Ch. 6.14-16 - Learning Without Reinforcement, The Risks of Observational Learning, Neural Mechanisms of Social Learning

What are mirror neurons?

Cells that fire both when performing an action and when observing another individual perform the same action.

How can mirror neurons be influenced?

By the inferred intention of the environment.

What is imitation?

Recreating a motor behavior or expression, often to accomplish a specific goal.

What is over-imitation in humans?

Humans often copy actions of others even when some steps are unnecessary.

Can media affect behavior?

Media can influence what we perceive as normal and desensitize viewers to certain behaviors.

What is the relationship between violent media and aggression?

There is a positive correlation between exposure to violent media and aggressive thoughts and behavior, but correlation does not equal causation.

What are some confounding factors in media research?

'Third' variables, such as home environment, can influence results; ecological validity is also a concern because lab studies may not reflect real-world settings.

What is latent learning?

Learning that occurs without immediate expression and is revealed only when reinforcement or opportunity arises.