Learning Principles

Module 4

Inherited traits that influence learning

• (1) Individual's reinforcement history: a satiated rat is not reinforced by food, but a love-starved child may be reinforced by abuse.  It is important to remember that a reinforcer is any environmental response that increase the likelihood of a behavior.  Often times, this includes responses that do not appear to be reinforcers to you and I.

  (2) Skills repertoire of the individual: as skills become more complex, new reinforcement contingencies begin to operate. To a small child, with limited ability to interact with the world, the range of potential reinforcers may be quite small, including food, touch, some noise, and warmth.  To an adult, who can impact and control their world with much more forethought, the range of potential reinforcers may be quite large.

  (3) Particular characteristics inherited by the individual: Included in this category are mental abilities.  As in the case of the small child, individuals with limited mental abilities may have a more restricted range of reinforcers.

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