Motivation and reward in learning

United States, 1948

Film
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Records experimental demonstrations with white rats to illustrate the importance of motivation and reward in learning. Compares a hungry, active rat with a saitated, inactive rat. The hungry animal learns to get food by pressing a bar, while the satiated animal goes to sleep. To demonstrate that failure to learn is due to lack of motivation, a mild electric shock is supplied and the satiated animal becomes active and learns to strike a lever which turns off the shock. Shows the animal also learning to rotate a wheel, bite a rubber tube, and strike another animal to avoid electric shock.

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