Instrumental learning

[khalil]

In one of the VCAA exams they require you to know what instrumental learning is. Im trying to look for a definition but the grivas book says that 'the individual is instrumental in learning the correct response.'
what the hell does that mean?
does anyone have a legitimate definition?
thanks

[rh]

isn't instrumental learning another way of saying operant conditioning?

edit: i think it's called that because in operant conditioning the learner is instrumental (active?) in the learning process, while in classical conditioning the learning is unconscious and occurs passively..

or something? lol. i'm not really sure about any of this.

[sisqo1111]

spot on 'rh'

[khalil]

and i forgot to mention, what exactly does the saving score mean?
according to 'revise in a month' the saving score "gives a measure of the amount of retained information?"
that doesnt sound correct to me
can any1 help me out...please

[khalil]

"With reference to Thorndike's puzzle box experiments, explain the relaionship between trial and error learning and intsrumental learning" (VCAA 2006)
According to Grivas, instumental learning=trial and error learning=operant conditioing
There must be some distinction

[Stephanie]

Isnt instrumental learning or instrumental conditioning another term Thorndike used to describe trial and error learning??? Because in his experiment with the puzzle boxes he called trial and error learning instrumental conditioning because the cats were instrumental (took on an active role) in escaping the puzzle box to get food.

[Stephanie]

Learning something that has been learned previously, so as to measure memory of the prior learning = Savings score. In a question about the savings score you would probably just have to state the formula to get marks.

[rh]

A savings score determines amount of time saved when relearning information, expressed as a percentage.  A savings score is calculated using the following formula:

SS = T1 – T2   x   100                  T1 - Time for original learning.
           T1             1                   T2 – Time for relearning.

[khalil]

thanks rh, thats the definition i wanted!

[khalil]

yes stephanie your're correct, but how would you go about answering the VCAA question

[Stephanie]

Whats the exact VCAA question?

[rh]

"With reference to Thorndike's puzzle box experiments, explain the relaionship between trial and error learning and intsrumental learning" (VCAA 2006)
According to Grivas, instumental learning=trial and error learning=operant conditioing
There must be some distinction

maybe it's that trial and error learning is an example of instrumental conditioning. the cat in thorndike's experiment learned through the consequences of its behaviour (operant/instrumental conditioning) that by pushing the lever it could escape and be rewarded with food and that other random behaviours had no consequence. so eventually the cat's random behaviour was replaced with lever pushing.

have a look at the assessment report on the vcaa website, maybe that will explain it. if i got that question on the exam i wouldn't really know what to write either.

[Eriny]

In trial and error learning, as with operant conditioning, it is the learner's behaviour that is 'instrumental' or paramount to the process of learning. This type of learning is active, unlike classical conditioning.

[sisqo1111]

extracted from the 2006 assessment report:

"Initially, Thorndike’s cat tried to escape the puzzle box using ‘trial and error’ (random voluntary movements) trying many techniques until it accidentally pulled the string and the door opened so that it could reach its reinforcement (food). After several trials, the cat learned to pull the string to escape the box and reach the food. Thorndike concluded that the cat had learned the association between its behaviour (pulling the string) and the consequences (reaching the food). This is instrumental learning.

This question was very poorly answered, mainly because students did not follow the instructions in the question and relate their answer to Thorndike’s puzzle box experiment."

[Lulu]

So trial and error learning eventually leads to instrumental learning, correct?