5.10. Factors Facilitating Learning

In experiments on learning the experimenter can arrange to deliver reinforcement according to a specific schedule. In the context of learning, two kinds of schedules namely continuous and partial have been found very important. In continuous reinforcement the participant is given reinforcement after each target response. This kind of schedule of reinforcement produces a high rate of responding. However, once the reinforcement is withheld, response rates decrease very quickly, and the responses acquired under this schedule tend to extinguish. Since organism is getting reinforcement on each trial, the effectiveness of that reinforcer is reduced. In such schedules where reinforcement is not continuous, some responses are not reinforced. Hence, they are called partial or intermittent reinforcement. There are several ways in which one might reinforce responses according to an intermittent schedule. It has been found that partial reinforcement schedules often produce very high rates of responding, particularly when responses are reinforced according to ratio. In this kind of schedule, an organism often makes several responses that are not reinforced. Therefore, it becomes difficult to tell when a reinforcement has been discontinued completely and when it has merely been delayed. When reinforcement is continuous it is easier to tell when it has been discontinued. This kind of difference has been found crucial for extinction. It has been found that extinction of a response is more difficult following partial reinforcement than following continuous reinforcement. The fact that the responses acquired under partial reinforcement are highly resistant to extinction is called partial reinforcement effect.

In this chunk, we learn about two main types of reinforcement schedules: continuous and partial reinforcement. Continuous reinforcement means giving a reward every single time a desired behavior occurs, which leads to high response rates from the learner. However, if the reinforcement stops, the learned behavior can quickly fade away. In contrast, partial reinforcement involves giving rewards only occasionally. This type creates a stronger behavior that lasts longer because the learner can’t easily figure out when the reinforcement will stop, making them continue the behavior even without immediate rewards.

Think about a slot machine in a casino. When you play, you occasionally win – that's partial reinforcement. This unpredictability can keep players trying again because they are hopeful of winning. On the other hand, if someone only ever won every time they played (continuous reinforcement), they might lose interest quickly once they stop winning.

All living organisms have survival needs and human beings, in addition, have growth needs. Motivation is a mental as well as a physiological state, which arouses an organism to act for fulfilling the current need. In other words, motivation energises an organism to act vigorously for attaining some goal. Such acts persist until the goal is attained and the need is satisfied. Motivation is a prerequisite for learning.

This chunk discusses motivation as a crucial factor that facilitates learning. Motivation is what drives individuals to act and engage in learning activities. It can stem from basic survival needs, such as hunger, or from desires for personal growth and achievement. When a person is motivated, they will put in the effort required to learn and achieve their goals. Without motivation, learning can become difficult or even ineffective.

Consider a student studying for an important exam. If their primary motivation is to achieve good grades (extrinsic motivation), they are likely to study harder than someone who is less invested in their grades. Alternatively, if a student enjoys the subject they are studying (intrinsic motivation), their enthusiasm can help them learn more effectively, as they genuinely want to understand and excel.

The members of different species are very different from one another in their sensory capacities and response abilities. The mechanisms necessary for establishing associations, such as S-S or S-R, also vary from species to species. It can be said that species have biological constraints on their learning capacities. The kinds of S-S or S-R learning an organism can easily acquire depends on the associative mechanism it is genetically endowed with or prepared for. A particular kind of associative learning is easy for apes or human beings but may be extremely difficult and sometimes impossible for cats and rats.

In this chunk, the concept of preparedness explores how different species have inherent biological limits to their learning abilities. This means certain types of learning are easier for some species compared to others based on their evolutionary background. For example, a human or an ape may easily learn to use tools because they are biologically prepared for such learning, whereas a rat might struggle with it because it doesn’t have the same evolutionary trait.

Imagine a fish learning to ride a bicycle. It's not that the fish is not trying; it's simply that it is not biologically equipped for that task. On the other hand, a person can learn to ride a bike relatively easily because they are naturally prepared for such activities. Similarly, preparedness in learning varies among species based on their biological make-up.

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