Monkey See, Monkey Do...

According to Albert Bandura, modeling is a cognitive process that involves 4 basic steps: attention, retention, reproduction, and motivation. Watch one or two (or all four if you like) of the clips where Viki (the chimpanzee) models behavior.

1. Do Viki's behaviors support Bandura's ideas? Explain.

Pick a Phobia, Any Phobia

Select a phobia from the list. Which phobia did you select? What is it?

1. Describe, in detail, how classical conditioning can play a role in the development of the phobia (e.g., what is the unconditioned stimulus, the unconditioned stimulus, the conditioned stimulus, the conditioned response).
2. Describe how observational learning can play a role in the development of the phobia.
3. Which learning process do you think is more likely for the phobia you selected? Explain.

Condition Pavlov's Dog

Present the sound (without the light or the food) to the dog and record the dog's salivation level (count the number of vertical lines that indicate salivation level). Next, present the food alone (without the sound or the light) and record the dog's salivation level. Next, present both the sound and the food (note that the sound is automatically presented before the food). Note the dog's salivation level. Repeat this last step for 20 trials. Now present the sound without the food and record the dog's salivation level. Now compare the dog's salivation to the sound alone to your initial recording.

1. What did you find? Now compare the reading to your initial recording (when you presented just the food).
2. What did you find? Continue to present the sound without presenting the food. Record the dog's salivation level. Repeat this step for the next 10 trials.
3. What happens to the salivation level?