CHAPTER 11: Observational Learning and Rule Governed Behavior – Flashcards

The behavior of a model is witness by an observer, and the observer's behavior is subsequently changed. Often described as social learning.

A form of observational learning that involves the close duplication of a novel behavior.

Tendency to imitate a new modeled behavior with no specific reinforcement to do so. Has considerable real-world application.

Analysts make use of it when working with children who are developmentally delayed, deficient in their ability to learn through observation. By reinforcing the imitation of some behaviors, they can go on with subsequent training.

Defined as a verbal description of a contingency. In other words, a statement telling us that in a certain setting, if we perform a certain behavior, then a certain consequence will follow. Example: If you drive through a red light, and you receive a ticket.

If a rule says something about how we should respond, then it is called an instruction. Implies the consequence. Example: Don't drive through a red light, or you will receive a ticket!

Rule is simply a statement about a contingency. Does not say anything about how we should respond to it. An instruction implies the consequences.

Behavior that has been generated through exposure to rules.

Pro: Extremely useful for rapidly establishing appropriate patterns of behavior. Con: Second drawback is that behavior is insensitive to actual contingencies of reinforcement operating in a particular setting.

Rules to not only influence the behaviors of others but to also influence our own behavior. Example: If I am polite to others, they will be polite to me.

Say-do correspondence occurs when there is a close match between what we say we are going to do and what we actually do at a later time. Example: If I say that I will go running at 4:00 PM in the afternoon and then actually go running at that time, my statement of what I intend to do matches the actual behavior that I later perform.

Contagious Behavior and Stimulus Enhancement

More-or-less instinctive or reflexive behavior triggered by the occurrence of the same behavior in another individual. Example: You and your friends are sitting around a library, studying for a quiz. You start to yawn. One by one, each of your classmates also yawns.

Probability of a behavior is changed because an individual's attention is drawn to a particular item or location by the behavior of another individual. Example: A girl emits a giggle of delight, you look up and see that she is running towards a large of bowl of candy in the corner. Five minutes, you help yourself to some candy. You do so, however, not because she took some (which would be observational learning), but simply because her behavior made you aware of the candy.

Vicarious Emotional Responses

Classically conditioned emotional responses that result from seeing those emotional responses exhibited by others. First, expressions of fear in others may act as unconditioned stimuli that elicit the emotion of fear in ourselves. Second, it can be viewed as a form of higher-order conditioning. In this case, the emotional reactions of others serve as conditioned stimuli rather than unconditioned stimuli.

Acquisition and Performance of a Behavior

Acquisition of an operant response through observational learning requires that the observer pay attention to the behavior of the model.

We are sensitive to the consequences of the model's behavior. Whether the observer receives reinforcement for the behavior of attending to a model. Whether the observer has sufficient skills to benefit from the modeling. Personal characteristics of a model can strongly influence the extent to which we will attend to their behavior.

Involves reinforcement and punishment, which modify our behavior.

We are more likely (or less likely) to perform a modeled behavior when we have observed the model experience reinforcement (or punishment) for that behavior. We are more (or less) likely to perform a modeled behavior when we ourselves will experience reinforcement (or punishment for performing that behavior). Our own history of reinforcement or punishment for performing modeled behaviors.

Kittens more quickly learn to press a lever for food if they had observed their mothers pressing a lever than if they had observed a strange female cat pressing the lever. The mother represents as a stimulus enhancer. Demonstrator pigeons were trained either to peck at or step on a treadle and then push a screen left or right to obtain food. Observer pigeons were more likely to demonstrate the sequence they had observed (e.g. treadle step and screen push right) as opposed to something they didn't observe (treadle peck and screen push left).

Children who observed a model behaving aggressively toward the Bobo doll tended to replicate the same behaviors when they were allowed into the same room the model had previously occupied. This showed the children's demonstration of true imitation of the model's aggressive behavior. Aggressive behavior was more likely if the child has observed reinforcement of the adult's aggression.

The amount of violent media viewed in childhood is significantly correlated with aggressive and antisocial behavior 10 years later even with controlled variables. Males are more likely to express the effects of exposure to violent video games. Girls only demonstrated a higher frequency of aggression when the model was female (personal characteristics, stimulus enhancer ACQUISITION) or when there was an incentive (reinforcement of behavior ACQUISITION).

With strong say-do correspondence, an individual will effectively be able to use promises as personal rules to guide his own behavior.

A bright boundary is a concept where the rule specifically sets out the conditions under which it has been obeyed or violated. We are more likely to succeed when the rule is specific. Example: "I will study today" is vague. "I will study from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM this evening" is so specific that any violation of the rule is apparent.