“The text is well written at a level of the typical undergraduate who does not have extensive experience with learning theory. Examples are relevant and explained very well. I have had great success using this text over the years.” — Sherry Ginn, Wingate University
“Finally, a text that covers the fundamentals of learning theory in thirteen well-chosen chapters, suitable for a one-semester course, and at a remarkably low price.” — Don Gonella, Paine College
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381 pages, $55.95 list
1-57766-361-6
978-1-57766-361-4
© 2005
paperback
Instructor’s Manual and Test Bank available
Similar Titles
Learning and Memory
Second Edition
This expanded second edition continues to provide thorough coverage of both landmark research and the latest studies on the processes of learning and remembering, comprehensively covering the principles of classical and operant conditioning. The author’s straightforward, uncomplicated style clarifies even the most technical theories, providing everyday experiences as examples. Topics given new or updated treatment in the second edition include information-processing theory, the background of behaviorism, the neural basis of behavior, animal cognition, pattern recognition, the recovered/false memory debate, and concept structure. In addition, the book presents updated research on the temporal coding hypothesis, configural learning, concept learning, animals’ “mental clocks,” eyewitness testimony, working memory, and transfer-appropriate processing, and levels of processing theory.
Reactions
1. What Is Learning?
Behaviorist Views of Learning / How Do We Define Learning? / Kimble’s Operational Definition / An Alternative Definition / Learning vs. Memory / What Is a Stimulus? / What Is a Response? / S–R Psychology/ Learning from the Information Processing and Cognitive Neuroscience Viewpoints
2. Habituation and Sensitization: Two Simple Forms of Learning
What Is Habituation? / What Is Sensitization? / Habituation and Sensitization vs. Other Forms of Learning / Neural Basis of Habituation and Sensitization
3. Classical Conditioning
Pavlov’s Experiments / Extinction (or How Do I Get This Dog to Stop Slobbering? / What Can Be Conditioned? / Can Fears Be Extinguished?) / How Can We Tell that Conditioning Has Occurred? / Control Groups / What Influences Classical Conditioning? / Intensity of the US / Duration of the US / Intensity and Duration of the CS / CS–US Interval / Intertrial Interval / Practice / Schedules / Novelty of the CS and US / Similarity of the CS and US / Instructions / Section Review / What Is Being Learned? / Higher-Order Conditioning / Sensory Preconditioning / Configural Learning / What Causes Learning? / The Rescorla-Wagner Formula / Classical Conditioning and the Nervous System / How to Analyze Examples
4. Operant Conditioning
Thorndike’s Experiments / How Many Ways Can You Reinforce? Four Paradigms / Shaping / Positive Reinforcement / How Can You Tell It’s Been Done? Rates and Other Measures / How Can You Do It? / Reinforcement as an Independent Variable / The Modification and Management of Behavior
5. Punishment and Negative Reinforcement
Punishment / Measuring Punishment / Independent Variables Influencing Punishment / Should I Punish? Skinner’s Objections / What Makes Punishment Work? / Negative Reinforcement / Why Is Avoidance So Complex? / Theories of Avoidance / Two-Factor Theory / Contingency Theory / Species-Specific Defensive Reaction Theory / Learned Helplessness
6. Theories of Reinforcement
What Is Being Learned in Operant Conditioning? / Why Does Reinforcement Work? / Drive-Reduction Theories / Secondary Reinforcement / Responding as Reinforcement
7. Generalization and Discrimination
Generalization / Control Procedures in Generalization Studies / Independent Variables that Influence Generalization / What Causes Generalization? / Discrimination / How to Analyze Generalization and Discrimination Problems
8. A Comparison of Classical and Operant Conditioning
Similarities among the Forms of Learning / Differences between Classical and Operant Conditioning / Procedural Differences / Systemic Differences / Operant Conditioning of the Autonomic Nervous System / Interactions of Classical and Operant Conditioning / How to Recognize Classical or Operant Conditioning
9. The Context of Learning
The Traditional Model of Learning / The Misbehavior of Organisms / Taste Aversion Learning / The Preparedness Dimension / Animal Cognition / Do Humans Have Instincts?
