Question 1

Albert Bandura's studies of observational learning demonstrated that immediate reinforcement is NOT essential for learning to take place.

Accepted Answer

Bandura's studies showed that observation, attention, retention, and motivation can all contribute to learning, and that immediate reinforcement is not always necessary for behavior to be learned.

Question 2

After an individual chimp learned a new food-gathering technique, the rest of its group acquired the new skill within afew days. In turn, the newly acquired skill spread to other chimpanzee groups who could see the new behavior.According to the textbook, this is evidence for latent learning.

Accepted Answer

This scenario is an example of social learning or observational learning, not latent learning. Latent learning refers to knowledge that is acquired without immediate reinforcement and is not demonstrated until there is a reason to do so.

Question 3

In one study, orangutans imitated the behavior of both humans and other orangutans, but they were more likely toimitate high-status or dominant models than low-statusmodels. The orangutans were also more likely to imitatemodels with whom they had close relationships, such asbiological parents, siblings, or their human caregivers. Human strangers were virtually never imitated. This study illustratesthat positive punishment factors seem to play a role in observational learning in primates, just as with humans.

Accepted Answer

The study illustrates that social factors, such as status and relationship closeness, influence observational learning, not positive punishment factors.

Question 4

Motivation is not a factor in Albert Bandura's model of observational learning.

Accepted Answer

Motivation is a key factor in Bandura's model of observational learning. Bandura emphasized that observing others performing a behavior and the consequences that follow can influence an individual's motivation to perform the behavior themselves. This is known as vicarious reinforcement or punishment.

Question 5

Researchers in an experiment concerned with mirror neurons discovered that the neuronal activity in the brain of a monkey who simply watched another monkey pick up and eat a peanut was the same as the brain activity of the monkey actually performing these actions.

Accepted Answer

This is true. Research has shown that mirror neurons in the brain fire when an individual both performs a specific action and simply observes another individual perform the same action.

Question 6

Population Communications International is a nonprofit group that develops television and radio drama series that are based on the principles of observational learning.

Accepted Answer

Population Communications International is indeed a nonprofit group that develops television and radio drama series based on the principles of observational learning.

Question 7

According to Albert Bandura, motivation to imitate a behavior is crucial to the actual performance of the learned behavior.

Accepted Answer

According to Bandura's social learning theory, motivation plays a key role in whether a learned behavior is actually performed. Bandura believed that individuals are more likely to imitate behaviors if they believe that it will lead to a desired outcome or reinforce a preexisting behavior.

Question 8

According to Focus on Neuroscience, neurons that fire both when action is performed and when action is simply perceivedare called mirror neurons.

Accepted Answer

Mirror neurons are a type of neuron that are active both when an individual performs a given action and when they observe another individual performing the same action.

Question 9

Only humans have the mental ability to develop the cognitive expectation that their behavior will have no effect on the environment. Thus, only humans can develop learned helplessness.

Accepted Answer

This statement is false. Many animals, particularly those in captivity, can also develop learned helplessness where they learn that their behavior has no effect on their environment.

Question 10

In a classic experiment, Albert Bandura used shaping and negative reinforcement to condition children to hit and kick a"Bobo" doll.

Accepted Answer

Albert Bandura's experiment used observational learning, not shaping or negative reinforcement, to study how children imitate aggressive behavior.

Question 11

In training various animals to perform tricks, Marian and Keller Breland discovered that certain natural behavior patterns interfered with the operant behaviors they were attempting to condition in some animals, a phenomenon called instinctive drift.

Accepted Answer

Marian and Keller Breland did discover the phenomenon of instinctive drift during their animal training.

Question 12

Albert Bandura's principles of observational learning have been applied in television dramas that have been designed tofoster healthy behaviors in societies in many different countries.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. Observational learning principles by Albert Bandura have been used in television dramas to promote healthy behaviors in various countries.

Question 13

Albert Bandura proposed that instinctive drift occurs because of principles related to observational learning.

Accepted Answer

Albert Bandura proposed that instinctive drift is a type of classical conditioning that occurs when an animal's instinctual behavior interferes with the learned behavior. It is not directly related to observational learning.

Question 14

Puppies who had seen their mothers locate and retrieve the packets of narcotics were significantly better at performing the same task three months later than were puppies who hadnot seen adult dogs perform this behavior. According to the textbook, this is evidence for observational learning.

Accepted Answer

The statement describes an experiment in which puppies learned to locate and retrieve packets of narcotics after observing their mothers perform the same behavior. The fact that these puppies performed better three months later than a control group suggests that they learned through observation, which is a key feature of observational learning. Therefore, the answer is A (true).

Question 15

Both Albert Bandura and Edward Tolman demonstrated that reinforcement was not necessary for learning to take place.

Accepted Answer

Both Bandura and Tolman emphasized the importance of cognitive processes in learning, and demonstrated that reinforcement is not always necessary for learning to occur. Bandura's social learning theory emphasized the role of observation and modeling in learning, while Tolman's cognitive map theory emphasized the role of mental processes in forming and using cognitive maps of one's environment.

Question 16

Education-entertainment programs are designed to fulfill the four conditions required for observational learning to takeplace: reinforcement, punishment, conditioning, and memory.

Accepted Answer

Observational learning requires attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation, not reinforcement, punishment, conditioning, and memory.

Question 17

Once acquired, learned helplessness cannot be overcome.

Accepted Answer

While learned helplessness can be difficult to overcome, studies have shown that it can be treated through therapy and other interventions.

Question 18

After a series of setbacks, Evan gave up and dropped out of college. This pattern of behavior is called instinctive drift.

Accepted Answer

Instinctive drift refers to the tendency of animals to revert back to their innate behaviors even after being trained to behave differently. It is not applicable to the situation described in the statement.

Question 19

Instinctive drift is the phenomenon in which an animal's natural behaviors interfere with the performance of previously conditioned behaviors.

Accepted Answer

Instinctive drift occurs when an animal's instinctual behaviors "drift" back into their behavior instead of the previously conditioned behavior, interfering with their performance.

Question 20

Marian Breland was one of the first psychologists to use positive reinforcement to teach basic self-help skills to people with developmental disabilities and also helped train marinemammals for the U.S. Navy.

Accepted Answer

Marian Breland was indeed one of the first psychologists to use positive reinforcement to teach basic self-help skills to people with developmental disabilities and also helped train marine mammals for the U.S. Navy.

Quiz 5: Learning