Agenda Pomona College ֠ Discussion of writing response #1 LCS 11: Cognitive Science ֠ Background to behaviorism handout ֠ On conditioning Behaviorism ֠ Module 1 evaluations ֠ Next class Jesse Harris 1. Physicalism: Cunningham, 2000, pp. 21-31; Ramachandran, 2005, ch 1–2 Module 2, Class 1 2. GQ 2.1 due Tuesday by 9PM Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 1 Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 2 Writing response #1 On the mind-body problem The behaviorist’s question So far in this class, we’ve looked at evidence that the mind is composed of Why not just study the behavior of the organism? Why do we two very different sort of mechanisms: highly modular mechanisms that need a concept of mind? specialize in particular kinds of tasks, and more general sorts of mechanisms, e.g., neural nets. We’ve also discussed the (limited) role of The time honored relics of philosophical speculation consciousness in cognition. In 1-2 single spaced pages, I’d like you to need trouble the student of behavior as little as they trouble the student of physics. The consideration of speculate on how consciousness fits into the picture we’ve developed so far. In your opinion, is consciousness more like a module, a domain general the mind-body problem affects neither the type of mechanism, or something else entirely? Defend your view with a concrete problem selected nor the formulation of the solution of that problem. (Watson, 1913) argument and examples from the reading or elsewhere. Cite all references where appropriate. ◮ Instead, study re fl exual or habitual responses to stimuli Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 3 Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 4
Classical (Pavlovian) conditioning: method Classical (Pavlovian) conditioning: aims Goal of classical conditioning Turn the unconditioned response ( UR) into a conditioned ◮ Collected salivary response (CR) by pairing the conditioned stimulus (CS) with secretions of dogs the experience of getting the unconditioned stimulus (CS). ◮ Tube inserted into ducts of salivary glands US Unconditioned stimulus food ◮ Saliva collected into UR Unconditioned response salivation measuring cylinder CS Conditioned stimulus ringing bell CR Conditioned response salivation Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 5 Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 6 Classical (Pavlovian) conditioning Classical (Pavlovian) conditioning US Unconditioned stimulus food US Unconditioned stimulus food UR Unconditioned response salivation UR Unconditioned response salivation CS Conditioned stimulus ringing bell CS Conditioned stimulus ringing bell CR Conditioned response salivation CR Conditioned response salivation food > salivation salivation > ∧ bell bell Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 7 Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 8
Little Albert B. F. Skinner Aims of behaviorism Introduction of fear 1. Methodological reduction ◮ Responses like a fear can be 2. A descriptive science of behavior manufactured, provided that 3. Non-theoretical science, more appropriate pairings are like engineering introduced 4. How to build and predict behavior in society http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt0ucxOrPQE#t=54s http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSv992Ts6as#t=2m33s John B. Watson B. F. Skinner Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 9 Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 10 B. F. Skinner Behaviorist dictates Avoid mentalistic terms Don’t presuppose an independent, private mental life that can The psychology “of the empty only be communicated by the subject organism” Operational definitions ◮ Facts of behavior are Define terms by reference to the operations or method you would use to realize or produce what that term is referring to independent of questions of mind ◮ Hunger – defined by to some other objective measure, ◮ If there were nothing to e.g., hours of food deprivation, rather than a subjective organisms, still behavior term • Keep constant across lab settings • All in observable world • Behavior is a response to events in the environment Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 11 Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 12
Behaviorists on love Skinner box ◮ Studies in 1950’s defined love as the total number of hours in a day that one was physically close to the object of love . ◮ Failure to operationalize more advanced behavior and relations Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 13 Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 14 Reinforcement Reinforcement ◮ Eats nearly its own weight in Continuous reinforcement food Every bar press results in reinforcer ◮ To cut down on costs, Skinner rewarded the pigeon at every ◮ Operational definition: A stimulus is a reinforcer when it other peck alters the probability of the behavior that produces it • Animal quickly learns to peck • Positive reinforcer - increases the probability twice • Negative reinforcer - lowers the probability • And so on for each action to reward ratio ◮ Avoid mentalistic terms: Animal’s behavior that defines the reinforcer, not some estimate of its mental state. Partial reinforcement Only some responses are enforced; schedules of reinforcement Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 15 Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 16
Random reinforcement Random reinforcement Schedule of reinforcement Stretch out how many responses are required for payo ff ; in extreme case, randomly determine what the schedule of reinforcement is for each trial ◮ Maintain stable rates of behavior across a lifetime ◮ Never know when to stop pulling the lever ◮ No determined cue for delivery ◮ Can you think of an example of this in human behavior? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhvaSEJtOV8#t=1m25s Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 17 Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 18 Behavior and the mind Next time: Physicalism Cunningham, 2000: pp. 21–31 Open questions 1. What is the connection between behavior and mind? 2. Can we do away with all talk of mentalistic terms? 3. What sorts of behavior do we fail to capture? Ramachandran, 2005: ch. 1–2 Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 19 Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 20
GQ 2.1 - due Feb 12, by 9PM On any type of Physicalism that Cunningham (2000, pp.21-31) discusses, mental phenomena should be strongly associated with, or even reduce to, some sort of physical state in the brain. Take any ONE of the unique disorders described in Ramachandran (2005) in chapters 1-2, which includes Capgras syndrome, phantom limbs, synesthesia, blindsight, anosognosia (lack of insight), etc., in which damage to the brain is associated with specific behavioral deficits, and brie fl y relate the patients’ particular experience to the physicalist viewpoint. In other words, are the unique experiences expected or supported under Physicalism? Why or why not? Group leaders : Devin, Tatiana, Sierra, Audrey, Jun, Hana, Lea Lynn, Ally, Becca Jesse Harris: LCS 11: Cognitive Science, Behaviorism 21
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