1. Unit 6 Operant Conditioning: Expanding Skinner’s Understanding

2. Cognition and Operant Conditioning
Skinner acknowledged the role of one’s cognition on operant conditioning
Cognitive Map:
A mental representation of the layout of one’s environment
E.g. after exploring a maze, rats act as if they have learned a cognitive map of it

3. Cognition and Operant Conditioning
Latent Learning:
Learning that occurs but is not apparent until there is an incentive to demonstrate it

4. Video Clip: Cognitive Maps
How does the rat use latent learning in pursuit of food, after its path has been blocked?

5. Cognition and Operant Conditioning
Can you think of an example when you experienced latent learning?

6. Cognition and Operant Conditioning
Insight:
A sudden and often novel realization of the solution to a problem

7. Types of Motivation Intrinsic Motivation: Extrinsic Motivation:
A desire to perform a behavior for its own sake
Extrinsic Motivation:
A desire to perform a behavior to receive promised rewards or avoid threatened punishment

8. Types of Motivation
What is something that you are intrinsically motivated to do?
What is something that you are extrinsically motivated to do?
With which type of motivation is operant conditioning more effective?

9. Biology and Operant Conditioning
Biological constraints predispose organisms to learn associations that are naturally adaptive
Breland and Breland (1961) showed that animals drift toward their biologically predisposed instinctive behaviors
Marian Breland Bailey

10. Operant Vs. Classical Conditioning

11. Review
What is a cognitive map? How did rats use it in operant conditioning?
What is latent learning? Provide an example.
What is insight? What is its role in problem-solving?
What is the difference between intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation?
In what ways do organisms’ biology influence operant conditioning?

13. Unit 6 Learning By Observation

14. Learning By Observation
Observational Learning:
Learning by observing others
Also called Social Learning
Albert Bandura
Modeling:
The process of observing and imitating a specific behavior

15. Learning By Observation
Higher animals, especially humans, learn through observing and imitating others.
The monkey on the right imitates the monkey on the left in touching the pictures in a certain order to obtain a reward.

16. Observational Learning and Language
Have you ever traveled to another country, or another region of the US, and found yourself speaking and/or acting similar to the people of that region?
Why do you think your speech and/or behavior changed?

17. Mirror Neurons Mirror Neurons:
Frontal lobe neurons that fire when performing certain actions or when observing another doing so
The brain’s mirroring of another’s action may enable imitation and empathy

18. Learning by observation begins early in life.
Imitation Onset
Learning by observation begins early in life.
This 14-month-old child imitates the adult on TV, in pulling a toy apart.

19. Imitation in Children
Can you remember any ways that you imitated others (parents, older siblings, cousins, etc.) as a child?
Can you remember any ways that your younger siblings, cousins, etc. imitated you?

20. Bandura’s “Bobo Doll” Experiment
Bandura's “Bobo Doll” Experiment (1961) indicated that individuals (children) learn through imitating others who receive rewards and punishments.

21. Applications of Observational Learning
Unfortunately, Bandura’s studies show that antisocial models (family, neighborhood, or TV) may have antisocial effects.

22. Applications of Observational Learning
Gentile et al., (2004) shows that children in elementary school who are exposed to violent television, videos, and video games express increased aggression.

23. Applications of Observational Learning
What are some TV shows, video games, or movies that you were exposed to as a child that modeled aggressive behavior?

24. Applications of Observational Learning
Research shows that viewing media violence leads to an increased expression of aggression.
Children modeling after pro wrestlers

25. Applications of Observational Learning
Fortunately, prosocial (positive, helpful) models may have prosocial effects.

26. Applications of Observational Learning
Prosocial Behavior:
Positive, constructive, helpful behavior
The opposite of antisocial behavior