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Psychology 5300
Learning
Fall 2015
Class Meeting Times: Tuesday, Thursday
11:00 – 12:15
RM 301 SW
Instructor:
Office:
Phone:
E-mail:
web:
Kenneth M. Steele, Ph.D.
310F SW
262-2272 ext 436
steelekm@appstate.edu
http://www1.appstate.edu/~kms
The purpose of this proseminar is to expose graduate students in a variety of areas
to material that is considered core to the field of psychology, at a level appropriate for
graduate students. I will presume that you have some rough familiarity with some topics
but that you may need reminders on terms and procedures. My goals are to acquaint you
with core ideas (old and new) and prepare you to apply them to your professional area.
The structure and contents of the course are organized around my web site. I use
the web site instead of PowerPoint because I can include material of varying complexity,
skip around and return to material based on what happens in class. PP constrains you to a
certain sequence and tends to make all material of equal bullet-point value. Also, the
class material can be left up on the site for the entire class period and you only download
what you need.
There is no official textbook. Most material will come from PDFs that are located
on the web site. If you would like to have a textbook then I would suggest “Introduction
to Learning and Behavior” by Powell, Honey, and Symbaluk. The current version is the
4th edition but the 3rd edition will suffice and a used book can be bought cheaply on
Amazon.
The first part of this segment of the proseminar will focus on classical or
Pavlovian conditioning, the second part on operant conditioning. In the classical
conditioning section, we will begin with a review of the basic terminology, procedure,
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and effects. We will then move on to current work and ask the following general
questions. In what situations do we expect to see classical conditioning in effect? Are
there different kinds of classical conditioning? What events will function as conditioned
stimuli? What events will function as unconditioned stimuli? Can a stimulus function as
a conditioned stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus or is it restricted to only one role?
What form will the conditioned response take?
The second part covers operant conditioning, and will focus on the Law of Effect.
We will begin with Thorndike’s introduction of the Law of Effect as an explanatory
principle. The Law of Effect has been seen by many as providing a universal principle to
explain learning. We will read from both proponents and opponents of this assumption.
Next we will examine the critical issue of predicting when some event will function as a
reinforcer. This will lead us into some strange material, be forewarned. The goal is to
give you flexibility in choosing among possible reinforcers.
The third part introduces Operant-Pavlovian interactions in conditioning.
Typically, the two types of conditioning are taught as separate topics as if they existed in
isolation. In actual situations, both types of conditioning are in operation. We will
examine a couple of cases which are important theoretically and practically.
Most of the text for which you are responsible consists of excerpts from articles
and books. These articles are on located on my web site in Adobe pdf format. Notice
that there are a lot of articles. Some are there should you want or need to find out
additional information. I will alert you how to approach the material as we proceed
through this section of the class.
There are two exams, one on classical conditioning and the other on operant
conditioning. These will be some type of essay exams, the details of which will depend
on what happens in class. Generally they will ask whether you understand the material in
two ways, concise explication and application to a practical situation. You will have fair
warning of the contents of the exam because I will post a study guide as we get close to
the exam date.
New this year are a series of 10 short assignments. They are designed to get you
to think about and use the terminology/ideas. The combination of the 10 assignments is
worth 100 points. Each test will be worth 100 points and your final grade is computed
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from the average of the three. Plus and minus grades are assigned for averages that are
within 2 points of the next grade (e.g., 90 and 91 = A-; 88 and 89 = B+).
Class participation counts in several ways. The more you talk, the better I know
what you do and don’t know. The more you talk, the better (fairer, more valid) I can
make the exams. So don't be afraid to ask questions or make comments.
Psychology 5300 - Fall 2015
Course Sequence
Date Day Assignment
8/18 T
Class Goals
Class Requirements
8/20 R
Concept(s) of the Reflex
Readings: Pavlov (1927) Lecture I, Skinner (1931)
Assignment 1: Descartes vs. Pavlov/Skinner
8/25 T
Pavlov's Definition of Reflex
Basic Acquisition Effects
Assignment 2: Spot Acquisition Procedures in Daily Life
8/27 R
Discuss Assignment
9/1
Classical Conditioning I: Extinction
T
Do we need a concept of inhibition?
Assignment 3:
9/3
R
No Class - Convocation
9/8
T
Classical Conditioning II: Predicting the CS
Contiguity vs. Contingency
9/10 R
Classical Conditioning III: Predicting the UCS
Pavlov - Biological Potency
Kamin Blocking Effect
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9/15 T
Classical Conditioning III: Predicting the Response
Opponent Process Theory
Assignment 4: Diet Coke I
9/17 R
Discussion of Diet Coke I
Assignment 5: Diet Coke II
Swithers (2015)
9/22 T
Discussion of Diet Coke II
9/24 R
Evaluative Conditioning: Classical Conditioning or Not?
9/29 T
Q&A
10/1 R
Test 1
10/6 T
Thorndike codifies the Law of Effect
10/8 T
J. B. Watson and E. R. Guthrie against the Law of Effect
C. L. Hull for the Law of Effect
10/13 T
Problems for the Need-Drive Hypothesis
The Prediction Issue: Two classic solutions
Transituational Law of Effect - Paul Meehl
Empirical Law of Effect - B. F. Skinner
Assignment 6:
10/15 R
Fall Break - No Class
10/20 T
Practice with Skinner's Empirical Law of Effect
Assignment 7: Positive Reinforcement Tutorial
10/22 R
Discussion of Assignment
10/27 T
Reinforcement Schedules
10/29 R
"Reinforcement ""Value""
Multiple Schedules - Behavioral Contrast
Concurrent Schedules - Matching
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11/3 T
Back to the Prediction Issue: Premack's solution
11/5 R
The Prediction Issue: Timberlake & Allison's solution
Response Deprivation Theory
Assignment 8:
11/10 T
Discussion of Assignment
11/12 R
Operant-Pavlovian Interactions I
Two-Factor Theory
11/17 T
Conditioning & Phobias
Field (2006)
Assignment 9:
11/19 R
Psychonomic Society Meeting - No Class
11/24 T
Operant-Pavlovian Interactions II
Learned Helplessness
11/26 R
Thanksgiving Break - No Class
12/1 T
Learned Helplessness & Environmental Psychology
Assignment 10:
12/3 R
Summary / Q & A
12/10 R
Test 2, Noon-2:30
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