In a classic experiment, two groups of rats explored a maze with the first group being rewarded with food at the end of the maze, while the second group wandered the maze but were unrewarded and showed no signs of learning. But later, when the "uneducated" rats were given food, they ran the maze as quickly as the rewarded group. The unrewarded animals had nevertheless learned their way around the maze because
A)just satisfying curiosity can be enough to reward latent learning.
B)the rats were classically conditioned to the food reward.
C)the second group of rats had learned vicariously from the first group of rats.
D)just social reinforcement can be enough to encourage learning in all mammals.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This experiment demonstrates latent learning, where the "uneducated" rats had learned the layout of the maze without any apparent reward, showing that learning can occur without reinforcement. When they were later given a reward, they quickly demonstrated their knowledge, indicating that the satisfaction of curiosity or exploration itself can act as a form of reward that encourages learning, even if it's not immediately apparent.

In a Classic Experiment, Two Groups of Rats Explored a Maze