Do we need social interaction?Harry Harlows Surrogate Mothers and other experiments

Group 1: Terrycloth mother did not provide food.

Group 2: Wire mother provided food.

Isolation Chambers Pit of Despair

Isolation of MonkeysPartially and Fully isolated monkeysPartially isolated (occasional social contact) Repetitive circling of cages, blank staring, and occasional self mutilationTotal social deprivation (6, 12, 24 months)6 months = emotional shock when reintroduced: rocking and clenching, rare anorexia12, 24 months = obliterated the monkeys sociallyAll isolated monkeys exhibited little to no recovery

Social Learning

Process of altering behavior observing and imitating the behavior of others.Observational Learning and Cognitive Learning

Learning would be exceedingly laborious, not to mention hazardous, if people had to rely solely on the effects of their own actions to inform them what to do.Albert Bandura (1977)

Observational LearningObservational LearningLearning by observing others.

ModelingThe process of observing and imitating a specific behavior.

Vicarious Reinforcement You first engage in a behavior because you saw someone else get rewardedDirectly tied to Operant Conditioning

Mirror NeuronsFire both when performing actions and when observing another doing so.NOVA Mirror Neurons

ModelingFollow the Leader: The behavior of others increases the chances that we will do the same thingClapping, looking out the window, copying the styles and verbal expressions of our peers

Observational LearningWatch someone else perform a behavior, then be able to perform the behavior yourselfLearning a game, dance move, sport

Role ModelsRole ModelsDo we chose to be a role model?How important are older siblings?parents? peers?

"I don't believe professional athletes should be role models. I believe parents should be role models.... It's not like it was when I was growing up. My mom and my grandmother told me how it was going to be. If I didn't like it, they said, "Don't let the door hit you in the ass on your way out." Parents have to take better control." Sir Charles Barkley

Albert Banduras Bobo Doll ExperimentChildren were exposed to adults displaying aggression toward a bobo doll, and were then observed in a room filled with toys

What happened?Bobo Clip

The beating of Bobo

TV and ViolenceBefore you turn 18, you will see approx. 18,000 simulated murders on TV & moviesSince the 1960s, more than 3,000 studies have linked television violence to real violenceResults: viewers become desensitized to violence, become more fearfulbehave more violently

Banduras Social-Cognitive TheorySocial-Cognitive Theory applies fundamentals of social learning to personality and behavior choices.Social-Cognitive Theory Clip

Extinction of Phobias / DisinhibitionLearning that seemingly threatening experiences can be safePhobia treatment (counter-conditioning)Safety of new environment

Application of Social LearningBad news antisocial models may have antisocial effects on childrenGood news prosocial (positive, helpful) models can have prosocial effectsConsistency of words and actions.Social learning plays a large roleParents are extremely powerful models

Children See, Children Do

Latent (Incidental) LearningLearning that occurs without knowledge being immediately expressedAccidental learning that occurs in the process of another behaviorSetting the table, putting in a light bulbKnowledge is there, but does not come out until a reinforcer appears

Cognitive MapsE.C. Tolman studied in 1930sTaught rats a maze through repetition, without providing reinforcement (food)Once a reinforcer was presented for completion of the maze, the rats were just as quick to complete as rats which received food upon every completionA mental picture of a place which allows you to navigate to an unseen destination

Formation of InsightAn insight is a new way to organize stimuli or a new approach to solving a problemOnce insight has occurred, no further training is necessary

Wolfgang KohlerChimps with insightPigeon shows insight

Learned HelplessnessCondition in which a person gives up due to repeated failureSeligmans electric shock dog studiesHirotos study of college students (1974)People feel they have no control over environment; success seems more a matter of luck than skill

Learned Laziness - Condition that occurs if rewards come without effort, a person never learns to work.

Martin Seligman on DepressionLearned helplessness is a leading cause of depressionStabilityTemporary vs. StableGlobalitySpecific vs. GlobalInternalityExternal vs. Internal

Behavior ModificationSystematic application of learning principles to change peoples actions and feelingsInvolves a series of well-defined steps to change behavior.The success of each step is carefully evaluated to find the best solution for a given situation.

Common in sports training and drug treatment involves intense drive to become an ideal productModeling, classical conditioning, operant conditioning

Self ControlChanging your own behavior

1. Define the problem specificallyThis can often lead to a change in behavior2. Behavioral contract

Study HabitsConsiderations: negative emotions, environment, conditioning

Bad HabitsHow are bad habits formed?ProcrastinationFavoring immediate reinforcement and accepting delayed punishment

Token EconomiesDesirable behavior is reinforced with valueless objects, which can be accumulated and exchanged for valued rewards

Used most commonly in prisons, mental hospitalsCombats attention as reinforcement drawbackDoes this result in long term learning?

Math student suddenly sees how to do a math problem without a new skill or additional teachingChimps were put into a situation where bananas were out of reach they were able to stack boxes to reach them, and in another case put sticks together to reach themExamples: overly punishing children, overly critical of friends actions, under prepared student in advanced mathPeople may extend learned helplessness as applied to one area of their life (school, work, relationships) to other areas. People who fail at one thing may give up on others, sometimes even on life itself.Stability: Temp I did bad because I was sick VS Stable I did bad because I cant do mathGlobality: Specific Im no good at math tests VS Global Im dumbInternality: External That was a hard math test (the teacher makes tests too hard) VS Im horrible at math testsStep 1 I have a smoking problem- how many cigarettes do I have in an hour, a day? What situations cause me to smoke? (after meals, with friends?) Poor self esteem many many self depreciating remarks?Step 2 Choosing a reinforcer, buying an ipod, watching a favorite TV programStudy Habits example: Students told to study in a room they were not familiar with a library study room. They were told to study until they got bored, fidgety, daydreamy, etc. Then, read one more page before leaving. The next time they were told to read 2 pages after they got tired, then 3. Each time they were able to study for longer period of time (before they got tired). Why?No negative emotions they could leave when they got restless. New place no aversive stimulus when forcing themselves to work. Gradual increases help students condition themselves to an appropriate amount of time.Secondary ReinforcementWashington DC boys example (Cohen & Filipczak 1971) placed in a token economy of educational setting in which they got points for good grades, which could be used to get snacks, lounge privileges, or items from a mail in catalog. ALL got higher grades, even higher IqsLong term? Head start program preschoolers improved school skills and attitudes toward school