lesson 10

Question 1

Jimmy has started a new job as an administrative assistant at an accounting firm. On his first day, he is learning a lot. He learns the following 4 things before lunch. Which of these are social learning, which are social cognition, and which are both or neither?

Question 1 of 4:

Jimmy is walking around the office at random when he discovers the photocopier in a small side room. He learns that this is where the photocopier lives.

Social learning

Social cognition

Social learning and social cognition

Neither

Answer 1

Neither
Feedback: Correct! This example is neither social learning nor social cognition, just good old-fashioned individual learning.

Question 2

Jimmy makes a new friend; the friend tells him that her name is Julia.

Social learning

Social cognition

Social learning and social cognition

Neither

Answer 2

Social learning and social cognitioCorrect! This is an example of social cognition – Jimmy is learning something about another person – and it is also social learning – since the information came from another person.

Question 3

Julia tells Jimmy to never get chocolate bars from the vending machine, because they are never replaced and are all expired and gross.

Social learning

Social cognition

Social learning and social cognition

Neither

Answer 3

Social learningCorrect! This is an example of social learning, since the information comes from Julia, but is not social cognition because it is about a vending machine, not a person

Question 4

On the wall in one part of the office, Jimmy finds a chart from which he learns that his direct superior is called Janet

Social learning

Social cognition

Social learning and social cognition

Neither

Answer 4

Social cognitionCorrect!This is an example of social cognition, since the information is about another person, but not social learning, because the information comes from a chart (if you want to be pedantic, the chart was originally made by a person, so you could consider this an example of social learning as well).]

Question 5

Let’s try to fit social learning into our familiar framework of associative learning. Using the Cook & Mineka experiment as an example, try to answer the following questions:

Is this a Pavlovian or Operant experiment?

Answer 5

This is a Pavlovian experiment: the monkeys are presented with the stimulus (flower or snake), followed by their conspecific’s response to it.

Question 6

What is the CS in the experiment? What kind is it (excitatory, or inhibitory)?

Answer 6

The image of a snake is the CS. Before the experiment, the test monkey does not respond to the snake image (which makes the snake a neutral stimulus, NS). After the experiment, it does respond, which makes it a CS+.

Question 7

What is the US?

Answer 7

The US is the fright reaction of the other monkey. This process is called observational conditioning (reading, p. 441). In observational conditioning, the behavior of another individual serves as a US that can condition us to stimuli.

Question 8

Social Cognition

Answer 8

Learning about other individuals, such as their place in a dominance hierarchy. Distinct from social learning, which is learning from others.

Question 9

Adaptive Advantages of Social Learning

Answer 9

. Information Acquisition: Others may possess information an individual lacks.
2. Avoiding Costly Errors: Prevents dangerous trial-and-error learning.
3. “Wisdom of the Crowd”: Group learning can be more accurate than individual learning.

Question 10

Social Learning

Answer 10

: Learning about the world through information acquired from the behaviors of others (conspecifics or heterospecifics). It is distinct from simply being in a social environment.

Question 11

Social Transmission of Food Preferences (STFP)

Answer 11

The phenomenon where an animal’s food preference is influenced by observing another animal’s food choice.

Question 12

STFP Experiment (Galef & Wigmore, 1983)

Answer 12

Rats A and B are housed together.
Rat A eats flavored food (e.g., cinnamon).
Rat A interacts with Rat B.
Rat B is given a choice between the flavored food and another food. Result: Rat B prefers the food Rat A ate.

Question 13

Mechanism of STFP

Answer 13

Explanation: Rat B learns the preference by smelling the flavored food on Rat A’s breath, specifically through the chemical carbon disulfide.

Question 14

Limitation of STFP

Answer 14

Finding: Rats tend to develop preferences for foods they smell on another’s breath but do not readily learn to avoid foods in this manner, even if the demonstrator appears ill.

Question 15

Observational Conditioning

Answer 15

: Learning an association between a stimulus and a response by watching another individual demonstrate that association.

Question 16

Cook and Mineka (1998) Experiment

Answer 16

Procedure: Monkeys observed another monkey reacting fearfully to a snake (or not fearfully to a flower).
Result: Observers learned to fear the snake, demonstrating social transmission of fear.

Question 17

Two-Action Paradigm

Answer 17

An experimental setup where an observer animal watches a demonstrator perform a task in one of two ways. The observer then tends to replicate both the action and the form of the movement.

Question 18

Role of Operant Conditioning in Social Learning

Answer 18

While social learning can initiate a behavior (e.g., lever pressing), operant conditioning (direct reinforcement) often strengthens and maintains the behavior in the observer.

Question 19

Mate Choice Copying

Answer 19

A form of social learning where an individual’s mate choice is influenced by observing the mate choices of others.

Question 20

Mate Choice Copying Experiment (Quail)

Answer 20

Procedure: Female quail observe another female interacting with a male. The observer female then shows a preference for that male, even if it contradicts her initial preference.

Question 21

Adaptive Significance of Mate Choice Copying

Answer 21

Allows individuals to quickly assess mate quality by relying on the choices of others, saving time and reducing the risk of a poor mate selection.

Question 22

Non-Associative Nature of Mate Choice Copying

Answer 22

: This form of social learning is not easily explained by associative learning because the observer is not directly rewarded for its choice. It likely has a distinct evolutionary basis due to its importance.

Question 23

Jimmy is with his friend Jane, and she has her smartphone out. Suddenly, the phone says: “you just got a new text, would you like me to read it out loud?”. Jimmy is amazed – he didn’t know phones could do that. While Jane listens to her text, Jimmy goes on the app store to find an app that does this, so he can try to be as cool as Jane. What social learning mechanism is operating here?

individual learning

social facilitation

stimulus enhancement

emulation

imitation

Answer 23

Correct! Emulation. Jimmy doesn’t know how Jane got her phone to do what it did, but he is trying to create the same outcome, possibly by different means.

