The course will employ a variety of instructional methods to accomplish its objectives, including some of the following:
- lecture
- audio-visual materials
- seminar presentations
- small group discussion
- research projects/papers
- computer based cognitive experiments and exercises
- mediated electronic forums/discussion groups
- computer based tutorial exercises
1. Historical Factors
Behaviourist tradition.
Cognitive tradition.
Contemporary learning theory.
2. Theoretical Approaches
Definition of learning.
Evolutionary perspective.
Habituation and sensitization.
3. Pavlovian Conditioning
Acquisition.
Extinction.
Applications.
4. Instrumental Appetitive Conditioning
Thorndike’s position.
Skinner’s behaviourism.
Acquisition.
Positive reinforcement.
Schedules of reinforcement.
Extinction.
Applications.
5. Instrumental Aversive Conditioning
Escape conditioning.
Avoidance conditioning.
Negative reinforcement.
Positive punishment and negative punishment.
Applications.
6. Stimulus Control of Behaviour
The generalization process.
Excitatory generalization.
Inhibitory generalization.
Discrimination learning.
Theoretical approaches.
7. Cognitive Control of Behaviour
Tolman's purposive behaviourism.
Latent learning and cognitive maps.
The role of reinforcement.
The covariation of events.
Expectancy theory.
Attribution theory
Bandura's approach.
Applications.
8. Biological Influences on Learning
Generality of the laws of learning.
The preparedness dimension.
Animal misbehaviour.
Flavour aversion: The Garcia Effect.
Sign tracking, autoshaping, imprinting.
Species specific defence reactions.
The biology of reward and punishment.
At the conclusion of the course the successful student will be able to:
- List the major historical figures in the history of the psychology of learning and describe their contributions.
- Define learning and list the various types of learning included in the definition.
- List the major traditional and contemporary theoretical approaches in the psychology of learning.
- Describe the classical conditioning paradigm and the procedures for acquisition and extinction.
- Explain how the principles of Pavlovian conditioning can be applied in clinical and other settings.
- Describe instrumental conditioning procedures and the effects of various schedules of reinforcement.
- Discuss the effects on behaviour of positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, positive and negative punishment.
- Explain how the principles of instrumental conditioning can be applied to practical settings.
- Define generalization and discrimination and describe the major paradigms and phenomena associated with these processes.
- Explain the major biological constraints on the generality of the laws of learning.
- List and describe the various biological influences on learning such as the Garcia Effect, Seligman's preparedness dimension, animal misbehaviour, sign tracking, imprinting, and species specific defence reactions.
- Discuss the cognitive factors involved in learning and list the major contemporary cognitive theoretical approaches.
- Compare and contrast the traditional behaviourist approach with expectancy theory, Tolman's purposive behaviourism, attribution theory and social learning theory.
The course evaluation will be in accordance with Douglas College and Psychology Department policies. Evaluations will be based on the course objectives. The specific evaluation criteria will be provided by the instructor at the beginning of the semester.
An example of a possible evaluation scheme would be:
4 quizzes 40%
Mid-term paper 15%
Term paper 15%
Oral presentation 5%
Seminar attendance and participation 5%
Final exam 20%
100%
Textbooks and Materials to be Purchased by Students:
Textbook(s) such as the following, the list to be updated periodically:
Mazur, J. E. (2006). Learning and behaviour (6th ed). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
PSYC 1100 AND 1200