Other considerations in operant conditioning Cognitive Maps Latent Learning The Overjustification Effect and Intrinsic/Extrinsic Motivation Learned Helplessness

Cognitive Map A mental representation of a place – a mental map Experiments showed rats could learn a maze without any reinforcements

Latent Learning Learning that takes place in absence of an apparent reward Edward Tolman & His Rats Performed hundreds of experiments to develop his theory that cognitive processes are important to learning. In one, three groups of rats were placed in the same maze. Group A- always received food when reaching the goal Group B- never received food when reaching goal Group C- received food when reaching goal on 11 th day but not before See a modern day example of Tolman’s experiment where they change the maze on the rat (2 min) The next slide shows the results of the experiment.

latent learning - learning that isn’t evident when it first occurs. The rats in Group C displayed latent learning - learning that isn’t evident when it first occurs. The rats had learned the maze in the first 11 days they just didn’t reveal the learning until they had a reason to do so (the food).

The Overjustification Effect Extrinsically rewarding what is already intrinsically rewarding EFFECT?

Learned Helplessness – Martin Seligman Dogs in electrified cage at first not able to escape the impending shock. Later, all they had to do was cross to the other side but they didn’t even try. The dogs had learned they were “helpless” to avoid the shock and just sat there and took it without trying to escape.

Insight Learning Wolfgang Kohler and his Chimpanzees. Some animals learn through the “aha” experience.

Insight Wolfgang Kohler & His Chimps Studied a colony of chimps on the island of Tenerife. a sudden understanding of the problem as a whole ( insight) The chimps frequently seemed to have a sudden understanding of the problem as a whole ( insight) just before solving it. Kohler believed this showed that learning isn’t only a result of trial and error as previous psychologists (especially Thorndike) had theorized.

Insight clips WZE (chimp) WZE SUg (pigeon) SUg

Observational Learning (Stewie) Observation Modeling Memes Imitation Mirror neurons Albert Bandura and the Bobo doll study

11 Mirror Neurons Recent discovery Mirror neurons are active during observational learning. – ex., Mirror neurons in the frontal lobe by the motor cortex fire when an animal observes another performing a task and when the animal actually performs the task. (Ramachandran) Reprinted with permission from the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Subiaul et al., Science 305: (2004) © 2004 AAAS.

12 Albert Bandura: Social Learning Theory Bandura's Bobo doll study (1961) indicated that individuals (children) learn through imitating others who receive rewards and punishments. Courtesy of Albert Bandura, Stanford University

Observational Learning Albert Bandura and his Bobo Doll We learn through modeling behavior of others. Observational learning (cognitive/psychological) + Operant Conditioning (behavioral/environmental) = Social Learning Theory Later variations of study (models, consequences) Click pic to see some observational learning.

Social Learning Theory Requirements The Situation: Joe has just gotten a new job. The dress code guidelines are a little vague. Joe figures he’ll have a better idea of what to wear once he sees everyone else. The following 4 things will lead him to success. 1.Attention 1.Attention - You must pay reasonably close attention to what is happening around you. *Joe has to observe what his new coworkers are wearing if he is going to learn from them 2.Retention 2.Retention - You must remember the behavior you have observed. *Joe must remember what he saw the next morning when he’s getting dressed. 3.Reproduction 3.Reproduction - You must have the ability to perform the act. *Joe needs the proper clothes in his wardrobe or else he has to have the money to buy new. Motivation 4. Motivation - You must have a reason for performing the act. *Joe really liked his first day, so he doesn’t want to get fired. That gives him a great reason to dress appropriately!

1965 Bobo Doll Experiment Film of models in one of 3 conditions: – praised. – punished. – no consequences for the aggressive behavior. Vicarious conditioning – Learning by seeing the consequence of another’s behavior

Children See, Children Do / NQ&feature=related