Brunning – Chapter 1

Introduction to Cognitive Psychology

History Dates 1942-1961

Theories Associationist era (observations) Linking SR Lower organisms to humans Hull and Spence: elementary laws of

learning Discrimination training (learning the

right from the wrong answer) through trial and error

Serial list learning: 3 is a cue for 4 Paired associate learning: states and

capitals

As experiments became more refined, applications to humans became more differentiated

Watson-Skinner: animals sensitive to the manipulations of antecedents and consequences:

S---------------R-------------S

stimulus----response---consequence Watson/Skinner:

Idea of tabula rasa (empty head)

Behaviorism became a force across the country Transfer experiments from animals to humans

(hospitals, residential treatment centers, teaching machines = beginning of technology)

Positive

Negative

Mid 1960’s

Early

1970’s

Mid 1970’s

Cognitive movement Dissatisfaction with behaviorism Difficulty in explaining human

thinking (memory, problem solving, creativity, etc.)

Chomsky: development of a linguistic theory (language is innate and feedback) faced Skinner (language is imitated)

Cognitive era Information processing

schemata and scripts

House “Schema”

Building

Is a

RoomsWood Brick

Stone

Human Living

Square 2,000

sq.feet

Parts

Madeof

Usedfor

Lookslike

Size

Restaurant Script

Entergive reservation namebe seatedorder drinks look at menu discuss menuorder meal talkeat first courseeat second courseorder dessertpay billleave tipexit restaurant

Cognitive Themes for Education

Learning is constructivenot receptive Mental frameworks organize memory and guide

thought (schemata) Extended practice is needed to develop cognitive

skills The development of self awareness and self

regulation is importantMETACOGNITION Motivation and beliefs are essential to cognition

(goals, motivational strategies, self efficacy) Social interaction is fundamental Knowledge, strategies and expertise are

contextual (there is a relationship between learning and the environment)

Review: Theories of Cognitive Development and Learning

Thorndike: associations between situations and responses students are “other regulated”

Piaget: constructivism knowledge is constructed by the learnerstudents are “self regulated”

Information Processing theorists: two forms of knowledge (declarative and procedural) memory has three different storages (SMSTMLTM)

Vigotsky: internalization of experts’ behaviorsthe use of egocentric and inner speech

Connectionistsbrain style systems to model cognition (parallel & serial processing)