Psychology-Chapter 6: Cognitive models of learning, biological learning and learning fads

Question 1

What is SOR psychology?

Answer 1

Stimulus-organism interpretation-response.

The organisms response is dependent on what that stimulus means to the organism.

Question 2

What is cognitive conditioning?

Answer 2

Our interpretation of the situation affects conditioning. Suggests that conditioning is more than an automatic, mindless process

Question 3

What is latent learning?

Answer 3

Learning that isn’t directly observable. We learn many things without showing them.

Question 4

What is competence?

Answer 4

What we know.

Question 5

What is performance?

Answer 5

Showing what we know.

Question 6

Why is the distinction between competence and performance important?

Answer 6

Implies that reinforcement isn’t necessary for learning. For example mice may learn how to run a maze but will not show this unless they have something to gain in return.

Question 7

What are cognitive maps?

Answer 7

Spatial representations of an area such as a maze.

Question 8

What is observational learning?

Answer 8

Learning by watching others, especially models that are influential to us. This is regarded as latent learning since reinforcement is not required.

Question 9

Is there a causal link between media violence and aggression?

Answer 9

There seems to be.

Question 10

What are mirror neurons?

Answer 10

The same cells that would have become active had the animal performed the same movement. (Observational learning) It’s as if these neurons are imagining what it would be like to perform the behaviour. These neurons are incredibly selective and are tuned to extremely specific behaviours.

Question 11

Neuroscientists have postulated that mirror neurons play a central role in _________?

Answer 11

Empathy

Question 12

What is insight learning?

Answer 12

Sudden understanding of the solution of the problem. Leads to aha reaction.

Question 13

What is conditioned taste aversion?

Answer 13

Refers to the fact that CC can lead us to develop avoidance reactions to the taste of food.

Question 14

What are the key distinctions that conditioned taste aversions possess that don’t match CC?

Answer 14

1- Conditioned taste aversions typically require only on trial to develop (i.e. one pairing)
2- The delay between the CS and UCS can be as long as 6-8 hours.
3- Conditioned taste aversions are very specific and don’t display stimulus generalization.

Question 15

What is scapegoat food?

Answer 15

Used to prevent cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy to avoid some to their favourite foods by allowing aversion to develop to novel foods in which patients aren’t already fond of.

Question 16

What is equipotentiality?

Answer 16

The claim that we can classically condition all CSs equally well to all UCSs. Aversions develop more easily for tastes rather than other stimuli.

Question 17

What is preparedness?

Answer 17

Notion that we’re evolutionarily predisposed to fear certain stimuli more than others. According to Seligman, this is because these posed a threat to our early ancestors.

Question 18

What is instinctive drift?

Answer 18

The tendency for animals to return to innate behaviours following repeated reinforcement. Suggests that we can’t fully understand learning without accounting for biological influences and limits.

Question 19

Does sleep assisted learning work?

Answer 19

Early findings supported it. Later found that subjects weren’t completely asleep and could still process information. When the participants were asleep, little evidence supported sleep-assisted learning.

Question 20

What is accelerated learning?

Answer 20

Includes superlearning and Suggestive accelerative learning and teaching techniques (SALTT) Supposedly allows people to pick up new information much fster. Almost all studies show that SALTT doesn’t produce enhanced learning.

Question 21

What techniques does SALTT rely on?

Answer 21

1- generating expectations for enhanced learning
2- getting students to visualize information they’re learning
3- playing classical music during learning
4- breathing in regular rhythm while learning

Question 22

What is discovery learning?

Answer 22

Giving students experimental materials and asking them to figure out the scientific principle on their own.

Question 23

What is direct instruction?

Answer 23

In which we simply tell the students how to solve problems. It is often more effective and efficient than discovery learning.

Question 24

What are learning styles?

Answer 24

Preferred means of acquiring information.

Question 25

Why are learning styles not very promising?

Answer 25

It’s difficult to assess learning style reliably and most people are a combination of different learning styles.