CLASS 7

LEARNING LEARNING

THEORIESTHEORIES

VersionsVersions

•Behaviorism•Social Learning Theory•Social-Behavioral Theory •Cognitive-Behavioral Theory

Traditional Learning Themes

1. You are what you have experienced

2. Learning occurs via outcomes (rewards and punishments)

3. Best to study animals

Behaviorism

B.F. Skinner•

• Purest version of learning theories

• Rewards & punishment = conditioning

• Emphasis on scientific rigor

• Only replicable observation counts

Model of the mind

Rats are little people

Social learning theory

- no direct reward necessary

- allows for thinking !

- part of cognitive revolution in scientific psychology

Albert Bandura- U.B.C. grad

Two versions

1. Vicarious Learning -others get rewarded or punished

2. Pure Modeling- no one gets rewarded or punished

Whom do we model?

parents

Who else do we model?

• Pop stars, unfortunately

• A form of reward ?

Problem:

Many anti-social role models

Be a Canadian hero

Be violent:WWE & UFC

Be a crook like Tony Soprano

Be a jack-ass

Even cartoons!South Park; Beavis & Butthead

Skinny models

Critique of Learning Theories

• Where is the person ?

• We’re not little rats

• Too much focus on situations

• Ignores biological factors

• Too mechanical -- No free will

Determinism vs. Free Will

• Determinism says that all behavior follows scientific laws

• Most psychological theories agree

• No room for free will in learning equation:

S -------> R

The brain works like a pool table

Consequences of believing in determinism

• Ayn Rand

• philosopher

SHE SAID:

• psychology is dangerous to society

• takes away responsibility in criminal evaluations

• Some evidence that she’s right

Evidence: Court Case

• Robert K. had molested children for 15 years. Including his own daughter. All the children had psychological problems as adults (e.g., depression; sexual disturbances).

• Assign a punishment # years in jail

Mitigating Factors: How much reduction in sentence?

• He was poor and uneducated (-5 years)

• He had been sexually abused by both of his own parents (-10 years)

• A brain tumor was discovered; after removal, he stopped molesting (-12 years)

Was Ayn Rand right ?

• YES, but…..

• Is psychology really dangerous?

• NO, but it changes the focus to rehabilitating or isolating criminals instead of getting revenge

Problem or not ?

• Is psychology really dangerous?

• NO, but it changes the focus to rehabilitating or isolating criminals instead of getting revenge

Wrap up

• The truth about free will is still an open question

• Current research studies effects of believing in free will (a là Rand)

• Skinner said: “Get over it”