3.8 Biological Factors in Learning

Biology sets limits on learning

Learning isn't infinitely flexible — species come with biological predispositions that make some associations easy and others nearly impossible. Preparedness describes this innate readiness to learn certain things (like fearing snakes) over others. These constraints evolved because they helped survival.

Taste aversion shows biology at work

Garcia and Koelling's research on taste aversion (also called conditioned taste aversion) showed that animals easily associate nausea with taste, even with a long delay between eating and sickness, but not with sounds/lights paired with shock. This violates typical conditioning rules, proving learning is shaped by biology and survival value.

Instinctive drift

Instinctive drift occurs when learned/trained behaviors are gradually replaced by instinctive, species-specific behaviors. The Brelands found raccoons trained to deposit coins reverted to instinctual rubbing behaviors instead, showing biological instincts can override or interfere with operant conditioning.

Key terms

Preparedness

An innate, biological predisposition to learn certain associations more easily than others.

Taste aversion

A learned avoidance of a food after it was paired with illness, even with a long delay; studied by Garcia and Koelling.

Garcia and Koelling

Researchers who showed rats easily associate taste with nausea but not sound/light with shock, demonstrating biological limits on conditioning.

Instinctive drift

The tendency for learned behaviors to be replaced by instinctive, species-specific behaviors over time.

Brelands' raccoon study

Demonstrated instinctive drift when raccoons trained to deposit coins reverted to instinctive rubbing behaviors.

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What does this show?

1. Latent learning
2. Instinctive drift
3. Biological preparedness
4. Operant shaping