Recall Tolman's latent learning experiments in which rats learned to run a maze. What was the critical result?

A. Rats that were never reinforced never learned to run the maze.
B. Rats that were never reinforced learned to run the maze the fastest.
C. Rats that began to receive reinforcement halfway through the experiment rapidly matched the performance of rats that had been reinforced from the beginning of the experiment.
D. Rats that began to receive reinforcement halfway through the experiment never learned to run the maze.



Answer :

Final answer:

Latent learning involves acquiring knowledge without immediate reinforcement, as demonstrated by rats in Tolman's maze experiments. Rats formed a cognitive map of the maze before showcasing their learned behavior once a motivational factor was introduced.


Explanation:

Latent learning is a concept introduced by Edward Tolman in his experiments with rats in mazes, where rats learned the layout of the maze without immediate reinforcement. Tolman suggested that this learning was not demonstrated until a motivational factor, like receiving a reward, was introduced.

This phenomenon was exemplified in an experiment where rats that received no reward initially, eventually performed as well as the reward-receiving rats once reinforcement was introduced. The rats had formed a cognitive map of the maze even before demonstrating their knowledge.

These findings highlight how learning can occur without immediate reinforcement and how cognitive processes play a crucial role in behavior, showcasing the concept of latent learning.


Learn more about Latent learning in rats here:

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