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The Essentials of Learning and Conditioning » (3rd Edition)

Book cover image of The Essentials of Learning and Conditioning by Michael P. Domjan

Authors: Michael P. Domjan
ISBN-13: 9780534574345, ISBN-10: 0534574343
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Cengage Learning
Date Published: June 2004
Edition: 3rd Edition

Author Biography: Michael P. Domjan

Michael Domjan is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. Domjan specializes in various areas of learning including animal learning, biological constraints on learning, learning mechanisms in reproductive behavior, and comparative psychology. He has been recognized with the MERIT Award from the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) (1993), the G. Stanley Hall Award from the American Psychological Association (APA) (1995), and election as President of the Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative Psychology of the APA (1999-2000). He is the recipients of 16 grants for research from the National Science Foundation, NIMH, and other agencies and has published more than 100 papers and presented in his area of specialization at more than 115 conventions.

Book Synopsis

Domjan (psychology, University of Texas-Austin) offers a concise summary of the essentials of conditioning and learning, for students and professionals. The book can serve as the primary source for an introductory course on conditioning and learning, or as a supplemental text for courses in behavior modification, behavioral neuroscience, special education, and related areas. The book can also be used to provide the foundations for an advanced course in which students are required to read a collection of specialized articles. Key points, chapter summaries, practice questions, and terms are included. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Booknews

A core text for an introductory course in conditioning and learning; a supplementary text for courses in behavior modification, behavioral neuroscience, special education, and related areas; or a foundation for an advanced course requiring students to read specialized articles. Domjan (psychology, U. of Texas-Austin) succinctly summarizes the essentials. No date is mentioned for the first edition. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

	Preface	xiii
Chapter 1	Basic Concepts and Definitions	1
	Fundamental Features of Learning	2
	Naturalistic versus Experimental Observations	6
	The Fundamental Learning Experiment	8
Chapter 2	The Structure of Unconditioned Behavior	13
	Shaping and Homogeneous versus Heterogeneous Substrates of Behavior	14
	The Concept of the Reflex	15
	Complex Forms of Elicited Behavior	17
	The Organization of Elicited Behavior	20
Chapter 3	Habituation and Sensitization	25
	General Principles of Regulation	27
	Effects of the Repeated Presentation of an Eliciting Stimulus	28
	The Dual-Process Theory of Habituation and Sensitization	36
Chapter 4	Pavlovian Conditioning and Extinction	41
	Pavlov's Proverbial Bell	42
	Some Common Misconceptions	42
	Contemporary Pavlovian Conditioning Preparations	44
	The Nature of the Conditioned Response	46
	The Contents of Pavlovian Associations	49
	The Selectivity of Associations	52
	The Control Problem in Pavlovian Conditioning	54
	Extinction of Pavlovain Conditioned Behavior	57
Chapter 5	Stimulus Relations in Pavlovian Conditioning	63
	Temporal Relation between CS and US	64
	Signal Relation between CS and US	67
	Higher-Order Relations in Pavlovian Conditioning: Conditioned Inhibition	70
	Higher-Order Relations in Pavlovian Conditioning: Conditioned Facilitation	76
Chapter 6	Instrumental or Operant Conditioning	81
	The Traditions of Thorndike and Skinner	83
	The Establishment of an Instrumental or Operant Response	87
	The Importance of Immediate Reinforcement	91
	Event Relations in Instrumental Conditioning	92
Chapter 7	Schedules of Reinforcement	99
	The Cumulative Record	100
	Simple Schedules of Reinforcement	101
	Mechanisms of Schedule Performance	106
	Chained Schedules of Reinforcement	108
	Concurrent Schedules	111
	Extinction of Instrumental Behavior	113
Chapter 8	Theories of Reinforcement	120
	Thorndike and the Law of Effect	121
	Hull and Drive Reduction Theory	122
	Reinforcers as Responses	125
	The Response Deprivation Hypothesis	128
	The Behavioral Regulation Approach	130
Chapter 9	Punishment	135
	Effective and Ineffective Punishment	136
	Research Evidence on Punishment	138
	Can and Should We Create a Society Free of Punishment?	144
	Alternatives to Punishment	146
Chapter 10	Avoidance Learning	149
	Dominant Questions in the Analysis of Avoidance Learning	150
	Origins of the Study of Avoidance Learning	151
	Contemporary Avoidance Conditioning Procedures	152
	Theoretical Approaches to Avoidance Learning	156
Chapter 11	Stimulus Control of Behavior	167
	Measurement of Stimulus Control	168
	Determinants of Stimulus Control: Stimulus and Organismic Factors	173
	Determinants of Stimulus Control: Learning Factors	176
Chapter 12	Memory Mechanisms	185
	Stages of Information Processing	186
	The Matching-to-Sample Procedure	187
	Types of Memory	190
	Sources of Memory Failure	195
	Glossary	201
	References	215
	Name Index	231
	Subject Index	233