classical conditioning
In Pavlov's classic experiment, what are the unconditioned and conditioned stimuli, and what are the unconditioned and conditioned responses?
conditioned stimulus = bell
unconditioned response = salivate with food
conditioned response = salivate with bell
This process involves successive reinforcements of a desired behaviour:
shaping
How can recognition learning be behaviorally distinguished from associative learning about consequences?
recognition reflects memory for prior occurrence, not learned outcome expectations
Why are some stimulus–outcome pairings learned more readily than others?
learning systems are biased toward ecologically relevant relationships
bonus: give an example of one of these relationships
Why might species with short lifespans still evolve sophisticated learning?
environmental feedback including repeated exposure to variable but predictable resource distributions within a lifetime makes learning strongly adaptive
describe spontaneous recovery
the sudden re-emergence of a previously extinguished conditioned behaviour
Why is removing an aversive stimulus capable of strengthening behavior?
behavior is shaped by consequences that reduce negative states, not only by adding rewards
In imprinting research, this concept refers to the timing constraints on when learning can effect enduring change
a sensitive or critical period
Why would a generalist species be more likely to exhibit learned flavor aversion than a specialist species?
generalists encounter diverse and uncertain foods, increasing selection pressure for flexible toxin-avoidance learnin
What is a key difference between path integration and learning?
path integration relies on internal vector information, whereas learning requires experience-based modification of behaviour across time and is not inherently spatial
describe the effect of blocking on learning associations between stimuli
if an animal has already associated a US with a CS1 and a CS2 is introduced, learning will be reduced for CS2
bonus: what must be a quality of CS2 in order for learning to occur
This type of learning occurs when animals act even without direct reinforcement:
Autoshaping
Hall and Honey (1989) showed that previous exposure to a stimulus may simultaneously reduce ______ and enhance ______, allowing faster learning in discrimination tasks. fill in the blanks.
1. associability
2. discriminability
“Predictable unpredictability” favours the evolution of learning under what environmental conditions?
when conditions change across time or space in reliable patterns that can be tracked through experience
describe the process which underlies kin recognition
An individual carries signals which reliably identify genetic identity. These signals must be perceived by family members as signalling relatedness. Related individuals will alter behaviour around each other.
Why does the reduction of conditioned responding during extinction not necessarily indicate erasure of the original memory?
extinction reflects new learning that competes with, rather than deletes, the original association
Describe why clickers or whistles are used in animal training and how this can be effective even when food is not given, or is given less frequently.
The neutral stimulus of a clicker had been paired with an unconditioned stimulus (food) in the past, and has become a conditioned stimulus.
an arbitrary relationship learned more readily with a familiar rather than with a novel stimulus is an example of what kind of learning:
perceptual learning
Why would long-lived species with complex foraging strategies tend to produce fewer offspring at a time?
investment in cognition, extended development, and learning are costly and there is a tradeoff between number of offspring and the level of extended care parents are able to provide
bonus: provide an example of a species that fits this description
Why would researchers studying song learning raise birds in isolation and play standardized recordings rather than allowing normal social exposure?
to isolate learning mechanisms from uncontrolled social transmission effects
overshadowing occurs when the associative strength of a stimulus is reduced in the presence of another stimulus
potentiation occurs when the associative strength of a stimulus is increased in the presence of another stimulus
Describe how imprinting could be described as operant conditioning
There is evidence that aspects of imprinting objects (eg mother, mother substitute) such as movement are reinforcing and individuals will perform instrumental behaviours to access the imprinting object
define sensitisation in the context of habituation
an enhancement of responsiveness to a class of stimuli, not just the one being actively habituated
bonus: what characteristics of a stimulus might make it more likely to become sensitised
Design a simple experiment to test whether learning contributes to fitness. What key comparison must be made?
comparing reproductive success of learning-capable individuals versus non-learning controls across stable and variable environments
what is meant by the concept of the "innate schoolmarm"?
the idea that animals have an innate, internal "teacher" which helps it to distinguish if its behaviour is useful or detrimental