Module 6.3 - Cognitive and Observational Learning

Question 1

early learning theories held that learning could be explained by the behavioural “ABCs.” What does ABC stand for

Answer 1

Antecedents (events preceding behaviour)
Behaviours
Consequences

Question 2

the mind was viewed as a ______ by the early learning theorists

Answer 2

black box

Question 3

what were the 3 groups of rats that Tolman and Honzik examined learning through?

Answer 3

1) rewarded every time they completed the maze
2) not rewarded for the first 10 trials, but then rewarded starting on trial 11
3) never rewarded

Question 4

latent learning

Answer 4

learning that is not immediately expressed by a response until the organism is reinforced for doing so

Question 5

stimulus organism response theory (S-O-R theory)

Answer 5

a theory suggesting that individual differences were based on peoples (or animals) cognitive interpretation of that situation - in other words, what that stimulus meant to them

Question 6

observational learning

Answer 6

changes in behaviour and knowledge that result from watching others

Question 7

is observational learning a good way to pass on knowledge?

Answer 7

highly efficient way to pass on knowledge

Question 8

what are the 2 ways chimps gather termites? which is more efficient

Answer 8

1) some put their mouths over termite holes and wait

2) some have learned to use tools to gather termites. this is more efficient

Question 9

what is the connection between observational learning and survival?

Answer 9

the greater the amount of time spent observing others, the greater the number of survival-enhancing behaviours are learned

Question 10

what are the 4 processes involved in observational learning?

Answer 10

1) attention
2) memory
3) reproduce
4) motivation

Question 11

briefly describe the 4 processes involved in observational learning

Answer 11

1) attention to the act or behaviour (the danger of shark week)
2) memory for it (different brain activity for receiving a reward vs. watching someone else receive it)
3) the ability to reproduce it (the benefits of watching someone else practice)
4) the motivation to do so (interacts with opportunity)

Question 12

imitation

Answer 12

recreating someone else’s motor behaviour or expression, often to accomplish a specific

Question 13

imitation often involves what?

Answer 13

the mirror neuron system

Question 14

imitation is a way to learn what?

Answer 14

social rules