Innate and Learned Behavior
Innate Behavior
Patrons of Innate Behavior: Reflections
This innate, automatic, and voluntary response occurs as a reaction to specific environmental stimuli. These behaviors provide rapid adjustments in conduct and facilitate well-being.
Structure of the Physiological Reflex Arc
- Sensory Receptor: Captures environmental stimuli.
- Afferent Neuron: Leads nerve impulses to density centers in the spinal cord or brain.
- Efferent Neuron (“Motor”): Carries impulses from the central nervous system to the organ that will respond.
- Effector: Muscle or gland that executes the response.
Fixed Patterns of Action
These are highly species-specific, stereotyped behaviors that are not always learned. They are resistant to change and are triggered by a specific stimulus.
Mechanisms of Adaptation
Organisms have developed mechanisms for adapting to their environment, such as associative learning, which includes habituation and sensitization.
- Habituation: A phenomenon where an organism gets used to something as a consequence of repeated exposure to a stimulus.
- Sensitization: An increased response to environmental events.
Learned Behavior
Operant Conditioning
Also known as instrumental conditioning, this type of learning involves voluntary responses that are strengthened or weakened depending on their positive or negative consequences. For example, operant conditioning occurs when a child cleans their room to receive praise.
Reinforcement
- Reinforcement: Any stimulus that increases the probability of a behavior.
- Primary Reinforcement: Stimuli that are biologically important (e.g., food, sex).
- Secondary Reinforcement: Stimuli that acquire reinforcing properties due to their association with primary reinforcements.
Procedures of Conditioning
- Positive Reinforcement: A response produces a pleasant event that strengthens the behavior (e.g., receiving food or praise).
- Negative Reinforcement: A response prevents the presentation of an aversive stimulus, which strengthens the behavior (e.g., avoiding a loud noise).
- Punishment: A response produces an undesirable stimulus, which decreases the response (e.g., receiving a scolding).
- Omission Training: A response prevents the presentation of a pleasant stimulus, which weakens the behavior (e.g., losing privileges).
- Extinction: If a learned response is not reinforced, it stops occurring (i.e., the previously reinforced response decreases).
Reinforcement Schedules
These are programs that indicate when and how the emergence of a response will be followed by reinforcement.
Modes of Reinforcement
- Continuous Reinforcement: Every response results in reinforcement.
- Intermittent Reinforcement: Responses are only sometimes reinforced.
Core Reinforcement Schedules
- Fixed-Ratio: Reinforces behavior after a fixed number of responses. This results in a high response rate with a brief pause after each reinforcement.
- Variable-Ratio: Reinforces behavior after a random number of responses. This leads to a high response rate, less predictable reinforcement, and resistance to extinction.
- Fixed-Interval: Reinforces behavior after a fixed period. This results in a low rate of response after high effort and before the reinforcement.
- Variable-Interval: Reinforces behavior after a random period. This leads to a stable response rate and makes the behavior more resistant to extinction.
Observational Learning
This occurs when a subject observes a model’s behavior and learns from it, even without performing the behavior themselves.
- Acquisition: The subject observes and recognizes the features of the model’s behavior.
- Retention: The model’s behavior is stored in the observer’s memory.
- Execution: The subject reproduces the model’s behavior if they deem it appropriate.
- Consequences: Imitating the model’s behavior can be strengthened by the reactions of others.
Cognitive Learning
Types of Cognitive Learning
- Receptive Learning: The student passively receives content, similar to traditional “school” learning.
- Discovery Learning: The student actively discovers concepts rather than passively receiving them.
- Rote Learning: The student memorizes concepts without understanding their relationships or meaning.
- Meaningful Learning: The student connects new knowledge to their existing knowledge of the world, reorganizing and transferring concepts to new situations.
Concept Maps
These are learning strategies that facilitate the acquisition of information. A concept map visually represents meaningful relationships between concepts.
Elements of a Concept Map
- Concepts: Classifications, regularities, mental images of objects produced by words, etc.
- Propositions: Two or more concepts linked together to form a meaningful unit.
- Linking Words: Words that connect concepts and produce mental images.
Features of a Concept Map
- Hierarchy: Concepts are organized from more inclusive to less inclusive, with the most important at the top.
- Selection: Only the most important concepts are included.
- Visual Impact: The map uses visual elements to aid memory.
Building a Concept Map
- Write a list of relevant concepts.
- Establish a hierarchy of concepts.
- Investigate connections between concepts.
- Create the map.