scholarly journals Pavlov and Associationism

2003 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas J. Mackintosh
Keyword(s):  
Associative Learning ◽  
Pavlovian Conditioning ◽  
Learning Theory ◽  
Experimental Psychology ◽  
Controlled Experiments ◽  
New Developments ◽  
Adult Humans ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Simple Conditioning

Pavlov's contribution to experimental psychology was to invent a technique that allowed him to undertake a prolonged and systematic series of well-controlled experiments that, astonishingly enough, uncovered many if not most of the phenomena of what is rightly called Pavlovian conditioning. It was not for another 30 years or more that English-speaking psychologists began to match that achievement. Of course there have been new developments and discoveries since his time. Two examples are discussed: the important role of variable associability or attention even in simple conditioning, and the rigorous application of associative learning theory to the behavior of adult humans.

scholarly journals Neuroscience of Pavlovian Conditioning: A Brief Review

2003 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 155-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Aguado
Keyword(s):  
Associative Learning ◽  
Fear Conditioning ◽  
Pavlovian Conditioning ◽  
Eyelid Conditioning ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Basic Mechanism ◽  
Neuronal Mechanisms ◽  
Formal Learning Theory ◽  
Neuronal Substrates

Current knowledge on the neuronal substrates of Pavlovian conditioning in animals and man is briefly reviewed. First, work on conditioning in aplysia, that has showed amplified pre-synaptic facilitation as the basic mechanism of associative learning, is summarized. Then, two exemplars of associative learning in vertebrates, fear conditioning in rodents and eyelid conditioning in rabbits, are described and research into its neuronal substrates discussed. Research showing the role of the amygdala in fear conditioning and of the cerebellum in eyelid conditioning is reviewed, both at the circuit and cellular plasticity levels. Special attention is given to the parallelism suggested by this research between the neuronal mechanisms of conditioning and the principles of formal learning theory. Finally, recent evidence showing a similar role of the amygdala and of the cerebellum in human Pavlovian conditioning is discussed.

Has the Wheel Turned Full Circle? Fifty Years of Learning Theory, 1946–1996

1997 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 879-898 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.J. Mackintosh
Keyword(s):  
Associative Learning ◽  
Learning Theory ◽  
Experimental Psychology ◽  
Traditional Learning ◽  
Associative Theory ◽  
Central Focus ◽  
Full Circle ◽  
Cognitive Revolution ◽  
The 1960S ◽  
Associative Analysis

Fifty years ago, learning theory, whose principles were derived from experiments on conditioning in animals, was a central focus of much of experimental psychology. But the cognitive revolution that swept through human experimental psychology in the 1960s, especially when it was taken up by many animal psychologists themselves, seemed to consign traditional learning theory to the scrap heap. Liberation from the shackles of old-fashioned behaviourism, however, should not be bought at the price of dismissing associative learning theory. Suitably modified and extended, associative theory is capable of explaining much of the behavior of animals and of pointing precisely to the ways in which that behaviour is complex. And under some circumstances, at least, the behaviour of people mirrors that of other animals and is equally amenable to an associative analysis.

Blocking Is Sensitive to Causal Structure in 4-Year-Old and 8-Year-Old Children

2005 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 264-271 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom Beckers ◽  
Uschi Van den Broeck ◽  
Marij Renne ◽  
Stefaan Vandorpe ◽  
Jan De Houwer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Children ◽  
Associative Learning ◽  
Learning Theory ◽  
Causal Structure ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Contingency Learning

Abstract. In a contingency learning task, 4-year-old and 8-year-old children had to predict the outcome displayed on the back of a card on the basis of cues presented on the front. The task was embedded in either a causal or a merely predictive scenario. Within this task, either a forward blocking or a backward blocking procedure was implemented. Blocking occurred in the causal but not in the predictive scenario. Moreover, blocking was affected by the scenario to the same extent in both age groups. The pattern of results was similar for forward and backward blocking. These results suggest that even young children are sensitive to the causal structure of a contingency learning task and that the occurrence of blocking in such a task defies an explanation in terms of associative learning theory.

Reward Prediction Errors Drive Declarative Learning Irrespective of Agency

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kate Ergo ◽  
Luna De Vilder ◽  
Esther De Loof ◽  
Tom Verguts
Keyword(s):  
Learning Theory ◽  
Learning Effect ◽  
Steady Increase ◽  
Prediction Errors ◽  
Experimental Paradigm ◽  
Reward Prediction ◽  
Declarative Learning

Recent years have witnessed a steady increase in the number of studies investigating the role of reward prediction errors (RPEs) in declarative learning. Specifically, in several experimental paradigms RPEs drive declarative learning; with larger and more positive RPEs enhancing declarative learning. However, it is unknown whether this RPE must derive from the participant’s own response, or whether instead any RPE is sufficient to obtain the learning effect. To test this, we generated RPEs in the same experimental paradigm where we combined an agency and a non-agency condition. We observed no interaction between RPE and agency, suggesting that any RPE (irrespective of its source) can drive declarative learning. This result holds implications for declarative learning theory.

scholarly journals Does Spelling Still Matter—and If So, How Should It Be Taught? Perspectives from Contemporary and Historical Research

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven C. Pan ◽  
Timothy C. Rickard ◽  
Robert A. Bjork
Keyword(s):  
Approaches To Teaching ◽  
Traditional Methods ◽  
High Stakes ◽  
Early 21St Century ◽  
Relevant Evidence ◽  
Spelling Instruction ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Traditional Approaches

AbstractA century ago, spelling skills were highly valued and widely taught in schools using traditional methods, such as weekly lists, drill exercises, and low- and high-stakes spelling tests. That approach was featured in best-selling textbooks such as the Horn-Ashbaugh Speller of 1920. In the early 21st century, however, skepticism as to the importance of spelling has grown, some schools have deemphasized or abandoned spelling instruction altogether, and there has been a proliferation of non-traditional approaches to teaching spelling. These trends invite a reevaluation of the role of spelling in modern English-speaking societies and whether the subject should be explicitly taught (and if so, what are research-supported methods for doing so). In this article, we examine the literature to address whether spelling skills are still important enough to be taught, summarize relevant evidence, and argue that a comparison of common approaches to spelling instruction in the early 20th century versus more recent approaches provides some valuable insights. We also discuss the value of explicit spelling instruction and highlight potentially effective ways to implement such instruction, including the use of spelling tests. Overall, our goals are to better characterize the role of spelling skills in today’s society and to identify several pedagogical approaches—some derived from traditional methods and others that are more recent—that hold promise for developing such skills in efficient and effective ways.

scholarly journals Emerging Silk Material Trends: Repurposing, Phase Separation and Solution-Based Designs

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1160
Author(s):  
F. Philipp Seib
Keyword(s):  
Phase Separation ◽  
Recent Progress ◽  
Fiber Formation ◽  
Live Cells ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
New Developments ◽  
Silk Fabrics ◽  
Induced Crystallization ◽  
Liquid Liquid Phase Separation

Silk continues to amaze. This review unravels the most recent progress in silk science, spanning from fundamental insights to medical silks. Key advances in silk flow are examined, with specific reference to the role of metal ions in switching silk from a storage to a spinning state. Orthogonal thermoplastic silk molding is described, as is the transfer of silk flow principles for the triggering of flow-induced crystallization in other non-silk polymers. Other exciting new developments include silk-inspired liquid–liquid phase separation for non-canonical fiber formation and the creation of “silk organelles” in live cells. This review closes by examining the role of silk fabrics in fashioning facemasks in response to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

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