In-Depth Notes on Avoidance and Studying Behavior

Studying and Motivation

• Behavioral Reinforcement

  • Good grades serve as positive reinforcement for studying. Achieving a high score can lead to less studying in subsequent exams.

  • In contrast, students who receive lower grades may increase studying to avoid negative outcomes (bad grades).

Avoidance Behavior

• Definition

  • Studying or performing behaviors to prevent a negative result (e.g., bad grades, punishments).

  • The concept parallels animals avoiding shocks. They repeat the behavior to prevent experiencing aversive conditions.

Punishment vs. Avoidance

• Punishment

  • Making a response leads to an aversive outcome, decreasing that behavior (e.g., sneaking out results in being grounded).

• Avoidance

  • Engaging in behaviors to avoid aversive outcomes increases responses (e.g., studying to avoid bad grades).

Classical Conditioning and Voluntary Behavior

• Classical Conditioning

  • Involves automatic responses.

  • For example, a conditioned stimulus (CS) like a tone paired with an unconditioned stimulus (US) like a shock can lead to avoidance behavior (e.g., running away when the tone occurs).

• The discussion emphasizes the difference between voluntary behaviors (like studying) versus classical conditioning reflexes.

Experimental Design

• Study Structure

  • Two groups of guinea pigs were used: a classical conditioning group (shock with no control) and an avoidance group (opportunity to avoid shock through behavior).

• Discrete Trials Procedure

  • Individual trials where a behavior can prevent an aversive event (e.g., a tone indicates a shock will happen if no action is taken).

Two Process Theory of Avoidance

• Theory Breakdown

  • Step 1: CS through classical conditioning elicits fear (e.g., warning letter from a landlord).

  • Step 2: Engaging in behaviors can remove fear (e.g., paying rent alleviates fear of eviction).

• Avoidance behavior provides relief from fear, classified as negative reinforcement.

Escape from Fear Procedure

• Testing Fear and Avoidance

  • Initially induce fear through classical conditioning (pairing CS with shock).

  • After fear acquisition, allow opportunity to stop exposure to the CS (tone) without reinforcement (shock).

  • Observations should show that avoidance behavior occurs even without the aversive stimulus.

Extinction of Avoidance Behavior

• Understanding Treatment

  • Avoidance behaviors can be maladaptive (e.g., avoiding crowds can severely limit functioning).

  • Extinction involves breaking down conditioned associations (e.g., repeatedly exposing to the CS without bad outcomes leads to reduction in fear and behaviors).

• Example of Maladaptive Avoidance

  • Individual avoiding leaving the house due to fear of crowds demonstrates the need for treatments to help extinguish avoidance behavior for functional integration into society.