This document discusses the historical context and methodology of human learning research. It describes Rene Descartes' dualist view that the mind and body are separate but interacting, with voluntary behavior governed by the mind and involuntary reflexes governed by the body. It also discusses how Descartes' view led to the fields of mentalism and reflexology. Later researchers like John Locke debated nativism versus empiricism and whether ideas are innate or formed from experience. Comparative cognition research used animal models and experiments to better understand learning and neural functions.

1. Human Learning
Topic 1: Historical Contexts, Methodology, and Non-
Human Research.
Cedp 324 - Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 3/29/2012
1

2. Descartes Dualism
 Early 1600’s
 Prior to Descartes: conscious intent and free will ruled
the day.
 Behavior was not lawful.
 Descartes believed that some
behavior was lawful.
 Voluntary vs. Involuntary (the reflex)
 Cartesian Dualism
Cedp 324 - Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 2 3/29/2012

3. Why reflex?
Stimulus
(sense)
Pineal
Brain Mind
Gland
Muscles Source of voluntary
(voluntary, Behavior
involuntary)
•Arrows represent nerves.
The Reflex Arc •Animal spirits (inside nerves)
•Other critters have reflexes only
Sensory input is REFLECTED
in the response.
Cedp 324 - Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 3 3/29/2012

4. Dualism
 Mind
 Body
 Separate but working together
 Two new fields
 Mentalism
 Reflexology
Cedp 324 - Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 4 3/29/2012

5. Mentalism
 Study of how the mind works
 Cognitive psychology
 Descartes:
 Mind contains things outside of experience
 God, concept of self, axioms of geometry
 Nativism
Cedp 324 - Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 5 3/29/2012

6. A Debate
 Nativism (Descartes and others)
 Empiricism (John Locke and
others – 1600 - 1800)
 Tabula Rasa
 Association
 Basic experiences combine to
NOT
form complex ideas
 Rules
 Contiguity, similarity, contrast
 This debate rages on
Cedp 324 - Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 6 3/29/2012

7. Comparative Cognition
 Descartes started a fire – humans are not as unique
as we think we are
 Darwin took it a step further
 He claimed contiguity between species
 The human mind is the product of evolution
 Other critters may share our abilities
 Very difficult to investigate
Cedp 324 - Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 7 3/29/2012

8. Investigating Intelligence
 A definition proposed:
 Romanes (1882)
 “to make new adjustments, or modify old ones, in
accordance with the results of it’s own individual
experience.”
 Familiar?
 This became it’s own branch – Comparative
Psychology
Cedp 324 - Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 8 3/29/2012

9. Neural Function
 Pavlov
 Focusing on gastric secretions
 Nervism – all key physiological functions are governed
by the nervous system
 Eventually studied conditioning of reflexes
 A form of learning
 Step two in using animal models
 Exploring biological function
Cedp 324 - Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 9 3/29/2012

10. Animal Models
 Animals provide a model of human behavior
 Primates, rats, pigeons
 Models are not perfect
 But representative
 Comparable in terms of features or functions
 Simple, easily controlled, less expensive
Cedp 324 - Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 10 3/29/2012

11. Learning Defined
 What are some definitions?
 Your book:
 “Learning is an enduring change in the mechanisms of
behavior involving specific stimuli and/or responses that
results from prior experience with those or similar
stimuli and responses”
 A functional definition
 A relatively permanent change in behavior due to
experience of the organism.
Cedp 324 - Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 11 3/29/2012

12. Learning vs.
Performance
 Observation issues
 Learning without performance?
 Only way to know learning has occurred
 Change in performance is not necessarily learning
 Factors influencing behavior
Cedp 324 - Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 12 3/29/2012

13. The Science of Learning
 Prior experience effects learning
 Looking for cause and effect
 Requires experimentation
 Manipulate events and measure effects
 Behavior change not due to learning
 Fatigue, maturation
 Need to rule these out
 We look for general laws – commonalities
 We are empirical
Cedp 324 - Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 13 3/29/2012

14. Credits:
 Photo of Descartes – Ken Wilson
 http://kenwilsonelt.wordpress.com/2010/01/
 Caricature of John Locke – Ryan Neal
 http://ryanjneal.blogspot.com/2009/03/john-locke-
caricature.html
 Image of John Locke – philosopher
 http://www.spaceandmotion.com/philosophy-john-
locke-biography.htm
Cedp 324 - Ryan Sain, Ph.D. 14 3/29/2012