PAPER 2 - Learning Theories Flashcards
what are the theories of learning?
- operant conditioning
- cognitive theory
- observational/social learning theory
operant conditioning is a method of learning by ___
association
what is operant conditioning?
learning by association and connecting a stimulus to a response to create an SR bond
involves:
- shaping/conditioning behaviour towards a stimulus
- using trial and error
- reinforcement and punishment
what are the two key elements of operant conditioning?
- reinforcement
- thorndikes laws
what is reinforcement?
a process that increases the probability of behaviour occurring - used to strengthen the correct SR bond
what are the two types of reinforcement?
positive and negative
what are Thorndike’s three laws?
- law of exercise
- law of effect
- law of readiness
what is positive reinforcement and give an example?
when a stimulus is given after a correct response to strengthen the SR bond
eg: giving praise or a reward
what is negative reinforcement and give an example?
when an unpleasant stimulus is given and then withdrawn when the correct response is done - strengthens the SR bond
eg: a coach shouting at a performer for bad passing but taking it away after they are successful
what is punishment and give an example
this is when a stimulus is given to prevent a response occurring - weakens the SR bond
eg: a yellow or red card in football
when should reinforcement and punishment occur?
as soon as possible after the behaviour occurs so they can make the improvement straight away
what is the difference between negative reinforcement and punishment?
negative reinforcement strengthens the SR bond but punishment weakens it
what are the four stages of operant conditioning (use smash in badminton as an example)?
- conditioning the situation using the stimuli in order to bring about the desired response. eg: manipulating the environment by adding hoops on the opposite side of the court to allow the performer to aim into it
- this allows for behaviour shaping and the nature of the serve will induce the smash shot and even when the correct technique is used it may not result in a successful smash
- this theory uses trial and error to allow the performer to develop their technique. eg: if a performer does a smash when the serve is low, it hits the net so the performer understands the requirements
- use of reinforcement either positive of negative to strengthen the SR bond and punishment to weaken the SR bond
when should reinforcement/punishment be used in operant conditioning?
as soon as possible after the behaviour (correct or incorrect) for it to be effectively improved
can reinforcement in operant conditioning ever be too much?
yes can be damaging and the performer may become too reliant on it and will lose its value
what is the difference between complete and partial reinforcement?
COMPLETE: reward is given on every occasion so learning is faster
INCOMPLETE: reward is given after a number of correct responses and takes longer BUT lasts longer
what are thorndikes three laws?
law of exercise
law of effect
law of readiness
what is thorndikes law of exercise (use basketball free throw as an example)?
if a player practices a basketball free throw repeatedly for 20 mins every day, this will strengthen the SR bond
what is thorndikes law of effect (use basketball free throw as an example)?
if a player attempts a free throw and the effect is successful they will feel satisfaction so are more likely to repeat it again so strengthens the correct SR bond
but if the effect is unsuccessful then this will cause the performer to avoid it and this weakens the SR bond
what is thorndikes law of readiness (use basketball free throw as an example)?
the performer needs to be physically and mentally ready and able to throw the free throw far enough to strengthen the SR bond
how could you condition the environment to make a younger performer able to throw the free throw far enough to have a chance of scoring?
lower the net/hoop and condition environment to make it possible
who was operant conditioning developed by?
Skinner
who developed social/observational learning theory?
Bandura
what is the social learning theory?
how we watch and copy other people, and how we tend to pay attention to specific people
in social learning theory, what increases our chances of copying the model?
if the person is a significant other:
coach
teacher
family/friend
role model
same sex/age
what are the four processes in the social/observational learning theory?
attention
retention
motor reproduction
motivation
explain the four processes of social learning theory?
attention: observer needs to pay attention to demonstration and look out for important visual cues
retention: observer needs to remember the model and create a mental image of the skill/process
motor reproduction: the observer needs to be physically able to copy the model and carry out the skill (similar capability)
motivation: observer needs to want to actually carry out and copy the model
what 5 factors make us more likely to copy the model?
1) similar in age/sex/sport
2) high status like parent/role model
3) caring and friendly (friends/teammates/coach)
4) rewarded for their behaviour (medal/trophy)
5) demonstrations need to be clear and accurate
what is the cognitive theory of learning?
learning the skill as a whole and suggests an individuals learn by thinking and understanding what is required by the skill
who developed the cognitive theory of learning?
gestalt
what are the two principles of cognitive theory of learning?
- learning through insight learning which involves problem solving through memory
- learning the skill as a whole
in the cognitive theory of learning what are the three components of insight learning?
PERCEPTION: interpreting incoming environmental cues and understanding them
PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE: adapting previous similar experiences to help solve the current problem
INTERVENING VARIABLES: being able to make sense of the thoughts occurring between the stimulus being received and the response being carried out
what is an advantage of operant conditioning?
it allows the performer to develop and learn the skill by themselves without too much guidance from the coach which allows them to be able to adapt it in a game situation if there is a slightly different stimulus
what are 3 advantages of cognitive theory of learning?
- develop kinaesthesis learning the skill as a whole
- performer becomes more self dependant having to problem solve
- can adapt to different situations
what are the 4 disadvantages of cognitive theory of learning?
- learning as a whole can be demotivating if they cannot complete it
- complex of dangerous skills should not follow this whole practice
- a beginner will not have past experiences to draw on so may demotivate them and confuse them
- learning is slower if the performer doesn’t understand the requirements of the skill
is cognitive theory of learning effective for open or closed skills?
open
is cognitive theory of learning effective for complex skills?
no - because they can be dangerous
is cognitive theory of learning effective for high organisation or low organisation skills?
high organisation because it is learned as a whole and cannot be divided into subroutines
