Learning
Overview of Course
This course provides a background in principles of learning developed via experimental analysis of human and nonhuman behavior. The course presents traditional approaches to learning but emphasizes current work in the experimental analysis of behavior. Students will become familiar with a conceptual framework for understanding behavior-environment relations will learn how principles enhance our understanding of human behavior across settings.
Required and Optional Readings
All readings will be available via ASULean. There is no textbook; instead the course focuses on readings, many of which are seminal in the field. Supplemental materials will be added as the semester progresses.
Grading Scheme
Grades will be based upon discussion questions, daily quizzes, and two in-class exams. Daily Quizzes
There will be a brief (5-8 min quiz) on average of every other class (VR-2 schedule). At the start of each class I will flip a coin to determine if a quiz on readings will be given. Each quiz is worth 10 points, the two lowest scores will be dropped. The total value of the quizzes towards the final grade will be 100 points, the value of one exam. Actual point value will thus be made
proportional to 100 points. For example, if there were 11 quizzes and a student earned 75 points (after dropping the two lowest) then this would translate into 75/90 or 83/100.
Discussion Questions
Students are responsible for turning in two discussion questions per class. Discussion questions should be substantive, spanning readings. Discussion questions for a class will be graded on a 5-point scale. There are 100 5-points available for discussion questions.
In-Class Exams
There are two in-class exams; exams will consist of 6 questions, you will pick 5 to answer. Each exam is worth 100 points.
Grades will be assigned as follows (out of 300 possible points) : A = 270-300
B = 240-269 C = 210-239 points F = less than 210 points
Date Topic Due
Today
Date Topic Due
Today
1 Course Overview & Placement in History 14 Exam 1 2 Foundations for an Experimental Analysis of Behavior 15 Extinction 4 Single-Case Experimental Designs 16 Stimulus Control 5 Selectionism, Physiology, Phylogony 17 Punishment Part II: Respondent
Conditioning
18 Choice 6 Introduction to Respondent
Conditioning
19 Matching & Behavioral Economics
7 Two-Factor Theory 20 Behavioral Economics
9 Part III: Operant Conditioning
21 Stimulus Equivalence
10 Positive Reinforcement 23 Verbal Behavior
Negative Reinforcement Acquisition &
Maintenance
11 Conditioned Reinforcement 24 Cognition and Memory
12 Schedule Performance 25 Exam 2
Assigned Readings • Foundations for an Experimental Analysis of Behavior
o Donahoe, J. W., Burgos, J. E., & Palmer, D. C. (1993). A selectionist approach to reinforcement. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 60, 17-40 o Michael, J. (1984). Behavior analysis: A radical perspective. In B. L. Hammonds
(Ed.), Master lecture series vol. 4: Psychology of learning. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
o Skinner, B. F. (1966). What is the experimental analysis of behavior? Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 9, 213-218.
• Single-Case Designs
o Lattal, K. A. (2013). The five pillars of the experimental analysis of behavior. In G. J. Madden (Ed.-in-Chief), W. V. Dube, T. D. Hackenberg, G. P. Hanley, & K. A. Lattal (Assoc. Eds.), APA handbook of behavior analysis, Vol. 1: Methods and principles. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. (pp. 32-35) o Perone, M. & Hursh, D. E. (2013). Single-case experimental designs. (pp.
107-126). In G. J. Madden, W. V. Dube, G. P. Hanley, & K. A. Lattal (Eds), APA Handbook of Behavior Analysis.
o Branch, M. N. * Pennypacker, H. S. (2013). Generality and generalization of research findings. (pp. 151-176). In G. J. Madden, W. V. Dube, G. P. Hanley, & K. A. Lattal (Eds), APA Handbook of Behavior Analysis.
• Selectionism, Physiology, Phylogony
o Catania, A.C. (1973). The psychologies of structure, function, and development. American Psychologist, 434-443.
o Skinner, B. F. (1981). Selection by consequences. Science, 213, 501-504.
o Skinner, B. F. (1989). Genes and behavior. In B. F. Skinner, Recent issues in the analysis of behavior (pp. 49-56). New York: Holt, Rinehart, & Winston.
• Introduction to Respondent Conditioning
o Lattal, K. M. (2013). Classical conditioning. In G. J. Madden (Ed.-in-Chief), W. V. Dube, T. D. Hackenberg, G. P. Hanley, & K. A. Lattal (Assoc. Eds.), APA handbook of behavior analysis, Vol. 1: Methods and principles. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Two-Factor Theory
o Levis, D. J. (1989). The case for a return to two-factor theory of avoidance: The failure of non-fear interpretations. (227-277). In S. B. Klein & R. R. Mowrer (Eds.), Contemporary Learning Theories: Pavlovian conditioning and the status of traditional learning theory. Hillsdale, NJ. Erlbaum.
o Rescorla, R. A. (2003). Contemporary study of Pavlovian conditioning. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 6, I185-195.
o Rescorla, R. A., & Solomon, R. (1967). Two-process learning theory: Relationships between Pavlovian conditioning and instrumental learning. Psychological Review, 74, 151-182.
