Generalization
What is Generalization?
The transfer of past learning to novel events and problems.
What is discrimination learning?
Learning to respond differently to different stimuli.
What is concept formation?
Learning about new categories of entities based on shared features.
If broccoli and cauliflower both taste nasty, what type of learning is this?
Similar stimuli → same outcome (generalization).
What everyday skill uses generalization?
Recognizing how to drive different cars after learning on one.
What does generalization gradient show?
It shows how responses change as a function of similarity between a new stimulus and the original training stimulus.
Give an example of discrimination learning with food.
Learning that broccoli tastes nasty while cauliflower tastes yummy.
Give an everyday example of concept formation.
Recognizing different breeds of dogs as all belonging to the category “dog.”
If broccoli tastes nasty but cauliflower tastes yummy, what type of learning is this?
Similar stimuli → different outcomes (discrimination).
What is one risk of overgeneralization?
Applying the same response to situations where it is
Where is the peak on a generalization gradient usually found?
At the original stimulus on which the animal was trained.
In discrimination, what happens when similar stimuli predict different outcomes?
The organism learns to distinguish between the stimuli.
How does concept formation relate to generalization?
It relies on generalization of shared features to group stimuli into categories.
If broccoli tastes nasty and red peppers taste nasty, what type of learning is this?
Dissimilar stimuli → same outcome (generalization).
How might firefighters or EMTs rely on discrimination learning?
By distinguishing between different types of emergencies to give the right response.
What does graded responding in generalization depend on?
The degree of similarity between the test stimulus and the trainning stimulus.
Why is discrimination learning important for survival?
It helps organisms respond appropriately to different situations and avoid harmful mistakes.
Why is concept formation useful?
It allows people to apply prior knowledge to new, similar situations.
If broccoli tastes nasty but red peppers taste yummy, what type of learning is this?
Dissimilar stimuli → different outcomes (discrimination).
How could concept formation help a child in school?
Learning to group letters into categories (vowels vs consonants) to read.
What is a "consequential region?
A set of stimuli that shares the same consequence as a stimulus with a known outcome.
What is the opposite of discrimination learning?
Generalization.
What is one challenge of concept formation?
Distinguishing between relevant and irrelevant features when categorizing.
Why is it important to recognize both similarities and differences in stimuli?
It helps adapt behavior appropriately to new situations.
How does psychology research on generalization and discrimination apply to AI or machine learning?
Algorithms must generalize from training data to new data while still discriminating important differences.