Skills

Psychology 7: Learning and Behaviour

8 weeks · 2 milestones

Conditioning, reinforcement and habits. Course 7 of the Varsity Curriculum: Psychology. Free sources only. Foundations only. Not a clinical or counselling qualification.

Part of: Psychology · Proves for: UG

Milestone map

2 milestones

Simulate conditioning

4 weeks (about 5 hrs/week)

Read OpenStax chapter 6 and the Noba module on conditioning. Self-check: chapter 6 review questions. Then make a notebook that simulates classical conditioning with the Rescorla–Wagner model, including extinction.

Proof required

Link the public repo with a notebook that simulates classical conditioning with the Rescorla–Wagner model, including extinction: the notebook, the data (or a link to the open dataset) and a README saying what it shows.

What gets checked

The learning rule is implemented correctly.
Acquisition and extinction curves are plotted.
Changing a parameter changes the curve as expected.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A notebook that simulates classical conditioning with the Rescorla–Wagner model, including extinction.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 7: Learning and Behaviour
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

The learning rule is implemented correctly.
Acquisition and extinction curves are plotted.
Changing a parameter changes the curve as expected.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Analyse a behaviour change on yourself

4 weeks (about 5 hrs/week)

Work through the MIT 9.20 lectures on learning. Self-check: chapter 6 review questions. Then make a single-case report of changing one of your own habits with a reinforcement schedule, with a baseline and at least four weeks of data.

Proof required

Link the public repo or shared document with a single-case report of changing one of your own habits with a reinforcement schedule, with a baseline and at least four weeks of data, with every source cited.

What gets checked

A baseline is recorded first.
The schedule is named and followed.
The data are plotted and honestly read.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A single-case report of changing one of your own habits with a reinforcement schedule, with a baseline and at least four weeks of data.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 7: Learning and Behaviour
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

A baseline is recorded first.
The schedule is named and followed.
The data are plotted and honestly read.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Part of

Psychology 7: Learning and Behaviour →

Related outcomes

All outcomes

Skills

Psychology 7: Learning and Behaviour

8 weeks · 2 milestones

Conditioning, reinforcement and habits. Course 7 of the Varsity Curriculum: Psychology. Free sources only. Foundations only. Not a clinical or counselling qualification.

Part of: Psychology · Proves for: UG

Milestone map

2 milestones

Simulate conditioning

4 weeks (about 5 hrs/week)

Proof required

What gets checked

The learning rule is implemented correctly.
Acquisition and extinction curves are plotted.
Changing a parameter changes the curve as expected.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A notebook that simulates classical conditioning with the Rescorla–Wagner model, including extinction.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 7: Learning and Behaviour
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

The learning rule is implemented correctly.
Acquisition and extinction curves are plotted.
Changing a parameter changes the curve as expected.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Analyse a behaviour change on yourself

4 weeks (about 5 hrs/week)

Proof required

What gets checked

A baseline is recorded first.
The schedule is named and followed.
The data are plotted and honestly read.

Common mistakes

Results the files cannot reproduce.
A summary of the reading instead of your own work.

Powstik Guide

A single-case report of changing one of your own habits with a reinforcement schedule, with a baseline and at least four weeks of data.

Steps

Read the linked chapter and take the self-check.
Make a public repo.
Build the smallest version that works, then check it.
Write a README: the question, the method, what you found, the limits.
Ask someone who knows psychology to check it.

Template

README
Course 7: Learning and Behaviour
Question:
Data (source, n, how it was collected):
Method:
Result:
Limits:

What gets sent back

No data or no code.
Data from people that breaks the rules above.
Copied work with no history.

Resources

Foundationstart here

Depthgo deeper

What a verifier looks for

A baseline is recorded first.
The schedule is named and followed.
The data are plotted and honestly read.
Do the files produce what the README says?

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Part of

Psychology 7: Learning and Behaviour →