Application Paper

0714973

North Park University

PSYC 3100: Learning and Cognition Dr. David J. Bennett

November 20, 2022

 
Introduction to Learning

General Behavior Traits

Some general behavior traits are being outgoing, being shy, being talkative, being rude, and

being kind. General behavior traits are traits that are strongly influenced by genes. Temperament,

anxiety, or hostility can be examples of general behavior traits. Behavior traits occur in a wide

range of situations and are malleable. For instance, In the first episode of Breaking Bad, we see

Walter working at a car wash, and he doesn't seem too fond of his job there. Walter looks

irritated by his boss and starts to get aggressive. Walter loses his temper at work when his boss

asks him to wipe down something, and he starts ruining the items there and swears at his boss.

This shows general behavior traits that Walter has aggression and temperament.

Reflexes

A reflex is a connection between a specific event and a simple initial response to that event.

Reflexes are not necessary to learn and can be unconscious. For example, when an eyelash gets

in our eye, our automatic reaction is to keep blinking and pick out our eyelashes because the

sensation in our vision is uncomfortable. Reflexes can also be used to defend an organism or an

individual. When the two drug dealers pulled the gun at Walter, his first reaction was to raise his

hands and flee. Walter fled when they began shooting because he was in danger. This was his

instinctive reaction to help himself. Walter is using his reflexes by running to protect himself

from getting shot.

Habituation

Habituation is a form of learning in which an animal or person becomes less responsive to a

stimulus after repeated exposure to it. One example of habituation is when a person becomes

used to the sound of a loud alarm and no longer wakes up in response to it. In the first episode of
Burning Bad, the character Walter White is shown cooking meth in his RV. The audience sees

him adding various chemicals to the meth and then heating it up. The camera then cuts to him

taking a sample of the meth and tasting it. As he does this, we see a close up of his face and his

eyes begin to water. This is an example of habituation; the camera cutting to a close up of his

face and the watery eyes is a response that has been learned in association with the particular

stimulus (tasting the meth).

Perceptual Learning

Perceptual learning is repeated exposure to stimuli that make the incentives easy to distinguish.

This helps make sense of what we see, hear, smell, etc.—for example, determining different

scents from years of working with perfumes. Walter is a chemistry teacher, so he has been

exposed to various flasks in his years of teaching. When one of his former students, Jesse,

brought them out of his trunk, he immediately knew which flasks could boil and which could

not. However, Jesse needed help distinguishing which flasks to use and claimed he had burned

the fluids in the flasks that should not be boiled. Jesse has not learned because he has not been

exposed to this knowledge as long as Walter has.

Sensitization

Sensitization is after exposure to unusually strong or painful stimulation; an organism becomes

more responsive to most stimuli. For example, the students get up from their seats when the bell

rings. Being exposed to the bell ringing means that class is what instantly gets them up from their

heart every time the bell rings. In the episode of Breaking Bad, when Walter was exposed to

guns and drug dealers, he was alarmed. When one of the drug dealers moved close to Walter

when he showed them how to make his meth, he flinched when one of the men touched

something.
Pavlovian Principles

Conditioned Emotional Response

A conditioned response is a response that has been learned in association with a particular

stimulus. One example of a conditioned response is the reflexive blink that occurs when

something comes too close to our eyes. This response is learned and occurs automatically in

response to the stimulus. In the first episode of Burning Bad, the character Walter White is

shown cooking meth in his RV. The audience sees him adding various chemicals to the meth and

then heating it up. The camera then cuts to him taking a sample of the meth and tasting it. As he

does this, we see a close up of his face and his eyes begin to water. This is an example of a

conditioned response; the camera cutting to a close up of his face and the watery eyes is a

response that has been learned in association with the particular stimulus (tasting the meth).

Compound Stimulus

A compound stimulus is two or more stimuli that are presented at the same time. It is often seen

in the mixed reactions that people have about something. In the season 1 video of breaking bad,

we see numerous examples of these principles at work. For instance, when Walt first starts

cooking meth, he uses the sound of a timer to pair with the act of cooking the meth. This

eventually leads to the timer becoming a conditioned stimulus that triggers the cooking response.

We also see operant conditioning when Walt uses rewards (e.g., money) to reinforce the cooking

behavior and punishment (e.g., threats) to discourage Jesse from quitting.

Classical conditioning occurs when a neutral stimulus (e.g., the sound of a bell) is paired with an

unconditioned stimulus (e.g., food) to produce a conditioned response (e.g., drooling). In season

1 of Breaking Bad, Jesse is outside the house. He's just robbed. He hears a police siren and

freezes in fear. This response is called an unconditioned response because the sound of a police
siren triggers it without anything else happening beforehand. This was a scary experience for

Jesse because, in the past, whenever he heard that sound, his drug-dealing partner would usually

have been killed by the time the police arrived.

