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Chapter 12

Chapter 12. The Limitations of Learning. Physical Characteristics. Physiological structure of the species Limitations on behaviours. Nonheritability of Learned Behaviour. Learned behaviours are not inherited Lamarckian evolution: passing acquired characteristics to offspring

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Chapter 12

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  1. Chapter 12 The Limitations of Learning

  2. Physical Characteristics • Physiological structure of the species • Limitations on behaviours

  3. Nonheritability of Learned Behaviour • Learned behaviours are not inherited • Lamarckian evolution: passing acquired characteristics to offspring • William McDougall: trained on tasks for many generations • Failure to replicate results • Inheritance of learning could limit adaptability

  4. Heredity and Learning Ability • Genetic influences on ability to learn • Not the same as inheriting learned behaviours • Tryon (1940): rats learn maze, breed “smartest” together and “dumbest” together for 18 generations • Identical twins reared apart • Nature and nurture

  5. Neurological Damage • Neurotoxins • Prenatal damage to CNS (e.g., fetal alcohol syndrome, crack cocaine) • Environmental toxins (e.g., lead) • Physical damage (e.g., concussions)

  6. Critical Periods • Stage for optimum learning • Imprinting • Konrad Lorenz • Puppy dogs • Harlow (1958, 1962) studies: terry cloth monkey moms

  7. Biological Preparedness • Species specific influences on behaviour • Genetic predispositions • Assist or hinder acquisition of behaviour • Retention of behaviour

  8. Instinctive Drift • Breland & Breland (1961) • Pig, raccoon • Operant task • Reinforcer • Early in training • Later in training

  9. Autoshaping • Brown & Jenkins (1968) • Key pecking with pigeons • VT-60 grain delivery • Light on 8 seconds before food delivery • No response necessary… • But pigeons started pecking light

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