• Resp
• Introduction to the Experimental Analysis of Behavior • Positive Reinforcement
o Lattal, K. A. (2012). Schedules of reinforcement. In N. M. Seel (Ed.),
Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning (pp. 2929-2933). Amsterdam: Springer. o
• Negative Reinforcement
o Baron, A. (1991). Avoidance and punishment. In Iversen, I. & Lattal, K. A. (Eds.), Research methods in the neural and behavioral sciences: Experimental analysis of behavior (pp. 173-217). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
o Iwata, B. (1987). Negative reinforcement in applied behavior analysis: An emerging technology. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 20, 361-378. • Schedule Performance
o Nevin, J. A., Grace, R., Holland, S., & McClean, A. P. (2001). Variable-ratio versus variable-interval schedules: Response rate, resistance to change, and preference. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 76, 43–74. o Shull, R. L., & Lawrence, P. S. (1998). Reinforcement: Schedule Performance.
(pp., 95-130). In K. A. Lattal & M. Perone (Eds)., Handbook of Research Methods in Human Operant Behavior. NY: Plenum.
o Zeiler, M. D. (1984). The sleeping giant: Reinforcement schedules. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 42, 485-493
• Conditioned Reinforcement
o Williams, B. A. (1994). Conditioned reinforcement: Experimental and theoretical issues. The Behavior Analyst, 17, 261-285.
• Extinction
o Lattal, K.A., St. Peter Pipkin, C., & Escobar, R. (2013). Operant extinction: Elimination and generation of behavior. In G. J. Madden (Ed.-in-Chief), W. V.
Dube, T. D. Hackenberg, G. P. Hanley, & K. A. Lattal (Assoc. Eds.), APA handbook of behavior analysis, Vol. 2:Translating principles into practice. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
• Stimulus Control
o Dinsmoor, J. A. (1995). Stimulus control: Part I. The Behavior Analyst, 18, 51-68. o Dinsmoor, J. A. (1995). Stimulus control: Part II. The Behavior Analyst, 18,
253-268. • Punishment
o Baron, A. (1991). Avoidance and punishment. In Iversen, I. & Lattal, K. A. (Eds.), Research methods in the behavioral and neural sciences: Experimental analysis of behavior (pp. 173-217). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
o Iwata, B., & Bailey, J. (1974). Reward versus cost token systems: An analysis of the effects on student and teacher. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 7, 567-576.
o Zeiler, M. D. (1971). Eliminating behavior with reinforcement. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 16, 401-405.
• Choice
o Mazur, J. E. (1998). Choice and self-control. (pp. 131-162). In K. A. Lattal & M. Perone (Eds)., Handbook of Research Methods in Human Operant Behavior. NY: Plenum.
• Matching
o Davison, M., & McCarthy, D. (1988). The Matching Law: A Research Review. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. (Chapters 1-3).
o McDowell, J. J. (1988). Matching theory in natural human environments. The Behavior Analyst, 11, 95-109.
o McDowell, J. J. (1989). Two modern developments in matching theory. The Behavior Analyst, 12, 153-166.
o Petry, N. M., & Heyman, G. M. (1994). Effects of qualitatively different reinforcers on the parameters of the response-strength equation. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 61, 97-106.
• Behavioral Economics
o Green, L., & Freed, D. E. (1998). Behavioral economics. In W. O’Donohue (Ed.0 Learning and behavior therapy (pp. 274-300). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
•
• Operant Extinction • Stimulus Equivalence
o Herrnstein, R. J., Loveland, D. H., & Cable, C. (1976). Natural concepts in pigeons. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Animal Behavior Processes, 2, 285-302.
o Sidman, M. (1986). Functional analysis of emergent verbal classes. In T. Thompson & M. D. Zeiler (Eds.). Analysis and integration of behavioral units (pp. 213-245). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum
o Sidman, M. (1986). Functional analysis of emergent verbal classes. In T. Thompson & M. D. Zeiler (Eds.). Analysis and integration of behavioral units
(pp. 213-245). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
o Catania, A. C., Matthews, B. A., & Shimoff, E. (1982). Instructed versus shaped human verbal behavior: Interactions with nonverbal responding. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 38, 233-248.
o Galizio, M. (1979). Contingency-shaped and rule-governed behavior: Instructional control of human loss avoidance. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 31, 53-70.
• Acquisition and Maintenance
o Gleeson, S. (1991). Response acquisition. In I. Iversen, & K. A. Lattal (Eds.), Research methods in the behavioral and neural sciences: Experimental analysis of behavior (pp. 63-86). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
o Hinson, J. M., & Staddon, J. E. R. (1983). Hill-climbing by pigeons. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 39, 25-47.
o Nevin, J. A. (1992). An integrative model for the study of behavioral momentum. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 57, 301-316.
o Nevin, J. A., Mandell, C., & Atak, J. R. (1983). The analysis of behavioral momentum. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 39, 49-59. • Cognition and Memory
o Branch, M. N. (1977). On the role of "memory" in behavior analysis. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 28, 171-179.
o Hake, D. F., & Schmid, T. L. (1981). Acquisition and maintenance of trusting behavior. Journal of the Experimental Analysis of Behavior, 35, 109-124.Palmer, D. G. (2003). Cognition. In K.A. Lattal & P.N. Chase (Eds.), Behavior theory and philosophy (pp. 167-185). New York: Kluwer/Plenum.
