PSY426H1 Lecture Notes - Reward System
Document Summary
The psychological effects of insufficient rewards. (festinger, 1961) [first half] Reasoning: dissonance occurs because psychologically, the obverse of one cognition follows from the other. To reduce dissonance: persuade himself the pain endured was not actually painful, or, the objective is actually very attractive, discontinue behaviour-> but festinger only considers situations in which this option is not available. The acting individual analyses: action, as voluntary, the environment, or the result or reward. Suggests resistance to extinction is greater after partial reward than after complete reward. Cognition: for research purposes, defined as being able to have behavioural differences observed when the environment changes. Prediction: nonreward-> dissonance leads to rats stopping behaviour, partial reward-> extra preference for behaviour or reward, extinction-> overcome preference before stopping behaviour. Extends to any procedure which introduces dissonance should increase resistence to extinction because of dissonance reduction, for example, delay of reward. Partial reward involves the same psychological processes as delay of reward.
