What is positive reinforcement?
Positive reinforcement is a process in which a good stimulus is presented to increase likelihood that the behavior will continue.
What is negative reinforcement?
Negative reinforcement is a process of taking away bad stimulus in hopes to increase the likelihood that the behavior will continue.
What is positive punishment?
Positive is a process of presenting a bad stimulus in hopes to decrease the likelihood that the behavior will continue.
What is negative punishment?
Negative punishment is a process of taking something good away in hopes it will decrease the likelihood of the behavior will continue.
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Defining Free Will By Looking at Different Learning Theories
Is Free will limited by learning processes? Taking a look at two learning theories may give an insight or get us closer to being able to construct an answer to this question. The first learning theory is call Constructivism, "constructivism views learning as a process in which the learner actively constructs or builds new ideas or concepts based upon current and past knowledge". In this definition the learner is able to personalize his / or her knowledge based on there individual experience. In other words "learning involves constructing one's own knowledge from one's own experiences". Constructivist learning, therefore, is a very personal endeavor, whereby internalized concepts, rules, and general principles may consequently be applied in a practical real-world context.
The second learning process is Behaviorism, behaviorism is an educational theory grounded on the seminal works of Thorndike, B.F Skinner and Ivan Pavlov, both scientists well known for their studies in animal behavior. Behaviorists believe that organisms need reinforcements to keep them interested and that the use of stimuli can be very effective in controlling behavior. For the behaviorist, environment directly shapes behavior, and complex learning requires a series of small, progressive steps. The behaviorist theory of education is probably by far the most commonly practiced because behavior can be easily viewed and therefore measured. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_theories)
Constructivism and Behaviorism both seem to factors that contribute to the product of our knowledge, insight, values, or rules that we establish to carry us through our everyday experience. However, it seems that in order for us to know how to deal with a particular situation we first have had a similar experience to the one we are dealing with. Therefore, when we face a situation or stimuli for the first time, we are actually using prior knowledge to come of with a desirable outcome. When we think of “desirable” we seem be comparing something we know is not as desirable to something we know that we desire. These processes of comparison suggest that the perception about desired and undesired is a learned experience, and therefore, is knowledge. However, where we acquired this knowledge about our desires is important in determine whether or not we make our decisions with free will or if there are limitations to this will based on how we perceived the experience that we are confronted with.
To Be Continued…
The second learning process is Behaviorism, behaviorism is an educational theory grounded on the seminal works of Thorndike, B.F Skinner and Ivan Pavlov, both scientists well known for their studies in animal behavior. Behaviorists believe that organisms need reinforcements to keep them interested and that the use of stimuli can be very effective in controlling behavior. For the behaviorist, environment directly shapes behavior, and complex learning requires a series of small, progressive steps. The behaviorist theory of education is probably by far the most commonly practiced because behavior can be easily viewed and therefore measured. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Learning_theories)
Constructivism and Behaviorism both seem to factors that contribute to the product of our knowledge, insight, values, or rules that we establish to carry us through our everyday experience. However, it seems that in order for us to know how to deal with a particular situation we first have had a similar experience to the one we are dealing with. Therefore, when we face a situation or stimuli for the first time, we are actually using prior knowledge to come of with a desirable outcome. When we think of “desirable” we seem be comparing something we know is not as desirable to something we know that we desire. These processes of comparison suggest that the perception about desired and undesired is a learned experience, and therefore, is knowledge. However, where we acquired this knowledge about our desires is important in determine whether or not we make our decisions with free will or if there are limitations to this will based on how we perceived the experience that we are confronted with.
To Be Continued…
Thursday, October 20, 2005
What is free will? Are there limits?
What if anything is free will? As, behaviorist such as Jhon Watson, Ivan Pavlov, Edward Thorndike, and B.F. Skinner would probably say it is a product of conditions. My question that I am trying to answer is whether or not there are limitations (boundaries) that determine to what extent our free will is based?
