Learning Psych Flashcards
Vicarious learning
A change in behavior due to the experiences of observing a model
EX: see someone drive through a pothole, ou swerve around
vicarious learning versus imitation
imitation is vicarious learning but not all vicarious learning is imiation
Miller-Dollard Reinforcement Theory
Vicarious learning is really a form of operant learning.
it depends on a history of reinforcement for observational and imitative behavior
Generalized Imitation
the learned tendency to imitate the behavior of others in order to be reinforced
Albert Bandura’s explanation of Observational learning
Empirical observations–the bobo doll studies
- study demonstrated that children's behavior was influenced by indirect experience
- Contrary to Miller and Dollard
Learning-Performance Distinction
- All the children had learned the model’s aggressive responses but they had performed differently
- Performance depended upon whether they had observed the model being reinforced, punished, or experiences a neutral consequence
Attentional processes
organism observing the relevant aspects of the model’s behavior and its consequences
EX: one kid is playing with a dog and the kid is putting a knife in an electrical socket
- The one kid will learn that you will get shocked if you put a knife in the electrical socket, the other kid might learn not to put a knife in the socket or if he is looking at the dog, he might be afraid of dogs - It depends on what you are paying attention too
Retentional Processess
Acts the observer performs to aid recall of the models behavior
-Image
-Verbal
EX: friend gives phone number and asks for you to call later–> can’t add to phone so need to memorize…how?
-say it over and over again; picture the numbers in you mind
Motor reproductive processes
The physical ability to replicate the behavior
EX: you watch monkeys all day but will never be able to swing from a tail OR can watch Sean White all day but won’t be able to do what he does physically
Motivational process
are important in determining whether a modeled behavior will be imitated
- reinforcement has two major functions
- 1st creates an expectation in observers that if they act like a model who has been seen being reinforced for certain activities, they will be reinforced as well
- 2nd acts as an incentive for translating learning into performance
Variables affecting vicarious learning
-Consequences of the Model’s behavior
-Reinforcement is important
-Consequences of the observer’s behavior
-If observing others pays off–we will continue doing it
-Characteristics of the Model
-Human observers tend to learn from models who are competent, attractive, likeable, and prestigious
EX: We observe the popular kids, not the losers..
-Observer’s Age
-younger subjects are more likely to imitate than older subjects
-Observer’s Learning History
-If a child has been rewarded in the past for aggressive behavior, that child is much more likely to act aggressively in the future
Blue Tits and Milk Bottles
Shiny tin attracted the shiny tin top–> pecked at it and then since the fat in the milk went to the top, they ate all the fat
-The companies put black over the top and the problem was solved
Applications of Vicarious Learning
Crime and television– Bandura provides evidence that criminal behavior is influenced by observation of models
-Television provides many criminal models
Bandura demonstrated exposure to TV violence can produce at least 4 negative effects
- It teaches aggressive styles of conduct
- Weakens restraints against aggression
- When good triumphs over evil violently, viewers are even more strongly influenced- Example: 24: Jack Bauer started torturing people to get results–research shows that torturing people does not actually work
- It habituates and desensitizes reactions to cruelty
- Shapes our images of reality
- Only 10% of major crimes in society are violent, but on TV, 77% of major crimes are violent
- Has the effect of making people more fearful of becoming crime victims
According to Bandura there are 3 properties of violence that instill widespread fear
- unpredictability
- gravity of consequences
- uncontrollability
Discriminating between different situations
behavior always has a bigger payout in different context versus other
Stimulus control of behavior
The tendency for a behavior to occur in the presence of an S+ but not the presences of an S-
(S+–> a stimulus that indicates that if you do something you will get reinforced)
(S—> a stimulus that cues that no reinforcement is available)
Examples of Stimulus Control
Kids running to a can opener
kids running to the ice cream truck
Hearing sirens when driving–>pull over
Getting in the car–>put the seat belt on
Proper Stimulus control characteristics
- The behavior occurs immediately when the conditioned stimulus is given
- The behavior never occurs in the absence of the stimulus
- The behavior never occurs in response to some other stimulus
- No other behavior occurs in response to this stimulus
Discriminative Stimuli
A stimulus that controls the performance of behavior because it signals the availability of reinforcement
- EX: if you are working some sort of job and the boss has keys that jingle; you are screwing around and then you hear the keys-->you get back to work - EX: Seeing a cop while speeding, you slam on your breaks
What determines the degree of control a discriminative stimulus has over our behavior?
