Applied Learning Theory

Catalog description

This course explores the principles of basic learning theory, including classical and operant conditioning, with an emphasis on scientific thinking and its application to clinical, educational, family, and social contexts. Students will examine human learning capacities in comparison to those of various animal species, evaluating the basic philosophical and conceptual approaches underlying learning. The course emphasizes the role of habituation, sensitization, and other forms of stimulus learning, and discusses how classical and instrumental conditioning contribute to behavior manipulation and environmental adaptation. Students will also articulate the processes involved in knowledge acquisition, storage, and retrieval, including the formation and storage of memories, while considering nature- and nurture-based factors that shape complex mental representations. Prerequisite : PSYC 1100 or permission of the instructor.