I will first start this discussion by asking what is it to be conditioned. A study was done by Ivan Pavlov his conclusion, "classical conditioning" opens up many doors, and hallways that one could explore as it relates to free will. Classical conditioning is a process by which a neutral stimulus is associated with an unconditional stimulus over and over until the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus, causing a conditional response. This process is reflexive (automatic) and therefore, does not admit much room for free will. Whereby, taking this notion as true would require complete disregard for ones own personal perception, cognitive abilities, and Biological chemical differences. Or does it?
Looking inside the ideas, and taking a less bias approach will allow us to uncover the dynamics of classical conditioning. Understanding the surroundings and ones own options with in the environment that they spend their time in is impossible. Trying to understand the world as a whole would be a task that would never be accomplished. For example, if I give the following a hypothetical situation what can one deduce from it? If I live in Oakland Ca, I have no children or girlfriend, but I have many multicultural friends. I grew up in a small town outside of Denver Colorado, where there was only one culture. What explains my attachment to multi-cultured individuals? Is it the lack of experience with culture in general or is it the excitement gained by exploring the unfamiliarity?
Although there can be many factors that contribute to my dieing urge for knowledge, there are way too many variables that are adding into the production of me. Therefore, it would be impossible to measure the real motivation behind my decision to affiliate with the above mentioned types of individuals.
However, what if one was to simplify the scenario? Take for example; if 50 individuals lived in a room for 20 years, and they had all the food and water, as well as T.V. and entertainment they would need. Would they adapt to one another’s personalities? (meaning, would the 50 individuals begin to like and dislike, the similar stimulus or would they maintain there own personal preferences, and judgments?) If they maintain their personal preferences then we can only deduce that there seems to be a kind of free will or will power. However, if they have even a slight bit of change then we may deduce that there are limitations to free will within those individuals. Moreover, if a ratio of those individuals’ personalities where to change; we may conclude that there seems to strength factor included in free will (some of these individuals are more prone to adapt to their environment, while others are not).
To Be Continued...
I will first start this discussion by asking what is it to be conditioned. A study was done by Ivan Pavlov his conclusion, "classical conditioning" opens up many doors, and hallways that one could explore as it relates to free will. Classical conditioning is a process by which a neutral stimulus is associated with an unconditional stimulus over and over until the neutral stimulus becomes a conditioned stimulus, causing a conditional response. This process is reflexive (automatic) and therefore, does not admit much room for free will. Whereby, taking this notion as true would require complete disregard for ones own personal perception, cognitive abilities, and Biological chemical differences. Or does it?
Looking inside the ideas, and taking a less bias approach will allow us to uncover the dynamics of classical conditioning. Understanding the surroundings and ones own options with in the environment that they spend their time in is impossible. Trying to understand the world as a whole would be a task that would never be accomplished. For example, if I give the following a hypothetical situation what can one deduce from it? If I live in Oakland Ca, I have no children or girlfriend, but I have many multicultural friends. I grew up in a small town outside of Denver Colorado, where there was only one culture. What explains my attachment to multi-cultured individuals? Is it the lack of experience with culture in general or is it the excitement gained by exploring the unfamiliarity?
Although there can be many factors that contribute to my dieing urge for knowledge, there are way too many variables that are adding into the production of me. Therefore, it would be impossible to measure the real motivation behind my decision to affiliate with the above mentioned types of individuals.
However, what if one was to simplify the scenario? Take for example; if 50 individuals lived in a room for 20 years, and they had all the food and water, as well as T.V. and entertainment they would need. Would they adapt to one another’s personalities? (meaning, would the 50 individuals begin to like and dislike, the similar stimulus or would they maintain there own personal preferences, and judgments?) If they maintain their personal preferences then we can only deduce that there seems to be a kind of free will or will power. However, if they have even a slight bit of change then we may deduce that there are limitations to free will within those individuals. Moreover, if a ratio of those individuals’ personalities where to change; we may conclude that there seems to strength factor included in free will (some of these individuals are more prone to adapt to their environment, while others are not).
To Be Continued...
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