Chapter 1Introduction

• Historical background• Five schools of behaviorism

Defining Learning

a relatively permanent change in knowledge or behavior that results from experience.

(behavior: any activity that can be either directly or indirectly observed)

Two Basic Types of LearningClassical conditioning

Process by which an inborn, involuntary behavior is produced in new situations

Two Basic Types of LearningOperant conditioning

Strengthening or weakening of a voluntary behavior because of its consequences

Behavior(dog sits)

Scolding

Praise

NothingBehavior

Increases or decreases

Food

Reinforcers

Skinner Box (Conditioning Box)

Sniffy the Virtual Rat

Historical BackgroundAristotle (382-322 BC)

Law of similarity

Law of contrast

Law of contiguity

Law of frequency

Historical BackgroundDescartes

Mind-body dualism

British empiricistsTabula rasa

Historical BackgroundStructuralism

Introspection

Functionalism

von Osten’s goal: prove humans and animals have similar mental processes

Clever Hans, the clever horse

Used experimental approach2 groups of questioners

Group 1 knew the answersGroup 2 did not know the answers

Hans only answered correctly when questioners knew the answers

Clever Hans, the clever horseAn Investigation

Conclusion: Hans was receiving some type of information from questioners Hans had been unintentionally conditioned by his owner

Impact:Scientists more skeptical of mental processes in

animalsBut…Provided proof that animals were capable of learning

Clever Hans, the clever horseAn Investigation

Historical BackgroundBehaviorism

Watson1913: Watson declared warDealt solely with observable behaviorRejected mentalistic concepts Goal: prediction and control of behavior1924: Watsonian behaviorism preeminent in

USLaw of parsimony

Watson’s Life (1878-1958)

1920: ScandalAffair with student Rosalie

RaynerWatson forced to resign

Moved into advertising

Five schools of behaviorismWatsonian behaviorism

Neobehaviorism: HullIntervening variables

Cognitive Neobehaviorism: TolmanCognitive mapLatent learning

Social Learning Theory: BanduraReciprocal determinism

Radical Behaviorism: Skinner