Miller’s learning Sequences
All learning theories agree
on two basic assumption is explaining personality. First, all bihaviour
is learned by the organism in the process of interaction with external stimuli.
Second behavior of the individual can be objectively observed. This learning
theories were developed in the process of experiments. Experimental
psychologists were of the view that learning theory is the most reliable and
objective approach to understand personality. Two learning theories of
personality are given below :-
a) S.R. Learning
theory of Dollar d & Miller.
b) Social
behaviouristic theory of Bandura & Walter.
Miller’s Learning sequences
This theory is also called reinforcement theory of personality while
developing this theory they borrowed basic ideas from psycho analysis &
converted them into Hulls theory of reinforcement. According to them learning theory is the study of
circumstances under which a response and a cue become connected. They are
joined together in such a way that appearance of the cue the response in a
natural manners. The connection between response in a natural manners. The
connection between response cue can be strengthened only under certain
conditions. The learner is driven to make the response & rewarded for the response in the
presence of the cue. This learning requires four factors ; They are :-
I Drive
:-
It is related to motivation &
initiates action on the part of the organism. Drive differs in strength in
different organism. The stronger the drive, the more vigorous or persistent
will be the behavior. There is a +ve correlation b/w drive & stimulus also.
The Stronger
the stimulus, the greater will be its drive function.
Drives can also be classified into two
broad categories.
Primary
or inactive drives.
They originate from the physiological needs of the indvl. Such as
sex, hunger, thirst etc. They are essential for the survival of the organism.
They are most forceful than the secondary drives.
Secondary
or acquired drives.
They are acquired from the process of
social learning, such as practice, status, affection, approval, money,
achievements etc.
They
can be termed to stimulus & guides
II Cue :
It is related to stimulus & guides . The organism for response.
Cues (stimuli) are fundamental elements for learning . They may be internal as
well as external. They are also distinctive in nature is learned can
differentiate them in different situations. Learning of an individual. depends
on the perceiving abilities of cues. Thus, it is cue that determines when and
where an individual. will respond and what type of response he will make.
III. Response
:
Drive and cue combined together enables the organism to respond.
Response is the action of the organism which is the basis for learning. Thus
learning will take place, only when appropriate response is produced the
strength of S-R1 habit increases with the number of occasion on which S-R have
occurred together.
IV. Re-inforcement
When
a response is followed by a reward, the connection between S-R is strengthened and the possibility of
correct response increase. Reinforcement takes place in the presence of a
drive. If drive is dead, reinforcement will not work. As far as schedule
reinforcement is concerned, immediate reinforcement after the response is more
effective than the delayed reinforcement. If an organism is immediately rewarded
after the response, he will be able to identify the act for which he has been
rewarded.
OTHER PRINCIPLES OF S - R LEARNING
a)
Extinction :
It is a process of weakening or
eliminating previously learned responses. When a response is not rewarded for a
number of times, S-R bond weakens and finally no response is exhibited due to
the absence of reward. This extinction is not permanent. An
extinguished habit reappears if reward
is again given. This is called spontaneous recovery.
b)
Stimulus
Generalization :
It is a process
in which responses learned from one situation are transferred is a variety of
similar situations. The amount of this generalization depends
on the similarity b/w two similar situation. It ** the horizon of
learning. The stronger the drive, the more stimulus generalization will
takeplace.
c) Habit Hierarchy
Response
Whatever is learned by the organism becomes the part of his habit if
S-R bond is repeated, again and again. Early years of life for a child is
important because during these years the child establishes responsed hierarchy
for a great variety of stimulus
contexts.
d) Discrimination
In this process, learned responses are
made to particular and appropriate cues in the environment it not to others.
This process is very essential for concept formation. Habits are formed by S-R
connection in the presence of reinforcement materials.
MERITS
1.
It is purely objective approach to explain human
behaviour
2.
It emphasises the role of learning from infancy onwards.
3.
It rejects the concepts of ego and super
ego(developed) by
Freud
4.
It states that appropriate habits can be framed by
appropriate learning conditions
DEMERITS
1.
Learning principles have been derived from the
researches conducted in rats , dogs etc under controlled conditions. The
application of these principles on human is not a sound approach.
2.
The theory neglects the complexities of human learning .
Here cognitive infinitive subjective aspects of human behaviour have been
completely ignored .
3.
The theory over emphasizes the importance of environmental
factors in shaping the personality and neglects heredity factors all together .
4.
It is a molecular and fragmented approach of studying
personality. Human behaviour cannot be predicted in the basis of this theory
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