported by Aristotle, Hume and others that mental processes are based on forming connections between ideas or events.

John Locke and J.S. Mill

“reward and punishment … are the spur and reins whereby all mankind are set on work, and guided.”Today we talk about the “carrot and the stick”

The Pioneers

Ivan Pavlov (1849-1936)Edward L. Thorndike (1874-1949)John B. Watson (1878-1958)B. F. Skinner (1904-1990)

Ivan Pavlov

Discovered “Classical Conditioning”Was a Russian physiologist who discovered a link between reflexes and an “anticipatory response”.

Classical Conditioning Also known as a neutral stimulus

Assignment

Find an advertisement from any newspaper or magazine.Examine the conditioning techniques used.Write a brief report on the elements.Be prepared to be randomly selected to present your report.

Due Friday

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Key Terms in Classical Conditioning

Neutral StimulusUnconditioned stimulusUnconditioned responseConditioned StimulusConditioned response

Stimulus GeneralizationStimulus DiscriminationExtinctionSpontaneous Recovery

Training

In the absence of training generalization will occur.Stimulus Discrimination requires trainingIn some cases extinction will not occur.

John B. Watson

Conditioned Emotional ResponsesWatson and Rayner with Little AlbertConditioned Drug and Immune Responses

Little Albert

Neutral Stimulus = RatUnconditioned (al) stimulus = Loud NoiseUnconditioned(al) Response = fearConditioned Stimulus = RatConditioned Response = Fear

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Higher Order Conditioning

Before Higher Order Conditioning

During Higher Order Conditioning

CS1Buzzer

NS/CS2Black Square

CRSalivation

CS1Buzzer

CRSalivation

Neutral StimulusBlack Square

Orienting ResponseDog Looks at Square

Higher Order Conditioning

CSBlack Square

CRSalivation

After Higher Order Conditioning