PSYC10003 Lecture 3: Learning and Cognition - Lecture 3: Cognitive and social learning (Mind, brain and behaviour 1 MBB1)
14 Jun 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
Learning and Cognition Sam Midler
Lecture 3
Cognitive and social learning
Cognitive learning
• there are internal cognitive processes, even in non-human animals
• organisms interpret stimulus before they respond
• orgaiss are ot a lak o as ehaiourists states ut the actively perceive,
anticipate and think about stimuli in the world
o these cognitive processes strongly contribute to learning
• Edward Tolman believed cognitive processes play an important role in learning
complex behaviours
o Harder to demonstrate cognitive processes, and one needs start
experimental techniques to show them
Tolman
• Studied problem solving strategies of rats in mazes
• After several trials of running in maze, rat would learn to get to goal quickly and with
few errors
• But what about when the original maze is suddenly replaced by a new one?
• In other mazes, rats can also learn shortcuts to food
• Tola suggested the rats dot sipl lear S-R associations, but build cognitive
maps of environment
o Cognitive map is a mental representation of the spatial characteristics of a
familiar environment
o This means the rats could use their maps to reason about alternative routes
o
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