Question 24

Jimmy is taking a dance class. The instructor stands at the front of the class, facing away from the students, and performs the moves of the dance. Jimmy watches carefully and then does the same moves. This is an example of?

individual learning

social facilitation

stimulus enhancement

emulation

imitation

Answer 24

: Correct! Imitation. Jimmy is copying the exact movements of another person

Question 25

Jimmy is babysitting his two year-old nephew and niece, Jasper and Janice. To keep them quiet he has placed a pile of toys near them, which both babies are ignoring. At one point, Janice picks up a teddy bear. Immediately, Jasper reaches for the bear and starts crying when Janice won’t let it go, even though he showed no interest in it just moments before. This is an example of? individual learning social facilitation stimulus enhancement emulation imitation

Answer 25

Correct! Stimulus enhancement. Janice playing with the bear drew Jasper’s attention to it, which made him want to interact with it. If you ever watch two babies together, you will see this process happen over and over again

Question 26

mechanisms of social learning

Answer 26

The cognitive processes and representations that underlie how animals acquire information and behaviors from others.

Question 27

Imitation

Answer 27

Directly copying the specific actions of another individual. Considered a complex form of social learning.

Question 28

Individual Learning

Answer 28

Learning through one's own experiences and trial-and-error, without direct influence from others, even if in a social environment. Not a form of social learning.

Question 29

Social Facilitation (Zajonc, 1965)

Answer 29

n increase in an individual's overall activity level and arousal in the presence of others, leading to an increased likelihood of performing their most dominant response. The social aspect is minimal.

Question 30

Stimulus Enhancement (Local Enhancement)

Answer 30

Learning facilitated by attention being drawn to a particular object or location by the actions of another individual. The observer then learns about the object through their own exploration. (Lorenz's ducks and the hole in the fence).

Question 31

Emulation

Answer 31

Learning by observing the end result or goal achieved by another individual and then trying to achieve the same outcome using one's own methods. Focuses on the result, not the specific actions. (Flipping a light switch with a hand after seeing someone do it with their nose).

Question 32

Over-Imitation

Answer 32

The tendency to copy even non-functional or irrelevant parts of a demonstrated behavior. More common in young children than in chimpanzees, who tend to emulate more.

Question 33

Teaching

Answer 33

Behavior intended to convey information to another individual, usually at a cost to the teacher. (Meerkat de-stinged scorpions, chimp nut-cracking facilitation).

Question 34

Audience Effects

Answer 34

Changes in an animal's behavior in the presence of others, suggesting that the behavior is directed towards an audience and potentially communicative. (Rooster alarm calls).

Question 35

Alarm Calls

Answer 35

Vocalizations produced by animals to warn conspecifics of approaching predators. Often show audience effects (e.g., roosters calling more when hens are present).

Question 36

Culture (in Animals)

Answer 36

Definition: Behavioral transmission that spreads across a population, is maintained over time, and is found only in some populations of a species (or varies across populations). Often arises from social learning. (Koshima macaque potato washing and wheat placer mining, UK chickadee milk bottle opening).

Question 37

Reflection Point: Spread of "Fork-Culture"

Answer 37

Likely Mechanisms: Primarily emulation. Individuals likely observed others successfully eating with forks (achieving the goal of getting food to the mouth efficiently and cleanly) and then adopted the tool and the general method, even if their specific grip or technique varied. Stimulus enhancement might have played a minor role, as seeing others use forks could have drawn attention to the utensil as a useful object. Imitation of precise hand movements likely played a less significant role in the initial spread across large populations.

Question 38

cultural Behaviors

Answer 38

: Behaviors that are specific to certain populations of a species and are transmitted socially, rather than being solely determined by genetics or environmental necessity.

Question 39

Whiten et al. (1999) Study on Chimpanzee Culture

Answer 39

Findings: Revealed 39 distinct behaviors that varied across seven geographically separated chimpanzee populations in Africa, suggesting complex, population-specific cultural traditions in tool use, grooming, and social customs. Demonstrated that different groups can achieve the same goal (e.g., ant eating) using different culturally transmitted techniques.

Question 40

Jimmy meets a new friend. This friend tells Jimmy several things: that his name is Jackson, that his sister’s name is Jana, and that Timbits – which Jimmy had never tried before – are the greatest food around. Jimmy also later finds out, via google, that Jackson’s last name is Jones and that Timbits are 95% sugar and are really bad for you. For each thing that Jimmy learned, try to say if it is social learning, social cognition, both, or neither. ackson's name is Jackson Jackson's sister's name is Jana - Timbits are awesome - Jackson's last name is Jones - Timbits will kill you

Answer 40

jackosns name is jackosn: both Jackson's sister's name is Janaboth timbts are aqwsome- social learning Jackson's last name is Jones- social cognition timbits will kill you- neither

Question 41

jimmy and his friends are doing a pub quiz and are stuck on one question: how many peaks are there in the Rockies. They each independently guess at an answer and then submit as the team answer the average of all their individual guesses. The team is demonstrating Social learning Imitation The wisdom of the crowd Stimulus enhancement

Answer 41

The wisdom of the crowd

Question 42

Jimmy’s little sister Janet wants to learn how to skate. She follows Jimmy to the rink and watches him as he skates, and later tries to copy his actions. Janet is engaging in: Emulation Imitation Stimulus enhancement Trial-and-error learning

Answer 42

imitation

Question 43

Jimmy would not be considered to be teaching Janet because There is no cost to him He is not intentionally showing her his moves He hasn't modified his normal skating behavior' All of the above

Answer 43

all of the above