Lecture 5 Flashcards
What are the four theories of reinforcement?
- The role of response and reinforcement (Thorndike and Tolman)
- Skinner
- Drive reduction theory
- Behaviour regulation (Premack)
What is latent learning
Tolman showed that in his experiment, the rats in both groups (rats who ran the maze and rats who were transported) learned the layout of the maze equally well, showing that the rats developed a cognitive map of the maze without needing to physically perform the actions required or receive immediate reinforcement. This concept is known as latent learning, when obvious reinforcement only becomes apparent when the rats were later given a reward.
What is the difference between Thordike and Tolman’s view of reinforcement?
Thorndike thought that a response has to be performed and a consequence experienced for operant learning to occur, however Tolman showed that this isn’t true. Tolman found that you can ‘learn without doing’.
Thorndike thought that learning involved pairing Stimulus and Response
Tolman argued that the reinforcer becomes part of an associative network (Stimulus, Response and Reinforcement
Skinner’s operation definition of reinforcement
Reinforcer increases rate of behaviour
Punisher decreases rate of behaviour
What is drive reduction theory?
Drive reduction theory by Hull & Spence (1940s) suggests that behaviour is motivated by the need to reduce physiological drivers like hunger or thirst. Reducing these drives serves as a negative reinforcer (removes discomfort) which is a major cause of learning.
Example: need for water -> drive (thirst) -> drive reducing behaviour (drinking) -> reaches homeostasis
What are examples of secondary reinforcers?
Money, novel stimuli (sensation seeking), pleasure seeking (ex. Electrical stimulation)
What is Premack’s principle?
More probable behaviours will reinforce less probable behaviours
Example:
- if you study for 20 minutes you cans play outside.
- if you eat new foods (low probability) you can have your favourite foods (high probability)
What is the difference between avoidance and escape in operant conditioning?
Escape: the behaviour stops an ongoing aversive stimulus (negative reinforcement)
Avoidance: the behaviour prevents the occurrence of an aversive stimulus
What is learned helplessness?
A phenomenon when repeated exposure to an inescapable punishment leads to the belief that one’s actions have no effect on outcomes, resulting in a passive and defeated behaviour. It is linked to depression and reduced motivation.
Experimental example: In the shuttle box avoidance task, animals previously exposed to inescapable shocks fail to escape or avoid shocks in a new situation where escape is possible, demonstrating learning helplessness.
How is learned helplessness linked to depression?
Learned helplessness can lead to depression especially when people attribute their helplessness to internal, stable and global factors (e.g. “I’m not smart, I never will be”)
What is functional analysis in behavioural therapy?
A method to identify what initiates the problem behaviour and the consequences that maintain it. It involves analysing the relationship between stimuli, behaviour and consequences to modify inappropriate behaviour.
Example:
- In the case with the mentally disabled boy with self-injurious behaviour (SIB), the functional analysis revealed that his SIB was triggered as an escape behaviour (SIB to avoid tasks). Knowing this could change his behaviour by asking his teachers to switch to a fun task if he completed an unliked task without SIB (removing reinforcement that was maintaining SIB)
How does the Positive Parenting Programme (Triple P) use operant conditioning?
Triple P teaches parents to reinforce desired behaviours in their children using operant conditioning principles such as setting routines (chaining), rewarding desired behaviours (reinforcement) and avoiding punishment.