- The potency of the reinforcer
- The reliability of the discriminative stimulus in predicting reinforcement
EX: if you hear about a concert that you want to go to from people in the cafeteria, or if you hear about it in the Boston Globe s a week away you will want to get a spot right away - The cots of attaining the reinforcement that the discriminative stimulus predicts
EX: if the concert you want to go is on the other side of the country, the cost would be too high to go
Discrimination Training
stimuli are treated differently
EX: Theo pretended to put dog poo in his grandfather’s mouth and people laughed–> reinforced the behavior and then he did the same to his grandmother and she told him not to do that.
Stimulus Discrimination Research
Reynolds (1961)–> showed pigeons a picture of a red circle with a white triangle and when they would peck, they would get reinforced. during testing trials he showed them either a white triangle or just a red circle to see if they would response as well. The pigeons responded about 50/50 with either the white triangle or the red circle.
-same species attending to different stimuli
Differential Outcomes Effect (DOE)
The finding that discrimination training proceeds more rapidly when different behaviors produce different reinforcers
Stimulus Generalization
responding to test stimuli that are different from the cues that were presented during training
- responses to one stimulus occur to other, usually similar stimuli - Organisms are said to show stimulus generalization of organisms response to two or more stimuli in the same way
Stimulus Generalization Gradient
A gradient of responding that is observed if participants are tested with stimuli that increasingly differ from the stimulus that was presented during training
- Pigeons reinforced for pecking a lit key (orange-yellow light) (S+) on a VI schedule
- After the pigeons were trained with this, they decided to try it with other colors
- RESULTS: highest level responding to the color the pigeons were trained to and the closer the color was to the original, the more responding there was
Stimulus Generalization Gradients as Measures of stimulus Control
Provide information about how sensitive the organism’s behavior is to variations in aspects of the environment
- Picture two distributions
- Wide distribution = generalization
- Narrow distribution = strong stimulus control
Stimulus Equivalence
Responding to physically distinct stimuli as if they were the same because of common prior experiences with the stimuli
EX: stop sign or a blinking red light–> cue to stop; knocking on door or ringing a doorbell
Feature theory
features of the stimuli are paired with reinforcers
-everything has certain features
Prototype theory
organisms learn what is typical or average for a category and then to respond to new exemplars according to how similar they are to the average
EX: bird book–> beginner books have real pictures of birds because it’s more fun to look at; more advanced books have drawings (prototypes) of birds because the drawings show the differences better between breeds
A guide to Behavioral Contracting
- Specify the target behavior
a. EX: Theo’s fussing - Describe the behavior in a way that an observer may count or time
a. EX: define fussing as crying for no reason
b. Would time it for Theo but could count it - Collect baseline data on the frequency of response or time spent responding
a. Do no treatment collect data to compare to see if the treatment worked - Identify consequences that may be used to increase desired behavior (positive and negative reinforcers and punishment)
a. Use positive reinforcement and negative punishment the most just depends on the individual - Find people who will monitor the behavior and provide the consequences
a. EX: parents if they are trying to change a child’s behavior; Friend if you are trying to change you own behavior - Write the contract in clear statements if behavior and consequences (e.g., “if you do x, then you receive y”)
- Collect data on frequency of response or time spent responding and compare with baseline level
- Modify the contract if the desired behavior does not increase (e.g., try different consequences, different rewards)
- Gradually, remove arbitrary consequences and replace with natural reinforcers—rewrite the contract and monitor the behavior
a. EX: giving child candy for not fussing gradually take the candy away and add taking the child to places instead - Plan for generalization—implement the contract in a variety of settings
Behavior Modification (definition)
Is the use of empirically demonstrated behavior change techniques to improve behavior
- Altering an individual's behavior and reactions to stimuli through positive and negative reinforcement of adaptive behavior - The reduction of maladaptive behavior through punishment and/or therapy
Behavior
Simple action
What is not a behavior
- Interpretive descriptions of personality trait–usually based on behaviors
- diagnostic labels
- outcome of behavior
