Dollard and Miller Chapter 10 Psychoanalytic Learning Theory

Dollardand Miller

Chapter 10

Psychoanalytic Learning Theory

Hull’s Theory of Learning

Drive – any strong impulse that moves an organism to action

Reinforcer – anything that reduces a drive Habit – association b/t stimulus and

response (S-R learning)

Dollard & Miller’s Theory of Learning Drive

Cue

Response

Reinforcement

Response Hierarchies

Habit family hierarchy Innate hierarchy of responsesDominant response

Learning Initial hierarchy of responsesResultant hierarchy of responses

Example of a response hierarchy: child

R1: cry

R2: grab teddy bear

R3: hide

R4: demand Daddy

R5: go quietly to bed

dominant response

gradient of reward

The more closely the response is followed by reward, the more it is strengthened.

Language can influence this by making a response "close" by talking about it.

Bandura (1925- )

& Mischel (1930- )

Consistency of Human Behavior

Mischel’s Peace Corps studyPersonality Coefficient

Weak correlation (.30) between standard personality tests and behavior

Consistency ParadoxThe persistent belief that human behavior is

consistent over time and situation when experimental evidence indicates that it is not

In fact, Mischel believes consistency is maladaptive

The Situational Context of Behavior

Variables affecting personalityPerson variables – personal traits that

influence response to a situationSituation variables – environmental

circumstances person finds themselves in

Traditional theory overemphasizes Person Variables

Skinner overemphasizes Situation Variables

The Situational Context of Behavior

Reciprocal DeterminismPersonality

emerges from the mutual interactions of individuals, their actions, and their environments.

Imagine combinations of these behaviors:

hit cry smile

With any of these situations:

... when pushed. ... when teased. ... when complimented.

It makes sense to “hit back when pushed.” It does not make sense

to “cry when complimented.”

Person Variables

Beliefs, values, and information gathering strategies that determine which stimuli are perceived, selected, interpreted, and used

1. Encoding Strategies

“How we see things”personal constructs - trait terms people use to

describe themselves and other people Ex. passionate, hard-working

situational descriptions – how situation is interpreted

helps explain why people have different reactions to same situation

2. Expectancies

“What we think will happen”Behavior-Outcome Expectancies

Stimulus-Outcome Expectancies

Self-Efficacy Expectancies

Behavior-Outcome Expectancies

If I act in this way, it will have the following result. If I study 3 hours, will I get an A ? If I run, will I catch the bus?

Used when specifics about current situation unknown, based on past, similar experiences

Stimulus-Outcome Expectancies

What will happen next?

Learned from past experiences

I know what to expect from

this stimulus!

Self-Efficacy Expectancies

Can I do it?

Self-efficacy – what a person can do

Perceived self-efficacy – what a person thinks they are capable of doing

Self-Efficacy Expectancies

Strong emotion – low self-efficacy Calmness – high self-efficacy

People w/ high self-efficacy Set higher goals Persist longer More venturesome Recover more quickly from set-backs Have less fear, anxiety, stress & depression

3. Subjective values (of outcome)

“What is worth having or doing?”

desirability of outcomes (given the particular individual’s goals or values)

4. Self-regulatory systems and plans

“How do we attain our goals?”

Self-Regulated Behavior

Most behavior is self-regulated Performance Standards:

When performance meets standards, person feels good

When performance does not meet standards, person feels bad

Intrinsic vs. extrinsic reinforcement/punishment

I.e., most behavior is purposive or teleological

Self-Regulated BehaviorSelf-Efficacy as a mediator of performanceMoral Conduct as a regulator of performanceSelf-Exonerating Mechanisms excuse

violations of moral standards

Self-Exonerating Mechanisms

Moral justification Euphemistic labeling Advantageous comparison Displacement of responsibility Diffusion of responsibility Disregard or distortion of consequences Dehumanization Attribution of blame

Delay of Gratification

5. Competencies

“What we are capable of doing?”

behavioral cognitive

Examples

Sexual gender identity Knowing structure of the physical world Social rules and conventions Personal constructs about self, others Rehearsal strategies for learning

Five Person Variables

1. Encoding strategies

2. Expectancies

3. Subjective values

4. Self-regulatory systems & plans

5. Competencies

Experiment

nursery school students would behave more aggressively when they observed an aggressive adult

Observational Learning

Learning that takes place when one observes and models the behavior of others

Models as sources of vicarious reinforcement and vicarious punishmentNews and Entertainment Media as Models

Elements Necessary for Modeling

Attention One must pay attention to a behavior and its

consequences Retention

One must recall what was observed Reproduction

Observers must have the motor ability to reproduce the modeled behavior

Motivation Observer must expect reinforcement for modeled act

Dysfunctional Expectancies and Psychotherapy Psychological problems result from

dysfunctional expectanciesThinking you can do more than you can

frustrationBelieving you can do less than you can

inhibits personal growth Goal of Psychotherapy: Change perceived

self-efficacy

Social Cognitive Theory View of Human Nature Freedom versus Determinism

Bandura as a “soft-determinist”Freedom as options

Chance Encounters and Life Paths Mind-Body Relationship

Social Cognitive Theory does not accept dualism

Critique

Contributions