ZOODSE - 602: Animal Behavior and Chronobiology (Theory)
There are two types of associative learning: classical conditioning and operant conditioning.
Associative learning plays a vital role in animal behavior, as it allows animals to learn from their environment and adapt to changing circumstances. It is also important in human learning, as it underlies many educational techniques and therapeutic interventions.
Associative learning
Associative learning is a type of learning where an individual learns to
associate one stimulus or behavior with another stimulus or behavior. This
type of learning involves forming connections between different stimuli,
behaviors, and their consequences.
Associative learning is a type of learning in which an organism learns to
associate one stimulus with another. In other words, it involves the
association of two events that are not naturally related. An example of
associative learning is classical conditioning, where an animal learns to
associate a neutral stimulus with a meaningful stimulus, resulting in a
specific behavioral response.
For instance, in Pavlov's classic experiment, a dog was trained to
associate the sound of a bell with the presentation of food. The sound of
the bell is a neutral stimulus that does not initially elicit any response
from the dog. However, after repeated pairing of the bell with the
presentation of food, the dog starts to salivate at the sound of the bell
alone. This is an example of associative learning, as the dog has learned
to associate the sound of the bell with the presence of food.
There are two types of associative learning: classical conditioning and operant conditioning.
classical conditioning
In classical conditioning, an individual learns to associate an involuntary
response with a particular stimulus. A classic example of this is Pavlov’s
experiment, where he conditioned dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell by
repeatedly ringing the bell before feeding them
Operant conditioning
operant conditioning, an individual learns to associate a voluntary behavior with a particular consequence. This type of learning involves reinforcement and punishment. For example, if a rat presses a lever and receives a food pellet, it is more likely to press the lever again in the future. Conversely, if the rat presses the lever and receives an electric shock, it is less likely to press the lever again in the future.
Examples
Classical conditioning:
A dog salivates when it hears the sound of a bell because it has been
trained to associate the sound with the delivery of food.
A child learns to fear dogs after being bitten by one, and subsequently
becomes anxious and avoids them.
Operant conditioning:
A rat learns to press a lever in order to receive a food pellet, and
eventually develops a strong association between the lever and the reward.
A person learns to buckle their seatbelt when the car beeps, because they
have been reinforced with the removal of the annoying sound.
Associative learning plays a vital role in animal behavior, as it allows animals to learn from their environment and adapt to changing circumstances. It is also important in human learning, as it underlies many educational techniques and therapeutic interventions.
Habituation and imprinting are both forms of learning, but they differ in
their characteristics and mechanisms.
Habituation
Habituation is a process of learning in which an organism gradually
becomes less responsive to a repeated or ongoing stimulus. It occurs when
an organism's response to a particular stimulus decreases as a result of
repeated exposure to it. Habituation is a simple form of learning that is
often used to filter out irrelevant information from the environment and
focus on important stimuli.
Imprinting
on the other hand, is a form of learning that occurs during a specific,
critical period in an organism's development. Imprinting is a rapid,
irreversible learning process in which an animal forms an attachment to
the first moving object it sees after hatching or birth. This object is
typically the mother, but it can also be a human or other animal.
Imprinting is important for social bonding and recognition, and it can
influence an animal's behavior and choices throughout its life.
Habituation is a process of learning that occurs over time as an organism
becomes less responsive to a repeated stimulus, while imprinting is a
rapid, irreversible form of learning that occurs during a critical period
and involves attachment to a specific object or individual.
Example
Habituation:
A person who lives near a busy road may become habituated to the noise
of traffic and no longer notice it as much.
A dog that barks at every passing car may eventually stop barking after
repeated exposure to the same stimuli.
A baby may initially startle at the sound of a vacuum cleaner, but over
time may become habituated to the sound and not react as strongly.
Imprinting:
A newborn duckling will typically follow the first moving object it sees
after hatching, usually the mother duck. This is an example of filial
imprinting.
A baby bird that is hand-raised by a human may imprint on the human and
see them as a parent or mate, leading to abnormal behavior when around
other birds.
A young monkey raised in isolation without contact with other monkeys
may imprint on a surrogate object, such as a cloth mother, and show
abnormal social behavior as an adult.
These examples illustrate the differences between habituation and
imprinting, and how they can affect an organism's behavior and learning
processes.
