PSYC*2330 Chapter 7: Instumental Conditioning Flashcards
Does the molecular or molar view describe behaviour as composed of discrete units strung together to make up complex performances?
Molecular
Does the molecular or molar view describe behaviour as continuous and composed of activities with integrated parts?
Molar
Was Thorndike’s view of behaviour molecular or molar?
Molecular
Was Skinner’s view of behaviour molecular or molar?
Molar
Does the molecular or molar view of behaviour focus on individual responses and specific stimuli antecedents and response outcomes?
Molecular
Does the molecular or molar view of behaviour consider long-term goals and how to achieve those goals in the context of behavioural options
Molar
Does the matching law take a molecular or molar view?
Molar
The view that organisms distribute their responses among various alternatives to maximize the amount of reinforcement earned over an extended period of time is known as what?
Molar maximizing
The view that organisms always choose whichever response alternative is most likely to be reinforced at a given moment in time is known as what?
Molecular maximizing
T or F: According to the molar view, the matching relation is a by product of switching behaviour that tracks momentary changes in the probability of reinforcement.
False. This is a molecular view.
According to Thorndike, which association is solely responsible for instrumental behaviour?
The S-R association
What is the S-R association?
An association between the contextual stimuli (S) and the instrumental response (R)
In an S-R association, what is the role of the outcome (O)?
To strengthen the S-R association
According to the law of effect, what does instrumental conditioning involve?
The establishment of an S-R association
Is the R-O association relevant to the law of effect?
No
T or F: With an S-R association, motivation is not derived from the anticipated outcome, but simply from the stimuli.
True
Interest in the S-R association has resurfaced in recent efforts to characterize what type of behaviour?
Habitual behaviour
What type of association is proposed to be the underlying mechanism for habitual behaviour?
The S-R association
T or F: In terms of the S-R association and habits, over time, S triggers R regardless of O
True
How can the formation of an S-R association lead to drug addiction?
The formation of the S-R association creates a loss of control over behaviour, such that the response becomes compulsive when exposed to drug associated stimuli
Behaviour caused by the expectancy of reward is caused by what kind of association?
An S-O association
Signal learning is also referred to as what type of association?
An S-O association
What type of association is being demonstrated when an animal responds a certain way because a stimulus activates a memory of that past response eliciting a reward?
An S-O association
T or F: Signal learning is likely established through Pavlovian processes, not instrumental processes.
False. Signal learning is likely established through Pavlovian processes interacting with instrumental processes.
What feature of the instrumental response ensures the participant will always experience certain distinctive stimuli in connection with making a response?
Specification of the instrumental response
In S-O associations, do pairing between the S and O provide the potential for classical or instrumental conditioning?
Classical conditioning
Which theory assumes that there are two distinct types of learning and that they are related in a special way?
The two-process theory
What are the two distinct types of learning outlines in the two-process theory?
- Pavlovian/ classical conditioning
- Instrumental/ operant conditioning
How does the two-process theory propose instrumental and classical conditioning interact?
The stimuli present when the instrumental response is reinforced during an instrumental conditioning procedure becomes associated with the response outcome through classical conditioning
According to the two-process theory, instrumental conditioning is assumed to create what type of association?
An S-R association
According to the two-process theory, classical conditioning is assumed to create what type of association?
An S-O association
According to the two-process theory, what type of association is assumed to activate an emotional state that motivated instrumental behaviour?
An S-O association
What basic experimental design was used to evaluate the two-process theory?
The Pavlovian instrumental transfer (PIT) experiment
What are the three phases involved in the Pavlovian instrumental transfer test?
- Phase 1: Instrumental training
- Phase 2: Pavlovian training
- Phase 3: Transfer phase
What occurs during the instrumental phase of a PIT test?
Participants receive standard instrumental conditioning
What occurs/what type of association is formed during the Pavlovian training phase of a PIT test?
Participants receive a pure Pavlovian conditioning procedure to form an S-O association
According to the two-process theory, if a Pavlovian S-O association motivates instrumental behaviour, should the rate of lever pressing increase or decrease when an appetitive CS is presented?
