L&M Lecture 4 - Social Learning

Social Learning Definition

• when behaviour changes as result of observing the behaviours of others

• acquiring the same behaviour of others through observation 

• acquiring new/altered behaviours through observation of others actions and their consequences 

Conditioning Through Observation

• behaviour of others can act as a US that supports classical conditioning

• if behaviour of conspecific elicits a particular response automatically

Observational Conditioning — Snakes

• lab raised monkeys not normally afraid of snakes

• but if a lab raised monkey sees a wild monkey act afraid of snakes

• observer monkey will acquire fear of snakes

US — fear of performer monkey 

US elicits UR — fear in monkey 

pairing CS and US 

prior to observational learning snake was neutral 

CS acquires ability to elicit CR in observer monkey 

Preparedness for Learning (Observational Conditioning)

Cook & Mineka 

• suggested there is biological preparedness to learn fear about some stimuli over others 

• spliced videos of fear reaction

  • flower fear, toy snake safe (FL+/SN-)

  • flower safe, toy snake fear (SN+/FL-)

• asymmetry is specific to aversive conditioning

• may not be innate fear for stimuli 

• potentially evolved to learn more quickly about potential threats 

Instrumental Learning through Observation 

• learning can occur by observing others perform an action or behaviour 

• learning can occur by observing the consequences of others performing an action or behaviour (R-Rft) 

Observational Instrumental Learning

Emulation

• understanding there is a goal but not using same method to gain access to the goal

Imitation

• copying behaviour w reference to a goal

Emulation

• understanding of the goal 

• but specific response required to obtain the goal may not be well understood 

Imitation

• copied actions made w respect to the goal

• replication of same response made by the performer

Two-Action Test

• observed pecking — more likely to peck

• observed stepping — more like to step

Social Facilitation 

• Learning from direct experience due to living in a social group of hierarchy — NOT social learning 

• Goal Enhancement 

  • Access to appetitive consequence facilitates later trial and error learning e.g. access to cream is not usually readily available 

• Stimulus Enhancement 

  • Follow others in a group and being more likely to approach the same places e.g. milk bottles  

Modelling 

• Bandura, Ross & Ross 1961

• Social modelling is copying the behavioural style of others 

• Children will not only imitate an adult's specific behaviour but also model general styles of behaviour 

  • E.g. novel actions and language 

• Suggest there is cognitive aspect of social learning:

  • Understanding actions of others/modellers; intention 

  • Use this knowledge in situations where it is useful; application 

  • Info not always used immediately; memory 

How does reinforcement influence modelling?

• Bandura (1965): Model observed on TV (No incentive condition)

  • Model rewarded – boy reproduced more responses than girls

  • Model punished – reduction in number of aggressive behaviours reproduced 

  • No consequence – not much difference between model rewarded and no consequence 

• Model observed on TV (Positive incentive condition (reward for every behaviour you saw and reproduce))

  • All of the behaviours go up significantly for girls and still increase for boys

• Modelling is dependent on reinforcement/punishment (towards the modeller) 

• Modeling can occur through media not just in person 

Modelling: Applications 

• Children more likely to model behaviour of people they look up to 

• Social modelling for good?

  • Advertising campaigns to reduce drunk driving, smoking, dieting 

• Smacking a child to discipline/punish bad behaviour (positive punishment) can itself be modelled 

  • Punish younger siblings/friends in the same way