Chapter 11: Observational Learning & Rule-Governed Behavior

observational learning

the behavior of a model is witnessed by an observer and the observer’s behavior is subsequently changed

contagious behavior

more-or-less instinctive or reflexive behavior triggered by the occurrence of the same in another individual

stimulus enhancement

the probability of a behavior of another individual

vicarious emotional responses

conditioned emotional responses that result from seeing those emotional responses exhibited by others

acquisition in operant conditioning

happens through observational learning 1st required that the observer pay attention to the behavior of the model

acquisition (ways)

• very sensitive to the consequences of the model’s behavior

• observer receives reinforcement for the behavior of attending to a model

• whether the observer has sufficient skills to benefit from the modeling

•  the personal characteristics of a model can strongly influence the extent to which we will attend to their behavior.

performance (3 ways of modeling situations)

• we are more likely (or less likely) to perform a modeled behavior when we have observed the modeled behavior being reinforced (or punished) 

• 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

true imitation

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

generalized imitation

the tendency to imitate new modeled behavior with no specific reinforcement for doing so

rule

as a verbal description of a contingency

rule-governed behavior

behavior that has been generated through exposure

instruction

“rule” does say something about how we should respond

what are rules good for

usefule for rapidly establishing appropriate patterns of behavior

drawbacks of rule-governed behavior

• often less efficient than behavior that has been directly shaped by natural contingencies.

• such behavior is sometimes surprisingly insensitive to the actual contingencies of reinforcement operating in a particular setting.

personal rules (self-instructions)

verbal descriptions of contingencies that we present to ourselves to influence our behavior

say-do correspondence

occurs when there is a close match between what we say we are are going to do and what we actually do at a later time

personal process rules

personal rules that indicate the specific process by which a task is to be accomplished