Rate of lever pressing should increase
According to the two-process theory, if a Pavlovian S-O association motivates instrumental behaviour, should the rate of lever pressing increase or decrease when an aversive CS is presented?
Rate of lever pressing should decrease
In the PIT test conducted by Krank et al., was increased lever pressing observed when the light CS was presented on the same side or the opposite side as the lever the rat was pressing?
The same side
In the PIT test conducted by Krank et al., how were the chambers manipulated to ensure that no S-R association could be formed during the Pavlovian phase?
The levers were removed from the chambers
In the PIT test conducted by Krank et al., what overt response was observed in the rats during the Pavlovian phase that may explain the results?
Sign tracking
What theory did Toleman propose that was in direct contrast to Thorndike’s law of effect?
The cognitive expectancy theory
Who believed that instrumental behaviours are purposeful and organized around goals?
Edward Tolman
Tolman proposed that an expectancy is a three term association between what?
- S1: Representation of the stimulus situation that preceded the response
- R: Representation of the response
- S2: Representation of the outcome produced by the response
Who proposed the S1-R-S2 association?
Edward Tolman
Did Tolman describe actions as more of a conscious or unconscious process?
Conscious
T or F: Tolman’s cognitive expectancy theory places little emphasis on the value of the outcome produced by an instrumental behaviour.
False. Cognitive expectancy theory places heavy emphasis on the value of the outcome produced by the instrumental behaviour.
Thorndike proposed that associations form habits, whereas Tolman proposed that associations form what?
Expectancies
What are the two categories of instrumental behaviour?
- Action
- Habit
Actions and habits differ along what four main dimensions?
- Purpose
- Associative structure
- Sensitivity to outcomes
- Flexibility
In terms of purpose, how do actions and habits differ?
- Actions: Purposeful and goal directed
- Habits: Not purposeful nor goal directed (outcomes aren’t considered)
In terms of associative structure, how do actions and habits differ?
- Actions: System acquires expectancies
- Habits: System acquires S-R associations
In terms of sensitivity to outcomes, how do actions and habits differ?
- Actions: Sensitive to response-reward contingencies
- Habits: Not sensitive to response-reward contingencies
In terms of flexibility, how do actions and habits differ?
- Actions: Flexible and rapidly responds to change
- Habits: Flexible but gradually responds to change
What can be used to determine if a behaviour is an action or a habit?
Reward devaluation
If a response is an action, what will happen to that response once the reward is devalued?
The response may not occur
If a response is a habit, what will happen to that response once the reward is devalued?
The response will continue to be produced
A goal-direction behaviour, or action, is considered to be driven by what type of association?
An R-O association
A habit is considered to be driven by what type of association?
An S-R association
If devaluation of the outcome disrupts instrumental conditioning, what type of association is assumed to represent the dominating behaviour?
An R-O association
If devaluation of the outcome does not disrupt instrumental conditioning, what type of association is assumed to represent the dominating behaviour?
An S-R association
In the Hogarth & Chase study of reward devaluation with chocolate and cigarettes, was one option preferred over the other prior to devaluation?
No
In the Hogarth & Chase study of reward devaluation with chocolate and cigarettes, devaluation produced a decline in behaviour specific to which reward?
Decline in behaviour specific to the response whose reinforcer had been devalued
Studies of reward devaluation show that prolonged training results in what type of association?
An S-R association
Studies of reward devaluation show that limited training results in what type of association?
An R-O association
When undergoing only a few training sessions, was lever pressing for sucrose pellets reduced in animals after the devaluation procedure?
Yes
T or F: Cocaine seeking is resistant to reinforcer devaluation after both a long and brief cocaine taking history.
False. Resistant to reinforcer devaluation after a long, but not brief, cocaine taking history.
Inactivation of which brain area reinstates sensitivity to reinforcer devaluation?
The dorsolateral striatum
Which brain area shows particularly high activation during habitual behaviour?
The dorsolateral striatum
