Learning That Isn't Always Visible
Not all learning shows up immediately in behavior. Edward Tolman proved this with latent learning: rats that explored a maze without reward still formed an internal cognitive map of its layout.
When food was added later, these unrewarded rats ran the maze just as fast as rewarded ones. Learning happened silently, unexpressed until a goal made it visible.
| Finding | What it showed |
|---|---|
| Latent learning | Learning occurs without reinforcement |
| Cognitive map | Mental spatial representation |
Both findings proved that internal mental structures matter, bridging strict behaviorism and modern cognitive psychology.
Learned Helplessness
Martin Seligman discovered a darker cognitive trap: dogs exposed to inescapable shocks eventually stopped trying to escape, even later when escape was easy.
This is learned helplessness: after learning actions have no effect, subjects generalize this passivity to new situations where action WOULD work.
Common pitfall: Do not confuse learned helplessness with simple laziness or low motivation. The root cause is a learned expectation of zero control, not a lack of effort.