PS261 Lecture 5: instrumental conditioning- foundations
Document Summary
In instrumental conditioning, the behaviour is not elicited but emitted. Subject initiates behaviour and the behaviour is already part of the subjects behavioural repertoire. Instrumental behaviours are goal directed, because the consequences are directly related to subject"s behaviour. Instrumental conditioning is all about how the consequences of a behaviour can influence the future frequency of that behaviour. Stimuli in puzzle box (s) became associated with escape response (r), outcome not part of association. Law of effect says if response in the presence of stimuli is followed by a pleasant event, the association between the stimulus and response is strengthened. If response in presence of stimulus is followed by an annoying event, s-r association is weakened. Disagreed with s-r learning and viewed behaviour as a flexible means to a goal. Animals learn about stimuli in the environment and represent those in memory such as cognitive map. Introduced latent learning/learning in the absence of reinforcement.
