Learning & Cognition: social cognitive learning

Question 1

what is a cognitive map?

Answer 1

mental representation of SPATIAL CHARACTERISTICS of a familiar environ

Question 2

Desc the Tolman experiment

Answer 2

• rat forms mental rep of where food is based on 1st maze (only has 1 path)
• in a harder maze, rat went to the path which was in the SAME DIRECTION as the o.g path that lead to food in 1st maze
  (rat formed a “map”)

Question 3

what is latent learning

Answer 3

• learning can occur w/o rewards&/or punishments (“hidden learning”
• this is Tolman’s theory
• rewards affect whether learned behaviour will be DISPLAYED not whether it has OCCURRED

Question 4

what is delayed reward condition?

Answer 4

performance increases after reinforcement (later on)

Question 5

what is observational learning?

Answer 5

learning that takes place becuz of ACTIVE JUDGEMENT & CONSTRUCTIVE PROCESSES
- learn through SOCIAL OBSERVATIONS
- watch a “model”
- adapt by watching someone else BE PUNISHED instead of US getting punished

Question 6

desc the Albert Bandura exp

Answer 6

• no conseq: just viewed the film
• +ve reinf: in film, model was PRAISED for aggression (got drinks, choc)
• -ve reinf: model punished for aggression (spanked)
  when offered NO INCENTIVE to display the behaviour seen:
• model w/ -ve reinf was LESS LIKELY to recreate behaviour (becuz didn’t want to get punished like in vid)
• w/ incentive (same grp displayed the aggression)
• shows that ALL children learnt the behaviour EQUALLY w/ & w/o reinf

Question 7

what did the albert bandura exp show?

Answer 7

• performance of aggressive acts is DEPENDENT on MENTAL REP of OBSERVED CONSEQ
• if learner KNOWS there’s a punishment involved, they won’t display the act, but NO DISPLAYING DOESNT EQUAL NOT LEARNING IT