Unit 3

The psychological processes (II)

Learning and memory

1/28
 Outline
• Classical conditioning
• Operant conditioning
• Types of memory
• Encoding, storage, and retrieval
• Practice and Discussions

2/28
 Opening discussion
• Why do you speak Vietnamese?

• Why do you know doing something?

3/28
 Classical conditioning
Ivan P. Pavlov: Classical conditioning experiment
(A Russian physiologist who had won a Nobel Prize in physiology)

4/28
 Classical conditioning
Classical Conditioning: The process by which an
organism learns a new association between two
stimuli—a neutral stimulus and one that already
evokes a reflexive response.

5/28
Classical conditioning

6/28
Classical conditioning

7/28
 Classical conditioning
Example
Candy Jane
Mary Mary

Neutral

8/28
 Classical conditioning
Additional Phenomena of Classical Conditioning
• Extinction: The process that weakens a conditioned
response by presenting the conditioned stimulus
without the unconditioned stimulus.
• Spontaneous recovery: A temporary return of an
extinguished response after a delay.

9/28
 Classical conditioning
Additional Phenomena of Classical Conditioning

• Stimulus Generalization: Extension of a conditioned

response from the training stimulus to similar stimuli.

The dog can’t

distinguish the
metronome
sound with that
of the keys
collision 10/28
 Classical conditioning
Additional Phenomena of Classical Conditioning

• Discrimination: To respond differently to stimuli

that predict different outcomes.

The dog can

distinguish the
metronome
sound with that
of the keys
collision 11/28
 Operant conditioning
Edward L. Thorndike and Operant Conditioning

12/28
 Operant conditioning
A mouse in the cage
Positive Negative
reinforcement reinforcement

The red latch The green latch

Positive Negative
reinforcement reinforcement

Operant conditioning is a learning process in which 13/28

behaviors are formed or changed through rewards and
punishment.
 Extension:
Social learning theory
Bandura (1977, 1986) proposed the social learning theory
We learn about many behaviors by observing the
behaviors of others.

14/28
 Types of memory

Activity:
Let’s learn some Chinese sentences.
你好。
你好吗？
我爱你！
心理学。
15/28
 Types of memory
• Memory is the retention of
information. It includes
skills such as riding a
bicycle or tying your
shoelaces. It also includes
facts that never change
(your birthday), facts that
seldom change (your
mailing address), and facts
that frequently change 16/28

(where you left your keys).

Encoding, storage, and retrieval
• Memory process

Storage
Encoding
We integrate Retriveval
this knowledge
Input Information with what is
enters in a already in We access
way the memory and the desired
system will “warehouse” it information
recognize until it is
needed. 17/28
 Types of memory
• Memory system (types of memory)
Long-Term Memory
Sensory Memory (SM) Short-Term Memory (STM)
(LTM)
Temporary storage Brief storage of Relatively permanent
of sensory information currently storage of information
information being used
Capacity: unlimited
Capacity: High Capacity: limited Duration: long or
Duration: few seconds Duration: less than 20 seconds permanent

Attention Elaborative Rehearsal

Information that passes Information subjected to
through an attentional elaborative rehearsal or
gate is transferred to deep processing (e.g., its
short-term memory meaning is considered) is 18/28
transferred to long-term
memory
 Encoding, storage, and retrieval
• Memory process
How Our Memories Store Information?
node

Input

Input

Input

19/28
Knowledge structure
 Encoding, storage, and retrieval
• Memory process
How Do We Retrieve Information from memory?
Spreading activation

The way we store a piece of information in memory depends on the

20/28
type of meaning we initially assign to it. This meaning type, in turn,
will determine how and when something activates the meaning.
Encoding, storage, and retrieval
What makes us forget?
• Early memory theorists assumed that memories
simply fade with the passage of time. In a process of
decay, the structural changes that learning produces
in the brain simply go away.
• Forgetting also occurs as a result of interference:
Proactive interference is when old materials
increase forgetting of new materials. Retroactive
interference is when new materials increase
forgetting of old materials.
21/28
• Other reasons: Alzheimer disease…
 Practice and Discussions

One application of operant conditioning

22/28

Source: YouTube
Practice and Discussions
Psychological focus 1
Alburt Bandura (1961, 1963)
Bobo Doll Experiment

23/28
Practice and Discussions
Psychological focus 2
George A. Miller (1956)
The Magical Number Seven Plus or Minus Two

24/28
Practice and Discussions
Psychological focus 3
Richard E. Nisbett and Timothy DeCamp Wilson
(1977)
The Hallo Effect

25/28
Practice and Discussions
Dominic O’Brien
(For English Students)

26/28
The End!

27/28