[Response uncertainty on rule learning by observation: effects of pre-experience on observational learning].
The present study was conducted to examine the hypothesis that children's feelings of uncertainty would mediate between pre-experience and rule acquisition in observational learning. After received a pretest, subjects were requested to estimate their response uncertainty concerning a task used in the pretest. Then they observed a model responding to a series of pictures each of which depicting one of four directions. The model's responses were governed by a rule consisted of two dimensions: the progression and the direction. After observing the demonstration, subjects received two post-tests which differed in the order of stimulus presentation and in terms of the reinforcement. Subjects enhancing their feelings of uncertainty in the pretest phase acquired a rule which contained a dimension of the progression, while subjects who did not enhance them acquired a rule used by the model. These findings were interpreted as generally supporting the hypothesis of response uncertainty as a mediator of rule learning.
Yasunaga
S
S
Department of Educational Psychology, Faculty of Education, Kyushu University, Fukuoka.
D001676:Biofeedback, Psychology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological