Maze Learning Psychology Experiment - BA first year Psychology practicals - Lucknow University | EduCatn

Department of Psychology
University of Lucknow

Here are some images of mazes

MAZE LEARNING

Introduction-

1. What is Learning:

   Learning is a complex and fundamental process that involves acquiring new knowledge, skills, behaviors, or information through experience, study, or teaching. It is the process of modifying one's existing understanding of the world based on new information or experiences. Learning can occur in various forms, such as through observation, practice, study, or instruction. It is a crucial aspect of human and animal behavior, enabling adaptation and growth in response to changing environments and challenges.

2. Laws of Thorndike:

   Edward L. Thorndike was a pioneering psychologist known for his work on animal learning and the formulation of several laws related to learning, particularly in the context of instrumental or operant conditioning. Two of his most famous laws are:

   - Law of Effect: Thorndike's Law of Effect states that behaviors followed by positive consequences (rewards) are more likely to be repeated, while behaviors followed by negative consequences (punishments) are less likely to be repeated. This law laid the groundwork for the study of reinforcement and behavior modification.

   - Law of Exercise: This law suggests that the more a stimulus-response (S-R) connection is practiced, the stronger it becomes. In other words, repeated practice or exercise leads to the strengthening of learned associations.

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3. Maze and Its Types:

   A maze is a structured and often complex puzzle or path that requires navigation from an initial point to a goal. Mazes are used in various contexts, including psychology and animal behavior studies, to investigate learning and problem-solving abilities. There are different types of mazes, including:

   - T-Maze: This maze consists of a straight path that leads to a decision point with two possible directions, forming a "T" shape. Animals, such as rats, are commonly used to study choices and learning in T-maze experiments.

   - Radial Maze: A radial maze has a central hub with several arms radiating out from it. Animals explore the arms to find rewards or food. Researchers use radial mazes to study spatial memory and navigation.

   - Water Maze: This maze is typically a pool of water in which animals, like rats or mice, must swim to find a hidden platform. Researchers use the water maze to assess spatial memory and learning in rodents.

   - Rat Maze (Skinner Box): B.F. Skinner developed this type of maze, also known as a Skinner Box, to study operant conditioning and instrumental learning in animals.

4. Cognitive Map:

   A cognitive map is a mental representation or internal model of an environment that allows an individual to navigate and understand spatial relationships within that environment. It's a mental map that enables organisms, including humans, to plan routes, find their way, and make decisions based on their understanding of space.

   Cognitive maps are not limited to physical spaces but can also extend to abstract concepts and relationships. This concept was popularized by the psychologist Edward Tolman, who conducted experiments with rats to demonstrate that they could form cognitive maps of mazes and navigate more efficiently when they had a mental representation of the maze's layout.

5. Associative Learning:

   Associative learning refers to the process of forming associations or connections between two or more stimuli or between a stimulus and a response. There are two main types of associative learning:

   - Classical Conditioning: This type of associative learning involves associating a neutral stimulus with an unconditioned stimulus to produce a conditioned response. Ivan Pavlov's famous experiments with dogs, in which he paired a bell ring with food to make dogs salivate at the sound of the bell alone, are a classic example.

   - Operant Conditioning: Operant conditioning is learning through the consequences of behavior. It involves forming associations between a specific behavior and its consequences, which can be either reinforcements (increasing the likelihood of the behavior) or punishments (decreasing the likelihood of the behavior). B.F. Skinner's work on operant conditioning is well-known, where he studied how organisms learn to modify their behavior based on the consequences.

The learning process in a maze can be understood through various cues and factors that individuals or animals use to navigate and solve the maze. Here's an explanation of the findings and contributions of the researchers you mentioned in relation to maze learning:

1. Husband (1929-31):

   - Husband conducted research on maze learning and suggested that individuals or animals utilize different types of cues to navigate through mazes. These cues include:

     - Verbal Cues: Verbal cues are related to language or internal self-talk. It involves thinking or verbalizing directions or strategies to oneself while navigating the maze. For example, a person might say, "Turn left here" or "Go straight."

     - Kinesthetic Cues: Kinesthetic cues are related to bodily sensations and movements. They involve using a sense of body position and movement to guide navigation in the maze. For instance, a person might rely on the sensation of turning or moving forward to make decisions.

     - Cues of Visual Imagery: Visual imagery cues involve mentally visualizing the maze and its layout. It's like creating a mental map or picture of the maze in one's mind to plan and execute movements.

2. Underwood (1965):

   - Underwood's research findings suggested that among these cues, verbal cues were the most commonly used by students when solving mazes. This indicates that people often talk to themselves or think in words to guide their actions while navigating through complex environments like mazes.

3. Snygg (1955):

   - Snygg's research involved studying maze navigation in rats. His findings indicated that rats primarily used cues of visual imagery to navigate mazes. This means that rats mentally represented the maze's layout and used this mental map to make decisions about their movements.

4. Watson (1934) & Honzik (1938):

   - Watson and Honzik conducted research on maze learning and proposed that individuals, both human and animal, use a combination of cues, including kinesthetic cues and visual imagery cues. Kinesthetic cues involve the awareness of body movements and positions, while visual imagery cues involve forming mental images of the maze's layout.

In summary, maze learning is a complex process influenced by various cues, including verbal cues, kinesthetic cues, and cues of visual imagery. The specific cues individuals or animals rely on may vary depending on the context and the nature of the maze, as demonstrated by the research findings of these psychologists. Understanding these cues can provide insights into how individuals or animals solve mazes and navigate complex environments.

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Name of the experiment- Maze learning

Purpose- To demonstrate the effect of practice on maze learning.

Hypothesis- The number of errors and time taken by the subject on maze will decrease as the number of trials will increase.

Variables: 

• Independent Variable- Number of trials on the maze
• Dependent Variable-Time taken and number of errors committed by subject in each trial

Material used - stylus maze, stop-watch, stylus, blindfold, writing material.

Subject’s details-

Name, Age, Sex, Educational Qualification

Method

Preliminary Set up-

First of all the paths of the maze were labelled with the help of inserting a paper in the maze. The correct paths were given names in capital letters while blind alleys were named in small letters of the English alphabet. The stopwatch was checked for proper functioning. An observation table to note down the path followed by the subject and time taken in each trial was made. 

Procedure- 

The subject was called and seated comfortably. A rapport was established during which her/his details were sought. Thereafter she was given the following instructions-

          “I will be blindfolding your eyes and then a maze will be placed before you. It is a wooden board having a starting point and a goal point. It has one correct path and a number of incorrect paths. I will give you a pencil-like stylus with the help of which you have to trace your path. You have to move your stylus in the grooved portion of the maze and not take it out from the groove. I will be giving you a signal of ‘ready’. Thereafter shortly I will give a signal of ‘start’ at which you have to start moving your stylus. I will be timing you so try and learn the maze as fast as you can. Have you understood everything?”

After ensuring that the subject had understood all that she had to do, she was blindfolded and the maze was kept in front of her. She was made to hold the stylus from the top so that her hand would not touch the maze. The signal of ‘ready’ was given. Thereafter, as soon as the ‘start’ signal was given, the stopwatch was also started and the path taken by the subject was carefully noted down. In the first trial the subject took ....min....seconds. Same procedure was followed till the subject learnt the maze. The criterion of learning the maze is three consecutive errorless trials (Retracing & blind alley error). The subject took.....trials to learn the maze.

Precautions-

The following were taken care of-

• The subject did not get to see the maze before the experiment.
• It was assured that the subject held the stylus from the top, so that her/his hand may not touch the maze board.
• Path followed, time taken and errors committed were noted down carefully.
• Subject was not allowed to lift the stylus in between a trial.

Results

The results section would comprise of:

Qualitative: How did you learn the maze?

Quantitative data:

Graphical Representation- 

Two frequency polygraphs have to be prepared.

Graph 1- 

• On oy axis- Time taken in sec
• On ox axis - No of trials

Graph ll- 

• On oy axis- Errors (Retracing , blind alleys and total errors)
• On ox axis - No of trials

Points to ponder: 

Students should know the following before starting the experiment

1. What is learning
2. Laws of Thorndike
3. About the maze and its types
4. Also tell them about the following for viva
5. Cognitive map?
6. Associative learning ?
7. Pioneers in the studies on maze learning

• Alexander Bain(1855),Lloyd Morgan(1894), E.L.Thorndike (1898),W.S.Small (1899,1900)

• How the maze is learned? -
•  (1) Husband (1929-31)- verbal cues, kinesthetic cues, cues of visual imagery.
• (2) Underwood (1965)- verbal cues were most used by student on maze.
• (3) Snygg (1955)- Rats used cues of visual imagery.
• (4) Watson (1934)& Honzik (1938)- kinaesthetic & visual imagery cues. 

References- 

• Baron. R.A. (1995). Psychology: The essential science. New York: Allyn & Bacon.   
• Morgan, C.T., King, R.A. Weisz, J.R., Schopler, J (2001). Introduction to Psychology. Tata McGraw and Hill.
• Woodworth R.S. and Schlosberg H. (1971). Experimental Psychology. Third edition.