Operant conditioning occurs when behavior is controlled by reinforcement or punishment. A

reinforcer makes a behavior occur more often (e.g., money), and the effects of support are said to

be strengthened by repetition. A punisher makes a behavior occur less often (e.g., money), and

the consequences of punishment are said to be weakened by removing an opportunity for

reinforcement. Classical and operant conditioning can be used together to produce more complex

behavior. In Breaking Bad, Walt's mother was a huge fan of Walt. Operant movement is used by

Walt when he starts cooking meth. The effects of each operant response (cooking, cutting,

putting pieces in the barrel) are strengthened by repetition until they become a habit. Lastly, we

see classical and operant conditioning working together when Walt uses the sound of the timer to

trigger the cooking response but also uses rewards and punishment to reinforce or discourage

particular behavior.

Operant I

Positive Punishment

Positive punishment is giving someone a correct punishment because of the negative acts that

that have taken part in. it is usually following the rule of reward and punishment. The scene in

question occurs when Walter White, the show's protagonist, is trying to get his former business

partner Jesse Pinkman to cook methamphetamine with him. To do this, Walter threatens to kill

Jesse's girlfriend, Jane, if he does not comply. This is an example of positive punishment, as

Walter uses the threat of Jane's death to try and get Jesse to do what he wants. The principle of

positive discipline states that behavior followed by a negative consequence is less likely to occur
in the future. In this case, Walter is trying to make it so that the act of Jesse cooking meth is

followed by the negative consequence of Jane's death. This will hopefully make it so that Jesse is

less likely to cook meth.

It should be noted that this particular scene is a very extreme example of positive punishment. In

most cases, the negative consequence would not be as severe as death. However, Walter is

willing to go to great lengths to get what he wants, which makes this a compelling example of

the principle.

Negative Reinforcer

This is a principle used to negatively influence a person because of the actions that they have

done, making the effect that he has been doing. It is used to influence the audience that only the

negative fixing can make one to change the way that they have. The Pavlovian principles of

negative punishment can be seen in the season 1 video of breaking bad in several ways. For

example, when Walter White is trying to cook meth for the first time, he is constantly getting

interrupted by his family. This leads to him becoming frustrated and eventually giving up. This is

an example of negative punishment because Walter is being punished (by not being able to cook

meth) for his actions (interrupting his family). Another example can be seen when Jesse Pinkman

is trying to sell meth to a dealer. The dealer steals his meth, and Jesse is left with nothing. This is

another example of negative punishment because Jesse is being punished (by not having any

meth to sell) for his actions (trying to sell meth to the dealer).

Operant II

Discrimination

When an organism engages in a specific behavior in the presence of a particular stimulus (also

known as a discriminative stimulus) but not in another inspiration, this is referred to as

Bad, Walter would make meth in the van and take off his clothes before getting in the truck so he

would not smell like meth. He did this so Skylar, his wife, would not assume anything or smell

something unusual. However, in front of Jesse, he would make meth but not in front of another

stimulus, his wife.

Generalization

The Pavlovian Principles of generalization, as seen in the season 1 video of breaking bad, can be

best explained by looking at the character of Jesse Pinkman. In the show, Jesse is shown to be a

recovering meth addict trying to stay clean. However, he is constantly tempted by his former

dealer, Walter White. Jesse can resist the temptation to use meth by using the Pavlovian principle

of generalization. This principle states that if an individual is exposed to a stimulus (in this case,

meth) and does not respond to it (by using it), then they will begin to generalize this response to

other similar stimuli (in this case, other drugs). In other words, Jesse can resist the temptation to

use meth because he has generalized his response of not using drugs to all drugs.

Social Learning

Social facilitation is a phenomenon that occurs when people work better or more efficiently

when they are around other people. This effect is most often seen in tasks that are simple or well-

learned, as the presence of others can provide motivation and focus. In the first episode of

Breaking Bad, social facilitation is shown when Walt and Jesse work together to cook meth.

They are able to work more efficiently and produce a higher quality product when they are

working together. This is an example of how social facilitation can lead to improved

performance on a task.

Influence of media
It is the influence that different media cause to a person, mainly because of the way of

presentation and the way they display the ideas that a person has. The Pavlovian Principles of

influence of media, as seen in the season 1 video of breaking bad, suggest that the media can

have a powerful impact on how we view the world. The show demonstrates how the media can

create stereotypes and biased impressions that can lead to misunderstandings and conflict.

The Pavlovian Principles of influence of media, as seen in the season 1 video of breaking bad,

can be best described by looking at how the media affects the characters in the show. For

example, when Walter White (Bryan Cranston) is introduced, he is shown to be cooking meth in

his basement. The camera shows him from different angles, and the music is tense and

foreboding. This creates an immediate association between Walter and meth, and the audience is

left with the impression that Walter is a dangerous criminal. Later in the season, Walter is shown

teaching his son, Jesse (Aaron Paul), how to cook meth. The scene is shot in a more positive

light, with the music being more upbeat. This creates the impression that meth is not necessarily

harmful and can be used for good.

Memory I

Episodic Memory

Episodic memory is a type of long-term memory that involves the recall of specific events or

episodes from one's past. In the first episode of Breaking Bad, protagonist Walter White is

shown teaching a high school chemistry class. In a flashback, it is revealed that he was once a

promising scientist working on cancer research. However, he was diagnosed with inoperable

lung cancer and given only two years to live. Walter then decides to use his knowledge of

chemistry to cook methamphetamine in order to make money for his family after he dies. In one

scene, Walter is shown sitting in his car outside of the house of his former colleague, Elliott
Schwartz. He is remembering the time when he and Elliott worked together on a research project

that eventually led to them winning a prestigious award. This memory is significant because it

shows how Walter was once a successful scientist, before his cancer diagnosis led him down a

different path. Episodic memory is also shown when Walter is cooking meth with his partner,

Jesse Pinkman. In a flashback, it is shown that Jesse was once a talented student in Walter's

chemistry class. However, he dropped out of school and started cooking meth after his father

died. In this scene, Walter is remembering the time when he and Jesse first met and started

working together. This memory is significant because it shows how Walter and Jesse's

relationship has changed over time.

Maintenance Rehearsal

Maintenance rehearsal is a type of memory encoding that occurs when we repeat information to

ourselves in order to keep it in our short-term memory. This is how Walter White is able to

remember the formula for methylamine in the first episode of Breaking Bad. In the first episode

of Breaking Bad, we see Walter White using maintenance rehearsal when he is trying to

remember the formula for methylamine. He is shown repeating the formula to himself over and

over again, and this is an example of how maintenance rehearsal memory can be used to help

remember information.

Memory II

Encoding

Encoding is the process of transforming information into a form that can be stored or transmitted.

This process is important because it allows individuals to store or transmit information in a form

that can be easily understood and accessed by others. In the context of Breaking Bad, we see

how encoding can be used to maintain control over a process, while also freeing up time to focus
on other tasks. Encoding as seen in season 1 video of breaking bad can be defined as the process

of transforming information into a form that can be stored or transmitted. In the context of the

show, we see this in the way that Walter White encodes the instructions for manufacturing

methamphetamine into a computer program. This program is then used by White's partner Jesse

Pinkman to cook the drug, without White needing to be present. This allows White to maintain a

level of control over the manufacturing process, while also freeing up his time to focus on other

aspects of his business. Encoding is a critical part of the information processing cycle, as it

allows individuals to store or transmit information in a form that can be easily understood and

accessed by others. In the context of Breaking Bad, we see how encoding can be used to

maintain control over a process, while also freeing up time to focus on other tasks.

Expertise

Ultimately, expertise is a term that can be used to describe a variety of different things,

depending on the context in which it is being used. In the context of the show Breaking Bad, we

see expertise as a set of skills or knowledge that allow an individual to perform a task or activity

more effectively than someone without that expertise. Expertise as seen in season 1 video of

breaking bad can be defined in a number of ways. One way to think of expertise is as a set of

skills or knowledge that allow an individual to perform a task or activity more effectively than

someone without that expertise. In the context of the show, we see this in the way that Walter

White is able to produce high-quality methamphetamine despite having limited experience with

the drug. White's expertise in chemistry allows him to produce a product that is far superior to

the competition, which ultimately leads to his success as a drug kingpin.

Memory III

Everyday Memory
Maintenance of everyday memory refers to the ability to remember information and experiences

from day to day. This can include things like remembering where you put your keys, what you

need to do for work tomorrow, or what you had for breakfast. In the first episode of Breaking

Bad, main character Walter White is shown working as a high school chemistry teacher. He is

shown going about his everyday routine, including teaching classes and grading papers. One

scene shows him meeting with a student who is struggling in his class. Walter is shown trying to

help the student understand the material, but the student is not very receptive. This scene

demonstrates how Walter is able to maintain his everyday memory by trying to help others learn.

Permastore

In the opening scene of the movie, Walt is shown cooking meth in an RV. The camera pans over

to show the meth lab set up in the RV, and then over to show the permastore containers that Walt

has stored the meth in. The containers are labeled with the chemical symbols for various

elements, and the camera zooms in on one of the containers to show the meth inside. Permastore

is a type of storage container that is used to store hazardous materials. The containers are made

of a material that is resistant to corrosion and can withstand high temperatures. The containers

are often used to store chemicals and other hazardous materials.

Gilgan, V., Slovis, M., & Buckley, C. (Directors). (2008). Breaking Bad. Sony Pictures

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Andragogical Sciences. Lifelong Learning, 5(1), 8–28. https://doi.org/10.11118/lifele201505018