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CONDITIONING
Guthrie-Horton experiment
Puzzle box - observed 800 escapes, Learned to escape in its own manner,
They also noted often cats escaping the box ignored the food kept outside the
box (lack of interest in food),Never tried new ways of release (called as
stereotyped behaviour)
On the basis of this experiment Guthrie reached certain conclusion and laid
down basic principle for explaining learning:-
➔ Law of contiguity
Guthrie asserted that all rules by which stimuli and responses
become associated to assist any learning, may flow from a single law-----Law
of contiguity He gave 2 explanations:-
➔ Role of Punishment
It is effective only through its association resulting in a new response to the
stimuli It is not about inducing certain kind of painful experiences but
because it forces the organism to do something different.
Eg : punishing a dog who chases a motorcycle is to give a slap in his rose so
that he does not follow, if the slap is given to the rear part of the dog he may
follow the motorcycle more faster.
➔ Transfer of training
Guthrie’s theory gives some consideration to Thorndike’s identical element
theory of transfer. According to that, similarity between 2 may act as
deciding factor for the probability of a similar response in 2 situations.
Guthrie’s theory asserts that transfer in two situations can only take place if
stimulating condition in both situations are identical
:---------------------------------------:
Hull’s Systematic
Behaviour Theory
Clark L Hull (1884-1952) He put forth a systematic mathematical and
scientific theory of human behaviour He rejected Guthrie’s contiguity
approach and Thorndike’s S-R formula
Few major concepts and theoretical notions emerging :-
There are many other things within the inner mechanism of the organisms
like his interests, needs and drives and also reinforcing mechanisms that may
influence the response or behavior. Consequently, traditional S-R formula
in Hull’s approach was extended to S-O-R incorporating all intervening
variables existing between environmental stimulation and overt response.
Aim of reinforcement:
Is to be the reduction of drive or drive stimuli.
Reinforcement are of 2 kinds:
Primary reinforcement : strengthen certain behaviour through
satisfaction of biological needs, drives.
Stimulus generalisation
If there are two/more similar stimuli they can elicit same/nearly the
same response from the organism
Habit strength will generalise from one stimulus to another to the
extent to which the two stimuli are similar.
He explained the phenomenon of transfer of training-learning
performed under similar situations was likely to be transferred to a
new situation.
Inhibition
Exercises regressive effect on reaction potential:-decreasing/ eliminating
recurrence.
Two types :
Reactive inhibition (Ir)
It is caused by internal physiological and biochemical nature of the
individual and therefore varies from individual to individual. It causes a
reduction in the drive level as well as in the reaction potential of an individual
to r
epeat a response or behaviour. The impact of fatigue may however may
vanish as a result of some rest. This is why there may be spontaneous
recovery of learned response after extinction (non-occurrence of the learned
response is due to reactive inhibition)
=[(sHr× D × V × K ) - I] - sOr
Education implications
1. The concept of Intervening variables between the S-R
2. Gave importance to drives , needs, incentives, motivation-need based
goals in education
3. To reduce need was also a kind of reinforcement
4. Emphasised on good habits as means of learning desired behaviour
5. Individual differences
6. Emphasised on the need for proper rest and measures to reduce fatigue in
any act of learning
SUMMARY