Instrumental conditioning: principles and applications

Instrumental Conditioning

(a) Description of the selected learning situation of 'How to ride a Bike':

Among the different types of learning, implicit learning is used while learning how to ride a bike. Implicit learning constitutes a form of learning which does not draw from semantic structures like concepts. During a certain stage of our childhood, each one of us has learnt how to ride a bike or not. But nobody can give a proper explanation regarding the manner in which we are able to ride a bike. Evidently we all learn it through the hard way i.e. trial and error. It is often said that one cannot ride a bike by reading a book. Learning how to ride a bike does not need a broad knowledge of theories regarding riding a bike, but instead is all about taking the correct steps in suitable situations. (Bakker, 2004)

Besides, regarding the structure, knowing how to ride a bike there is no conscience descriptive process. Learning to accomplish tasks at least signifies that the learning subject has access to some type of memory. If for instance, the individual, who is learning to ride a bike, do not possess some type of memory regarding the previous attempts, how will the person ever improve in performance? The principal concept behind biological memory is that information is stored inside our brain in some form or the other. During every occasion when an individual takes an attempt to ride a bike, the previous experience in one way or another modifies the physiology of the brain such that at some point of time, it satisfactorily symbolizes riding a bike which goes on to prove that learning and memory possess a strong association. (Bakker, 2004)

(b) Comparison of concepts of positive and negative reinforcement as they relate to the selected situation of 'How to ride a Bike':

Under Positive reinforcement, response is followed by a reward or such other positive event. An enjoyable or a desired event follows a response. Positive and negative reinforcement are sometimes combinatory i.e. relieving hunger with delicious food which is positive reinforcement and the culmination of nagging hunger i.e. negative reinforcement. Response is followed with pain or an otherwise event that is negative like the removal of a positive response cost. It is an event which follows a response and lowers its likelihood of getting repeated. For the better or worse, it constitutes one of the most popular ways of controlling behavior. ("Conditioning and Learning," 1993)

Reinforcement constitutes anything which when follows a behavior, raises the possibility that the behavior will be repeated. Regardless of whether positive or negative reinforcement, it builds or maintains targeted behavior. In case of positive reinforcement, something is presented to the person who is seen as desirable and the targeted behavior gets repeated in order to gain the desired reinforcement. In case of negative reinforcement, the targeted behavior is done to get away from the reinforcement that may be viewed as aversive. The desired behavior acts on the environment with a view to remove the adverse stimuli or to remove or keep the individual from the situation. In case of the selected learning situation of learning how to ride a bike, fall from the bike negatively reinforces the behavior of trying to keep the balance and preventing fall. (Bruce; Borg, 2002)

Among the fundamental distinction between classical and instrumental conditioning procedures is as regards the outcomes of the conditioned response. In case of instrumental conditioning, rewards and punishments are made to happen as an outcome of the learner's response or the failure of the same. The difference between the two procedures did not appear important to the earliest investigators of conditioning and the two procedures were used in a rather indiscriminate manner. In some experiments with shock, for instance, the shock was unavoidable and happened on each and every trial. In case of others the happening of the precise response prevented the initiation of the shock. Of late, the difference between these two procedures has come to be a matter of large scale interest. (Kimble; Hilgard; Marquis, 1961)

(c) Explain the role of reward and punishment in your selected learning situation of 'How to ride a Bike'

A lot of aversive events are there inclusive of withholding reinforcement i.e. extinction, removing a positive reinforces i.e. response cost and presenting an aversive event contingent on a behavior i.e. punishment. The same variables that influence the effectiveness of reinforcement also influence the effectiveness of punishment, inclusive of the immediacy with which a negative event follows a behavior, the intensity of the event, and the schedule of punishment. It is important to comprehend that punishment constitute an inescapable aspect of life which individuals tend to learn through both punishing consequences and positive consequences. For instance in the selected learning situation of how to ride a bike, if the learner is not watching where he is going, he will sustain a fall which is a punishment for him. (Gambrill, 2006)

In the course of learning regarding the manner in which to ride a bike, an individual learns not to lean too far to one side as this is punished by falling. But maintaining a straight position is reinforced by avoiding unpleasant falls. This gives an illustration of the close association between punishment and negative reinforcement. In order to arrange for the negative reinforcement of a behavior, a negative event must be presented which can be removed contingent on the behavior. This event is presented after some preceding behavior or the lack of it and functions as a punishing event for that behavior. On the other hand, reward in the selected learning situation of how to ride a bike is the satisfaction of the learner that he is gradually learning how to ride a bike and will one day be successful. (Gambrill, 2006)

(d) Explain which form of instrumental conditioning would be most effective in your selected situation of 'How to ride a Bike'.