Week 2 - learning theories

Skinner Rat Box Experiment (1948)

In the lesson we were covering many different learning theories and how they can be applied. During the lesson we were put into different groups to cover 3 different Behaviourism experiments, the group I was in covered B.F Skinner's rat box experiment which was about Operant Conditioning.

B.F Skinner's experiment showed the effects of Positive Reinforcement and Negative Reinforcement i.e being rewarded for good behaviour and punished for bad behaviour. When the rat pushed the lever the rat would obtain food during the Positive Reinforcement part of the experiment. However during the Negative Reinforcement part of the experiment the rat would get an electric shock for not pushing the lever.

For more information on B.F Skinner's experiment refer to the Links below:
http://www.simplypsychology.org/operant-conditioning.html
http://www.psychologistanywhereanytime.com/famous_psychologist_and_psychologists/psychologist_famous_b_f_skinner.htm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-lgMnvPDQ0 - Operant Conditioning - Skinner box experiment - VCE Psychology

Bobo Doll Experiment (1961)

Later in the lesson we explored another learning theory proposed by Albert Bandura which was the result of the Bobo Doll experiment, which involved children observing how an adult's behaves around the doll and then seeing how the children reacted when their where left with the doll alone.
The result showed that the group who observed the aggressive models mimicked their behaviour and the groups who observed the non-aggressive or no models showed less aggressive behaviour.

Generally because the experiments are in lab conditions this may impacted the validity of the result.

For more information on the Bobo Doll experiment refer to the Links below:
http://www.simplypsychology.org/bobo-doll.html 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=128Ts5r9NRE - The Bobo Beatdown - Crash Course Psychology #12

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zerCK0lRjp8 - The Brain: A Secret History - Emotions; Bandura Bobo Doll Experiment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjTxQy_U3ac - Bandura and Social Learning Theory, also gives questions to the viewer  

Based on the Bobo Doll experiments Bandura formed his theory on social learning and vicarious reinforcement

"vicarious reinforcement is our tendency to repeat or duplicate behaviours for which others are being rewarded."

For further information refer to the link below:
http://study.com/academy/lesson/vicarious-reinforcement-definition-lesson-quiz.html