10. Verbal Learning: The Study of Transfer and Memory
Ebbinghaus and the Serial Anticipation Method / Interference versus Decay / Paired-Associates Learning / Positive and Negative Transfer / Incidental Learning / Concept Learning
11. Information-Processing Models of Memory
The Stage Model of Memory / The Sensory Register / Pattern Recognition / Short-Term Memory (STM, or Working Memory) / Coding in STM / Capacity of STM / How Many Parts Does STM Have? / STM, Consciousness, and Attention / Long-Term Memory (LTM) / Duration of LTM / Organization and Long-Term Memory
12. Knowledge Representation in Permanent Memory
Episodic vs. Semantic Memory / Hierarchical Organization / Concept Structure / Concepts as Categories / Spreading Activation and Semantic Priming / Is Memory Reconstructive? Script and Schema Theories / Feature Comparison Models
13. Processing and Remembering
Levels of Processing / Implicit Memory / Encoding and Control Processes / Rote Rehearsal / Organization / Chunking / Imagery / Elaboration / Which Memory Model Is Correct?
Epilogue
Glossary
Behaviorist Views of Learning / How Do We Define Learning? / Kimble’s Operational Definition / An Alternative Definition / Learning vs. Memory / What Is a Stimulus? / What Is a Response? / S–R Psychology/ Learning from the Information Processing and Cognitive Neuroscience Viewpoints
2. Habituation and Sensitization: Two Simple Forms of Learning
What Is Habituation? / What Is Sensitization? / Habituation and Sensitization vs. Other Forms of Learning / Neural Basis of Habituation and Sensitization
3. Classical Conditioning
Pavlov’s Experiments / Extinction (or How Do I Get This Dog to Stop Slobbering? / What Can Be Conditioned? / Can Fears Be Extinguished?) / How Can We Tell that Conditioning Has Occurred? / Control Groups / What Influences Classical Conditioning? / Intensity of the US / Duration of the US / Intensity and Duration of the CS / CS–US Interval / Intertrial Interval / Practice / Schedules / Novelty of the CS and US / Similarity of the CS and US / Instructions / Section Review / What Is Being Learned? / Higher-Order Conditioning / Sensory Preconditioning / Configural Learning / What Causes Learning? / The Rescorla-Wagner Formula / Classical Conditioning and the Nervous System / How to Analyze Examples
4. Operant Conditioning
Thorndike’s Experiments / How Many Ways Can You Reinforce? Four Paradigms / Shaping / Positive Reinforcement / How Can You Tell It’s Been Done? Rates and Other Measures / How Can You Do It? / Reinforcement as an Independent Variable / The Modification and Management of Behavior
5. Punishment and Negative Reinforcement
Punishment / Measuring Punishment / Independent Variables Influencing Punishment / Should I Punish? Skinner’s Objections / What Makes Punishment Work? / Negative Reinforcement / Why Is Avoidance So Complex? / Theories of Avoidance / Two-Factor Theory / Contingency Theory / Species-Specific Defensive Reaction Theory / Learned Helplessness
6. Theories of Reinforcement
What Is Being Learned in Operant Conditioning? / Why Does Reinforcement Work? / Drive-Reduction Theories / Secondary Reinforcement / Responding as Reinforcement
7. Generalization and Discrimination
Generalization / Control Procedures in Generalization Studies / Independent Variables that Influence Generalization / What Causes Generalization? / Discrimination / How to Analyze Generalization and Discrimination Problems
8. A Comparison of Classical and Operant Conditioning
Similarities among the Forms of Learning / Differences between Classical and Operant Conditioning / Procedural Differences / Systemic Differences / Operant Conditioning of the Autonomic Nervous System / Interactions of Classical and Operant Conditioning / How to Recognize Classical or Operant Conditioning
9. The Context of Learning
The Traditional Model of Learning / The Misbehavior of Organisms / Taste Aversion Learning / The Preparedness Dimension / Animal Cognition / Do Humans Have Instincts?
10. Verbal Learning: The Study of Transfer and Memory
Ebbinghaus and the Serial Anticipation Method / Interference versus Decay / Paired-Associates Learning / Positive and Negative Transfer / Incidental Learning / Concept Learning
11. Information-Processing Models of Memory
The Stage Model of Memory / The Sensory Register / Pattern Recognition / Short-Term Memory (STM, or Working Memory) / Coding in STM / Capacity of STM / How Many Parts Does STM Have? / STM, Consciousness, and Attention / Long-Term Memory (LTM) / Duration of LTM / Organization and Long-Term Memory
12. Knowledge Representation in Permanent Memory
Episodic vs. Semantic Memory / Hierarchical Organization / Concept Structure / Concepts as Categories / Spreading Activation and Semantic Priming / Is Memory Reconstructive? Script and Schema Theories / Feature Comparison Models
13. Processing and Remembering
Levels of Processing / Implicit Memory / Encoding and Control Processes / Rote Rehearsal / Organization / Chunking / Imagery / Elaboration / Which Memory Model Is Correct?
Epilogue
Glossary