2. Theories of Learning Thomas G. Bowers, Ph.D. Penn State Harrisburg 2001

3. Learning Theory Aim is to understand the principles involved in learning and the acquisition of behavior Research domain is extensive Encourage, for this class, adopting a behavioral point of view –Does not exclude aspects such as thinking, imagining or feeling

4. Learning Theory Effort will be devoted to understanding behavior, as well as cognition –Memory –Rule-governed behavior –Metaphor –Language –Disorders of cognition

5. Learning What is learning? –Kimble – “A relatively permanent change in behavior resulting from experience” –General inadequacies in this definition

6. Basic Procedures to Understand Behavior 1. Simplest: Observe behavior 2. Present stimuli 3. Arrange for consequences –Reinforcement –Punishment 4. Stimulus control 5. Establishing operations

7. Some Early Examples Kohler – insight experiments with Sultan the chimp –“Thought experiments” –Chimp managed to solve the problem of the banana –In a single trial, without any intervention

8. Some Early Examples Tinbergen – Varied stimulus qualities and measured effects on pecking behavior Tinbergen noted stimulus tends to elicit response, described as releasers –Fixed Action Patterns (FAP) –Could be complex behaviors, tended to be important to the survival or continuation of the organism

9. Some Early Examples Thorndike – cat puzzle box –Influence of consequences –Reinforcing consequences maintain behavior or responding, while punishing consequences decease or suppress the behavior

10. Some Early Examples Pavlov and his classical studies Pfungst (1911) “Clever Hans” –Noted discriminative functions of stimulus material

11. Some Early Examples Skinner described the discriminative function of some stimulus material

12. Law of Effect Random variations in behavior Those with pleasurable consequences are stamped in while those with noxious consequences are stamped out Hedonic assumptions Instrumental or operant conditioning