Behavioral vs.

Cognitive Views of Learning

These traditions in learning theory have existed for decades. They give different answers to the fundamental question, What is learned when learning ta!es "lace# Behaviorists say$ %"ecific actions 'or exam"le, in a %!inner Box , a rat may receive a food reward every time he "resses the (ar. )e "resses faster and faster. What has he learned# Cognitivists say$ &ental re"resentations

Behavioral vs. Cognitive Views of Learning

These traditions in learning theory have existed for decades. They give different answers to the fundamental question, What is learned when learning ta!es "lace# Behaviorists say$ to "ress the (ar. 'or exam"le, in a %!inner Box , a rat may receive a food reward every time he "resses the (ar. )e "resses faster and faster. What has he learned# Cognitivists say$ that "ressing "roduces food.

Behavioral vs. Cognitive Views of Learning

Behaviorism *learns to +
,. Learning involves the formation of associations (etween s"ecific actions and s"ecific events *stimuli+ in the environment. These stimuli may either "recede or follow the action *antecedents vs. consequences+. -. &any (ehaviorists use intervening varia(les to ex"lain (ehavior *e.g., ha(it, drive+ (ut avoid references to mental states. .. /012C0L B3)0V24/2%& *o"erant conditioning5(ehavior modification5(ehavior analysis+$ avoids any intervening varia(les and focuses on descri"tions of relationshi"s (etween (ehavior and environment *functional analysis +.

Behavioral vs. Cognitive Views of Learning

Cognitivism *learns that +
,. Learning ta!es "lace in the mind, not in (ehavior. 2t involves the formation of mental re"resentations of the elements of a tas! and the discovery of how these elements are related. -. Behavior is used to ma!e inferences a(out mental states (ut is not of interest in itself *methodological (ehaviorism +. .. 360&7L3$ Tolman 8 )on9i!:s ex"eriment on latent learning. Tolman, a "ioneer of cognitive "sychology, argued that when rats "ractice ma9es, they acquire a cognitive ma" of the layout;mental re"resentations of the landmar!s and their s"atial relationshi"s.

/es"onse Vs. 7lace Learning

*Tolman, /itchie 8 >alish, ,?@A+ This ma9e had no walls or roof so that rats could see landmar!s in the room such as a window, door, or lam". 4n a random half of the trials, the rats started from %tart Box ,, and on the other half they started from %tart Box -. %tart -

<oal -

<oal ,

%tart ,

</4=7 7 always found food in <oal Box ,. </4=7 / found food in <oal Box , when they started from %tart Box , (ut received food in <oal Box - when they started from %tart Box -.

/es"onse Vs. 7lace Learning

*Tolman, /itchie 8 >alish, ,?@A+ Cognitive theory "redicted that </4=7 7 would learn faster (ecause they only had to learn one cognitive ma". Behavior theory "redicted </4=7 / would learn faster (ecause they only had to learn one sequence of movements at the choice "oint;a right turn. %tart -

<oal -

<oal ,

%tart ,

</4=7 7 always found food in <oal Box ,. </4=7 / found food in <oal Box , when they started from %tart Box , (ut received food in <oal Box - when they started from %tart Box -.

/es"onse Vs. 7lace Learning

*Tolman, /itchie 8 >alish, ,?@A+ %tart -

What:s B4=/ "rediction#

0re you a (ehaviorist or a cognitivist#

</4=7 /

</4=7 7
<oal <oal ,

%tart ,

</4=7 7 always found food in <oal Box ,. </4=7 / found food in <oal Box , when they started from %tart Box , (ut received food in <oal Box - when they started from %tart Box -.

/es"onse Vs. 7lace Learning

*Tolman, /itchie 8 >alish, ,?@A+ %tart -

What:s B4=/ "rediction#

0re you a (ehaviorist or a cognitivist#

<rou" 7 learned faster.

</4=7 /

</4=7 7

But

<oal -

<oal ,

Later studies found that if the ma9e had a roof so the rats couldn:t see things in the room, res"onse learning was faster.

%tart ,

</4=7 7 always found food in <oal Box ,. </4=7 / found food in <oal Box , when they started from %tart Box , (ut received food in <oal Box - when they started from %tart Box -.

/es"onse Vs. 7lace Learning

*Tolman, /itchie 8 >alish, ,?@A+ %tart -

What:s B4=/ "rediction#

0re you a (ehaviorist or a cognitivist#

<rou" 7 learned faster. Both res"onse and "lace learning occur. Which ty"e is faster de"ends on what cues are availa(le. %o (oth the cognitive and (ehavioral views turned out to (e rightC

</4=7 /

</4=7 7
<oal <oal ,

%tart ,

</4=7 7 always found food in <oal Box ,. </4=7 / found food in <oal Box , when they started from %tart Box , (ut received food in <oal Box - when they started from %tart Box -.