Understanding observational learning: Why we are able to learn from other people’s mistakes

( Natural News ) Humans learn from mistakes – but those errors don’t have to be their own, an article in Science Daily states . The ability to learn from the experiences of other people is called observational learning . A study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has identified the unique brain circuit that enables this secondhand learning. The circuit is separate from the neural network that the brain uses to learn from firsthand experiences. Instead, observational learning is powered by the part of the brain that translates social cues. Earlier studies involving human brain scanning have shown that the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and basolateral amygdala (BLA) are very active whenever humans are learning from other people’s episodes. The ACC is known to interpret social information, while the BLA handles emotions. However, these were unable to determine the exact interaction between these two parts of the brain during the process of observational learning. (Related: Teachers, take it outside: Study shows student motivation and participation improves outdoors .) Observer mice learn from watching other mice’s experiences The MIT team constructed an animal model where mice watched another specimen get electric shocks. Each shock was signaled by a very recognizable cue, either a sound or a light. The mice that received the shocks quickly learned to associate them with the cue. They would freeze in fear whenever they encountered that cue, even if no shocks resulted. Furthermore, the researchers reported that the mice that observed the session would also freeze in fright when they were subjected to the cue the day after. They learned from the experience of the mice receiving the shocks. Get more news like this without being censored : Get the Natural News app for your mobile devices. Enjoy uncensored news, lab test results, videos, […]

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